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<p>Swarthmore’s study abroad options are as extensive as any I’ve seen. They run a few of their own programs (France, Poland, Ghana, Argentina, and Ireland, if I recall). Their list of pre-approved programs includes almost every top program in all corners of the world.</p>
<p>At Swarthmore, you continue to pay your regular tuition, room, and board to Swarthmore (minus financial aid). Swarthmore cuts all the checks to your study abroad program plus sends you a check to cover air fare and incidentals associated with your particular program. This system is advantageous to financial aid students and/or students who pick the most expensive study abroad options, less favorable to full-sticker students who pick inexpensive study abroad options. Swarthmore went to this system because it makes study abroad easy for low income students. We came out ahead as my daughter’s study abroad program was more expensive than a semester at Swarthmore. In her case, all the airfare (NYC to Buenos Aires to Beijing to Shanghia to Bangalore to NYC) was included in the price of the program, but Swat sent her a check for about $500 worth of incidentals on top of paying for the program.</p>
<p>My advice would be to steer clear of schools that operate their own study abroad programs for most of their students. These tend to be very limited compared to schools like Swarthmore that offer hundreds and hundreds of programs, especially if you want something off the beaten path to Europe. These programs are often called parachute programs as they drop a group of students and professors into a country with less opportunity for immersion (such as home stays).</p>
<p>About 40% of Swarthmore students spend a semester abroad, not including summer programs.</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/somethingstoexpect.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/somethingstoexpect.html)</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/selectingaprogram.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/selectingaprogram.html)</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/programsoperatedbyswat.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/programsoperatedbyswat.html)</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/programswithspecialarrange.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/programswithspecialarrange.html)</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/englishspeakingworld.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/englishspeakingworld.html)</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Office for Foreign Study](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/nonenglishspeaking.html]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/ofs/planning/nonenglishspeaking.html)</p>