In recent years, many students have altered or sometimes canceled their study abroad plans to reflect current international affairs. 

India has become the third most popular destination for young Australians with a total of 569 students opting to undertake short-term study projects in various disciplines in the country.

American universities are enrolling unprecedented numbers of foreign students, prompted by the rise of an affluent class in China and generous scholarships offered by oil-rich Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia.

This Fall, Houston area high school student, Karen Ortega, will embark on a yearlong study abroad program in China with AFS. For ten months Karen, who has never traveled outside of the U.S., will live leave behind everything she knows to live with a Chinese host family, study in a Chinese high school and gain an intimate understanding of Chinese culture.

Despite efforts to reduce the cost of a college degree, the price tag remains unthinkable for many. And it’s not just the cost of tuition, but also the extras like spending a year, a semester or even a summer in a foreign country. At a time when it seems as if every American college and university has a study abroad program or has agreements with institutions that offer the experience, one has to wonder: Is it worth it?

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- In an effort to increase the understanding of entrepreneurship and business education in the Arab world, the Coca-Cola Co. and the U.S. State Department are sponsoring 100 college students from across the Middle East and North Africa to study in a unique program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.

Study abroad programs are not only a chance for students to expand their cultural and linguistic horizons, but are important in promoting long-term international stability, according to U.S. State Department Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale.