Where in the world do you want to go?

Living and studying in another country is one of the best educational experiences you can have. The opportunity to learn about another culture, make international friends, and learn to survive on your own is guaranteed to change your life.

Why Study Abroad?

-  Gain international experience that can help you in your future career or graduate school admissions

-  Learn what it means to be a global citizen

How do I get started?

There are many types of programs you can choose from, ranging in length from a few days to a full academic year.  See the types of study abroad programs available at the end of this page.  Decide which programs are the best fit for your interests, academic program and future career goals, budget and financial aid package available, language skills, and comfort level.

2. Where in the world do you want to go?

Explore the long listing of possibilities on the clickable map.

3. Learn more about the countries you are interested in. 

Do you like busy, noisy cities; a smaller community where you can make friends and get involved; or a rural setting?  Is the country/city you are considering a relevant and meaningful location to study your academic major?  Is the country/city you are considering a place you just want to visit or a place you would feel comfortable living for the entire term of your program?

 4. Assess your foreign language skills.

Programs in some countries require that you have proficiency in the language but other programs offer courses taught in English. If you want to learn a foreign language, check out UNM’s intensive language programs.  There are also many countries and programs that offer courses taught in English and a living environment that does not require fluency in a foreign language.

 5. Work out your finances.

With the UNM exchange programs you will be paying your regular UNM tuition, and you can use all of your financial aid. For intensive language or affiliated programs, you will be paying the sponsoring agency based on their rates.  However, you can still use many kinds of UNM financial aid to help pay for programs, and you may be able to apply for special scholarships through the sponsor.

The cost of living in most countries is equivalent to, or lower, than in the United States. But don’t forget to budget for your air travel, miscellaneous living expenses, and weekend and vacation travel expenses. Print out and use our budget worksheet (pdf) to develop a preliminary budget. Schedule a meeting with a UNM financial aid advisor to discuss your plans, finaid@unm.edu. There is also a list of grants available for study abroad in the Resources section of this website.

For most of the programs, you can transfer credits back to UNM to count toward your degree here.  Talk to your academic advisor about how you can use international course work to fulfill your general education or major requirements.

 7. Make an appointment with a Study Abroad advisor to discuss your plans and options.

For study in Spain and Latin American, contact Robyn Cote at the Latin American and Iberian Institute, rcote@unm.edu.  For other regions of the world, contact the Office of International Programs & Studies, studyabd@unm.edu. 

Types of Study Abroad Programs

3. New Mexico International Education Consortium - UNM has an agreement with several other universities in New Mexico to share our study abroad programs. This means that UNM students can apply for programs sponsored by:

New Mexico State University

New Mexico Tech

College of Santa Fe

New Mexico Highlands University

Eastern New Mexico University

San Juan College

You will pay the regular tuition for that university for your study abroad program, and you can use all of your UNM financial aid.  For more information check the website: www.nmiec.org

 4. UNM Affiliated Programs - In order to provide more options for places to study abroad, UNM works with several out of state providers.  For most of these programs, you will apply directly to the program and pay their regular tuition rates (which may be higher than UNM in-state tuition.)  However, many of these providers offer scholarship opportunities to UNM students.  You can also use most of your UNM financial aid on these programs but you will have to talk with a UNM financial aid advisor to find out if there are any restrictions.  Our study abroad advisors can help you choose and apply for these programs.  Advisors from these programs visit UNM frequently to talk with students.  Many of these providers also have short-term or summer courses, service learning programs or volunteer opportunities, and internships.

Some of these programs can be found at:

Australearn

Global Learning Semesters

Institute for Study Abroad-Butler University  

International Studies Abroad

University Studies Abroad Consortium

Yangtze International Study Abroad Program (YISA)