Students: Oh, the Places You May Go! This Quiz Will Reveal Where You Should Study Abroad

Collage of random images and illustrations with randomly place geometric shapes

(Illustration by Alexandra Angelich, University Communications)

Studying abroad in college is a transformative experience and the University of Virginia has literally hundreds of programs from which to choose. There are UVA-run destinations as well as others run by prestigious partner institutions around the globe.

Many were on display during the recent Study Abroad Fair in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom, where experts described all of the fabulous locations at a student’s fingertips.

As a just-for-fun way to sort through the options and learn about the programs, take the interactive quiz below. Remember, there are no wrong answers! The programs featured in this quiz are open to all students, regardless of major.

An important note: Deadlines for applying for January term and spring semester programs are fast approaching (some as early as this month) so don’t delay. Check with the International Studies Office later in the semester for deadlines for “Maymester” and summer programs. And don’t make the mistake of thinking studying abroad is out of your reach. Here are just a few of the scholarships that make it easier than ever to explore the world.

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Each year, more than 3,000 students from all schools, disciplines and majors study, conduct research and intern in locations around the world for an academic year, semester, summer or January term. How long do you want to study abroad?

An academic year
A semester
Summer
January Term

1 of 10

Would you like to study abroad in a city or in a rural area?

City
Rural Area

2 of 10

Choose a continent to visit.

Africa
Asia
Australia/Oceania
Europe
South America
North America/Carribean

3 of 10

Do you want to live with a host family or at a partner university?

Host Family
Partner University
Private Housing
Hotel

4 of 10

Do you want to include service in your study-abroad experience?

Yes
No

5 of 10

Do you want a language-immersive experience?

Yes
No

6 of 10

Are you looking for a multidisciplinary experience?

Yes
No

7 of 10

Are you a free-wheeler ready to try anything?

Yes
No

8 of 10

Do you want to learn about a modern environment or an ancient one?

Modern
Ancient

9 of 10

Do you want a lot of stamps on your passport?

Yes
No

10 of 10

Ready for the results?

Submit

Here are your top three destinations!

Education Abroad ProgramScore

UVA in Valencia

The UVA in Valencia Program, serving the academic community since 1983, is an enriching and comprehensive experience for students interested in becoming well-versed in Spanish and Latin American culture, literature, art and language. Business Spanish students will be able to enhance their studies from a global vantage point. Students of health sciences will have a chance to study comparative health care systems as they gain Spanish language skills in the global health program. During the fall semester, engineering students can take engineering courses in English along with Spanish language courses. Student-athletes can participate in the summer and receive support in meeting their fitness training goals. Check out this video to get a taste of Valencia. To learn more, including important registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Valencia.

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UVA in Lyon

The UVA Program in Lyon offers a unique, full-immersion opportunity for students of French or students interested in France. Lyon, its third-largest city, is located a little less than 300 miles south of Paris in the Auverne-Rhône-Alpes region. By living in Lyon and attending the Université Lumière Lyon 2 for either a semester, summer or an academic year, students will hone their skills in French and experience French culture and everyday life in France. The Université Lumière Lyon 2 is a center of academic excellence in France. Its strongest departments include French, history, media studies, political science, economics, art history, Arabic, sociology and anthropology. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Lyon.

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UVA in India

The UVA in India spring semester program in Delhi offers an immersive experience for students interested in India, global studies, South Asian studies, media studies, democracy and public space, and the Hindi and Urdu languages. Want to do an internship or do research? You can do that, too. The program is supported by the American Institute of Indian Studies and hosted at Jamia Millia Islamia University in South Delhi. Students who have not taken courses about India are also encouraged to experience India this way for the first time. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in India.

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UVA in Oxford

Ah, summer in England. Sounds nice, right? The University of Oxford is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the world. With its origins in the 12th century, it has been home to generations of prominent students and scholars. While the UVA summer program provides first and foremost an academic experience, students will benefit from a variety of social and cultural opportunities offered by Oxford University and the city of Oxford. These range from dining at High Table in Oxford’s University College to attending concerts and theatrical performances. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Oxford.

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UVA in Shanghai: Chinese Language

This intensive summer language program is run by the faculty of the Chinese language program in UVA’s Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and hosted by Fudan University, in partnership with The Education Abroad Network. It is intended to enable students who are serious about studying Chinese in a total immersion environment to cover an academic year’s worth of material. This rigorous, demanding and rewarding language program gives students firsthand experience in using Chinese in real-world situations, as well as studying and practicing it in the classroom. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Shanghai.

