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Sending students to studying abroad has been the most prevalent approach in internationalisation of higher education. Having international experience is considered as beneficially for students and graduates by many researchers in higher education. Most of them agreed that studying abroad have a positive impact on student life. The benefit of study abroad usually analysed in five spheres: academic achievement, foreign language proficiency, cultural enrichment, personal development and professional impact.

Foreign Language Proficiency
One of the leading motivations to study abroad is to have better foreign language proficiency. The improvement of language proficiency generally assumed to be the main consequence of studying abroad. Student reported that upon return they felt enhancement in language proficiency of the host country, in everyday context as well as in academic context. Obviously the language of the host country and the language use in the instruction must be taking in to account. For example: If you study in German but the language of instruction is in English, obviously your German proficiency will not improve much.

Cultural Enrichment
Study abroad provides direct opportunity to learn other culture. The most obvious impact for this is a better understanding of the conditions in other countries. This experience will stimulates some reflection about ones own culture and even reconsideration of values in general. Improved understanding of political rationales and tolerance for different views is just some of the examples of the result. Ones also will have more experience in comparing their own countries and the host country where they study. They will learn how to be proud of their home country and in the same time learn to accept the deficiency of their home country compared to the host country.

Academic Achievement
There is no doubt that studying abroad also has a positive impact on the academic achievement. Mobile student reported that study abroad provided the chance to take courses which were different in context from those available at home. Students also will experience different teaching methods in host country. Many mobile students had the flexibility to take courses which were not directly related to their field of study at home. All of these experiences combine with the use of more advance facilities (e.g. laboratories) will improve students’ academic achievement.

Personal Development
Students with study abroad experience tend to be more mature than their peers. Study abroad promote the ability to adjust to unfamiliar situations, to deal with different kinds of people, to be prepared to take on new duties and new working conditions, to get to know previously unknown subject matters, to manage in unaccustomed circumstances and to learn from comparisons (Opper et al., 1990).

Long term impact on employment and career
Study abroad also has a long-term impact on employment and career terms. Its benefit mainly on the period of transition to work or on getting the first job. Study abroad reported had been helpful in finding their first job after graduation. Its also enable them to engaged in job with more international context.
So what are we waiting for?… Let’s study abroad!

Reference:
Opper, S., Teichler, U., & Carlson, J. (1990). Impacts of Study Abroad Programmes on Student and Graduates. London: Jessica Kingsley Publisher.

Maiworm, F., & Teichler, U. (2002). The Student’s Experience. In Teichler,U (Ed.) Study Abroad. Bonn: Academic Cooperation Association.