Texas State Students Think Study Abroad Programs Are Too Expensive

Brenden Snow

Bjs158@txstate.edu 

SAN MARCOS, Texas— Students at Texas State University have shown a knowledge of Study Abroad Programs and internships, but don't think they are accessible and affordable for most students. 

Lauren Reese
Photo Credit: Cruz Rojas 

Study abroad is something talked about a lot on the Texas State community every semester. You'll find flyers everywhere, receive emails and have other students come into your class on occasion to talk about possible trips. 

Students hear so much about the programs but what do they really take away from it? The first downside that most students point out is the cost. Students aren't seeing why pay more for one semester abroad when they already pay a cheaper price here. 

Kaylee Ware
Photo Credit: Hanna Emmert 

Senior Lauren Reese, an early education major at Texas State, who says she has thought about taking a trip herself, ”I guess if it cost about the same amount as a semester here, then I guess I could really think about doing it. I don’t want to be spending more money than I already am,” Said Reese. 

Some students showed interest in wanting to participate in a program but kept coming back to the price.  

Ollen Howard
Photo Credit: Darreane Valles

"I just think that study abroad is way too expensive. It was, like, $5,000 for two weeks and you could obviously go on trips for cheaper than that. They should make it cheaper or offer more financial aid,” said junior Kaylee Ware. 

Other students think their is more to it rather than just the requested price. Ollen Howard a junior at Texas State.

Tony Place
Photo Credit: Sawyer Click

"As far as a study abroad program, I know that they try to make it seem like its affordable and just this easy process, but its not. Especially just general cost to go there, pay to eat, get my stuff there, et cetera, et cetera,” said Howard. 

Junior Tony Place also said there are more expenses and underlying to a trip and that he doesn't want to have to worry about school too much when in a foreign country. 

At the same time, though, if you have tuition, bills and rent, it becomes really hard. It'd be worth it if you could solve every problem around going. The study part of study-abroad ruins it for me too. Like you get to explore this country but at the same time you still have homework to worry about. You're paying this much money for your vacation to be ruined. It's the lack of classes, the money and the studying that do it for me,” said Place. 

Henry "Tres" Allen lll
Photo Credit: Justus Stafford 

Sophomore Henry “Tres” Allen lll pointed out that some students are aware that finical aid offered assistance but doubt that is the direction they would want to go. Sophomore Henry “Tres” Allen lll.

"They probably cost a lot of money and I know a lot of students are on welfare and FAFSA, so they probably can't afford study abroad on top of their student loans,” said Allen. 

Ceven Johnson
Photo Credit: Luis Seijo 

Some students know immediately that the price is going to be very high and don't even think it will possible to take a trip. They think it would be impossible for them to make it happen.

Freshman Ceven Johnson thinks the trips are beneficial, just something she will never be able to do because of her finical situation.
"I don't think so. Mainly because of money; I think the experience would be cool but because of my financial situation that doesn't really seem possible," said Johnson 

Students of all different classifications all shared the same thought process when it came to these programs, they cost too much. There are finical aid and scholarship opportunities for all students. For more information on financial aid you can visit the official Study Abroad Office website http://www.studyabroad.txstate.edu.