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UVA in the Bahamas: Marine Biology

Welcome to the rich coral reefs of San Salvador! The UVA in the Bahamas summer course emphasizes marine biology and ecology field work. Attention will be given to survey methodology, identification, sampling techniques, research design and other useful field skills. Lectures, lab work, discussions and readings will supplement the field work, as will an independent research project during the second week. A typical day’s work may include visits to two or more field locations. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in the Bahamas

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UVA in Costa Rica

The University of Virginia is partnered in Costa Rica with the Instituto de Cultura y Lengua Costarricense, located just outside the traditional city of Alajuela, about 10 miles from the capital of San José. Downtown Alajuela is only a 10-minute bus ride away, and the bustle of San José is easily accessed by 24-hour bus service. In this six- or seven-credit summer experience, students select one of three tracks. Students enrolling in any of the three tracks may elect to complete a volunteer experience, in addition to their courses. These volunteer placements are in a broad range of areas, and include opportunities in local clinics, schools or community outreach. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Coasta Rica

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UVA in Hong Kong & Singapore: Asian Financial Capitals

This Global Commerce Immersion January-term course examines the roles of Hong Kong and Singapore as Asian financial capitals through a series of onsite visits to financial firms, lectures and executive presentations. Although similar in many ways, the two rival financial centers have different strengths. Singapore is a growing hub for private banking, wealth management and “fintech,” or financial technology. Hong Kong remains a “financial entrepot,” or entrepreneurial port, for mainland China as it liberalizes its financial markets. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Hong Kong & Singapore

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UVA Commerce: Investing in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities

Want to hit London, Frankfurt and Zurich in one fell swoop? Then this summer finance study is for you. It focuses on the challenges and the opportunities of investing in Europe in the face of several macroeconomic headwinds, such as Brexit-induced economic union risk, uncertain European Central Bank monetary policies, banking sector stresses and demographic changes. Through a series of company visits, group discussions and executive presentations, these headwinds will be explored. In a broader context, the historical and cultural aspects of the role of a unified Europe also will be studied. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Commerce: Investing in Europe

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UVA in Argentina: International Counsulting

In this January-term course, you will practice problem-solving in an international consulting context. Working in a team, you will propose solutions to real-world challenges experienced by wineries in Argentina, where winemaking is a global business fueled by exports. You and your team will analyze problems, identify goals and requirements, evaluate alternative solutions and present recommendations to real clients. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Argentina

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UVA in Germany: Global Technology Practice

The Global Technology Practice summer program is designed to give students an introduction to the development and use of technology in Germany and the role of cultural values in shaping technology practice. You’ll explore the demographic, historical and cultural factors that have placed Germany among the world’s leaders in the production and use of alternative, sustainable energy and in engineering some of the world’s finest production automobiles. Engineering students will benefit from new perspectives on training and professional practice and the social/cultural environment of the engineer in Germany. Other students will also benefit from a greater understanding of the role of scientific research, engineering, globalization and culture in technology practice. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Germany

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UVA in Paris: Making Paris Modern

If you are into ghosts and Paris, this January-term course is for you! Students consider the ghosts of history that haunt, yet continue to shape, the spaces and places of France’s majestic capital city. Your itinerary will include a number of places that reveal traces of these layers and provide a deeper, more complete and decidedly more panoramic understanding of the city. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Paris

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UVA in Vienna and Budapest: The Jewish Experience

Explore and experience Jewish history, culture and everyday life in Europe from a multidisciplinary perspective in this January-term program. The course will consist of introductory lectures, site visits, guest speakers and personal encounters. Hosted by the University of Graz and University of Vienna, there will be on-site classes, including field trips within Austria and a three-day visit to Budapest. The objective of the course is to acquaint students in a deep way with the history, culture and everyday lives of European Jews through immersion in seminal texts, ideas, cultural artifacts and practices in the past and present. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Vienna and Budapest

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UVA in the Dominican Republic: Public Health Sciences during “Maymester”

The UVA in the Dominican Republic course offers participants the opportunity to explore some of the basic tenets of community and population health during two weeks in May in the Dominican Republic. You will learn about a broad range of topics, including culture and health, the ethics and methods of international work and research, social determinants of health, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and motor vehicle and other unintentional injuries. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Dominican Republic

(Note that this “Maymester” program is classified as a summer program in the link.)

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UVA in Australia: Australia Since 1788

Discover the history, politics and culture of “The Land Down Under.” Australia is a land of opportunity and paradox. It began as a penal colony and became the richest country in the world within 100 years. It has been independent of Britain for a century, yet still has Queen Elizabeth as head of state. It is a vast continent of only 15 million inhabitants, yet has remarkable regional diversity. To understand contemporary Australia, you will learn about the past, both as myth and reality. This J-term course will look closely at some of the major events in Australian history, from the voyages of Captain Cook and the landing of the First Fleet at Botany Bay, through the excitements of continental exploration and Ned Kelly, to the traumas of Gallipoli and the Great Depression. You will examine both white and Aboriginal Australia and discover Australia’s place in the 21st century. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Australia

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UVA in Ghana

Yaa Gyasi’s award-winning novel “Homegoing,” an examination of the slave trade between the West African nation and the United States, will be your lens in this provocative two-week program. Gyasi’s story stretches across eight generations: stretching from the Gold Coast of Ghana to the plantations of Mississippi, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. While exploring the continuing effects of what many scholars describe as the “afterlives of slavery and colonialism,” you keep a travel journal, examining the ways in which the historical past of slavery writes itself back into the present moment. You will be based in Accra, and travel to Kumasi, Cape Coast and Elmina, places that feature prominently on the map of the transatlantic slave trade. To learn more, including registration deadlines and course requirements — UVA in Ghana

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Visit the International Studies Office page to see all that the office has to offer. And learn how to make your plans a reality by completing the online Education Abroad Workshop.

Media Contact

Jane Kelly

Office of University Communications