S23 is going to study abroad in South Africa. We’ve been researching safaris and a trip to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls once school ends. I want to go!!
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Yes, S23 (MechEng) is looking at programs for spring 2026. Is one of your sons going to be in Lyngby? That’s one of the progams mine is considering. He’s a little worried that he’d be stuck out in the 'burbs. (And Copenhagen is absolutely lovely, but he also says that it sounds like a ‘boring’ place to go on the weekends.) Ah, to be 19 again. Or, not!
Yes, it’s in Lyngby. Since MS son said he wanted to Budapest Semester in Math, but this summer he realized he would be doing nothing but math, with no time to have fun, see Europe or his twin so Lyngby was his compromise. Also, he’s much farther ahead in Math v CS.
I think any STEM major doing study abroad will have less free time, but I’m sure they have much more fun than a parent wants to hear about. Also with trains and cheap flights, they won’t be stuck in Copenhagen - stuck in Copengagen sounds pretty nice to me.
According to my son it’s a 40 minute bike ride to Copenhagen (he’s very excited to be in a bike friendly country). It’s also a 20 minute train ride, since thankfully I’m not 19 anymore and think he might want a heated travel option on occasion.
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S23 is abroad in Europe this semester. He’s doing a modest amount of traveling around to meet up with several of his longtime online friends. He said “I think I’ve finally figured out that almost all the other students here are rich”, because they blow staggering amounts of money and travel every single weekend and all their parents are coming to visit. He doesn’t mind, and I’m sure he’s not the only one on a strict budget, but he said it was interesting to observe.
He reapplied for the same engineering internship he had last summer, which is in manufacturing in a neighboring city. He followed up with the woman he knows there in recruiting and got a very promising response. He should know soon – fingers crossed!
He applied for way fewer positions this year than last (hundreds last year, maybe 30 this year) and has been dragging his feet with the process. He recently confessed he just wants to be home with his friends this summer and will be fine working a grunt job if he doesn’t get a local internship. We consider that fair. He misses his friends terribly. His summer earnings have to pay for all his food next year, so it will be up to him how he wants to do that. He’ll also be returning to his peer instructor role next year, which pays quite well and will supplement his summer earnings.
His friends aren’t having any luck with their internship searches. The frequent plan of doing research on various campuses has also been largely squashed because the funding uncertainty has caused considerable panic in academic research.
Good luck to everyone’s kids trying to line up their summer plans. This year has flown by.
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DD is finalizing her paperwork to study abroad next spring in England. She found a good program where she can continue working in both her English and Theatre majors. She’s also doing a short-term program in Italy this May. So excited for her! I never did any time abroad as an undergraduate and I regret it.
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Sigh. I really wanted S23 to study abroad but alas, young love has messed that up. We like the new gf and she is getting him to buckle down so it isn’t a horrible thing but still. He has been busy with frat rush for freshman, TA’ing a class, and started a part time job at Starbucks on campus for spending cash.
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S23 is finishing his GEs this summer and continuing to work at the local observatory. He’s excited to have been asked to assist one of the astronomers with observations for four nights this spring. He’s on track to complete his astrophysics major and math minor at least a quarter early, so we’ll see if he finds a research position to fill that extra time. He wasn’t interesting in considering study abroad but is now starting to open up to exploring possible jobs at telescopes elsewhere in the world in summer/fall 2026.
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We hoped D23 would be able to study abroad, but she decided on a double major that will make that unfeasible. It’s my impression that this is not uncommon in the life sciences?
Fortunately her college offers a unique opportunity for students to spend a month abroad, so likely that will be an option for her before she graduates.
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D23 is thrilled to have been accepted for a summer research program at Cornell. We’re keeping fingers crossed that the funding will not become an issue but so far so good.
She’s my far away kiddo (10ish hours drive) so I’m a little sad she won’t be home this summer but looks like we’ll have around 3-4 weeks with her before it starts in June so that will be nice. It ends in Aug so she’ll basically roll right back to her school after that.
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My daughter is also studying in London next semester! She’s English and Education majors. I’m super excited for her but also kind of freaking out. Lol
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S23 is studying abroad in Paris, having the best time. He’s a Comp Engineering major and all his classes are taught in French, which I’m sure has been a challenge. No luck securing a CS or engineering related internship this summer. I suspect he’ll end up lifeguarding again, because he’s having too much fun in France to worry about sending out applications for internships
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What school in France? Could he legally work there over the summer?
I am feeling guilty I have not been on campus at all this year. His dad moved him in and S23 has been coming home (again, gf). Been focusing on his sister D25 and her college search this year.
S23 is maturing though and making better choices. I can happily report he has emailed for his own adhd med refills twice in a row now taking responsibility for himself. Small wins here!
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Agreed, hard time for CS majors out there. After over a hundred applications S23 secured an internship for the summer. He did a good job of networking via the CS club at his school.
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He’s at University of Paris. I’ll suggest he look into internships abroad- the challenge will be housing, as he has to leave his university provided apartment by the end of May. But that’s a good idea, thank you!
Sound like a lot of great outcomes everyone, congrats. Our S23 heard this week that he got the physics summer REU position he wanted. Ton of applicants and typically at most they take one from his college. However, it sounds like while it is supposedly funded they warned everyone it is contingent on the current Administration not pulling the pre-approved NSF grant funding, so it’s up in the air and could be that way until the last minute. He’s committed to it so there’s really no contingency plan if politics gets in the way. He’s also wanting to pursue a PhD which couldn’t be at a worse time as that seems to be an endangered species as of this year.
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Finding a room for the summer in Paris used to be doable as a lot of students go back home for ~2 months. I don’t know if it’s still the case, but I don’t see why not. (This year is not the same as last year with the Olympic Games completely changing the dynamic.)
The biggest challenge would be getting a work authorization if he is not a dual US/EU citizen, should he expect to be paid.
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Well after today it’s looking very doubtful they won’t cancel the REU, and all the paid research opportunities at his college even after this summer. Epically bad timing though I feel even worse for the PhD’s and post-docs who will likely be impacted.
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The funding crisis for the current sophomores and juniors applying to research internships and the older ones applying to or in graduate school is just terrible. D23 got accepted to her top choice research internship a couple of weeks ago as part of the department of energy SULI program, and so far funding looks good but you never know. The lab that accepted her is part of a well-known top university and located on that school’s campus: presumably if there is a funding issue, the stipend would be cut but the free campus housing in dorms would still apply. Government cuts have not affected the department of energy national labs thus far, but it certainly could happen. This university’s other summer REUs are all going forward so far. Her home university, UPenn, has already cut one REU and many departments have had to cut phD spots due to the executive order funding cuts.
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I’m so sorry. These poor kids. I’m increasingly afraid that they’ll ALL be affected, regardless of major or intended career. I had posted earlier that S23 was excited to get a great summer internship at a medical device manufacturer. And while it hasn’t get been cancelled (yet), he has been trying to reach them for weeks to confirm his start date and they have ghosted him. My guess is that they’re holding out for as long as possible before committing.
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