Education Abroad program allows Law students to expand their horizons

As the adage goes, there is no place like home, but University of Alberta students looking for a change of scenery may find themselves pulled toward the promise and opportunity of an Education Abroad program.

Organized through UAlberta International (UAI), Education Abroad is an option for full-time Faculty of Law students who meet the basic requirements of the program. Prospective exchange students are able to choose their length of study, location and program type from over 270 programs in more than 50 countries.

“There is no one-size-fits-all for students going on exchange,” says Callie Schneider, a Student Recruitment Financial Advisor with the Faculty. “Some students are seeking a country or city they have always wanted to live in or an institution that specializes in a particular area of the law. For others, they recognize this is their last degree and last chance to go abroad as a student.”

Matthew Davis, ‘23 JD, was one of those students looking to see more of the world before graduation.

“There’s not a lot of time to travel when you start working,” he says. “So I thought I would take the opportunity while I can.”

Davis, who completed a four-month exchange at the University of Adelaide in Australia in 2022, was drawn to the ease and reliability of programs offered through UAI.

“The University of Adelaide has an agreement with the University of Alberta,” he adds. “I paid my tuition here, and they figured the rest out for me. There were other schools I could have chosen, but having the agreement in place made it easy and convenient.”

With the major details handled by staff at UAI, Davis was mostly left with the difference in time zones to contend with; however, he cautions students interested in studying abroad to look for ways to manage finances before they jet off across the globe.

“Because I was there from July to November, I couldn’t work over the summer, so it affected my budget,” says Davis. “Australia is expensive in general, but I would say go for it if it fits into your budget and your life plan.”

Luckily if money is a concern, UAI has options for students needing financial support.

“A lot of students worry about money, which prevents them from doing an exchange,” says Jordan Prestie, ‘23 JD.

Prestie recently returned from a four-month exchange program in the Netherlands and received financial support through UAI to help fund his exchange.

“With the scholarship from the University, I didn’t spend much more than I would have in Edmonton” he says. “I suggest looking into that beforehand and seeing if you can make it work financially.”

Prestie chose to study abroad at Utrecht University because the school has a wide selection of law courses to choose from, but the university's proximity to travel opportunities was equally attractive. He adds:

“Every other weekend, I took a bus, train or plane to another city or country. I went to Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Rotterdam, the Hague and Switzerland to tour and explore.”

Travel, networking and expanding your studies are all valuable aspects of study abroad programs, but for Schneider, there are unexpected and life-long benefits for the students she works with.

“The abroad experience is individualized and everyone’s experience will be different, but the primary benefit I see is personal growth,” she says. “Whether it is living and travelling alone in a foreign country, being immersed in another culture or meeting new people, there is so much opportunity to learn and grow.”