At some American universities, studying abroad is a major focal point of the college experience. Students at Goucher College, in Baltimore, are required to study abroad, and the school provides each undergraduate with a $1,200 travel voucher. At Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, Calif., study abroad expenses are included in a student’s tuition.
Among the 383 ranked colleges and universities that provided study abroad data to U.S. News in a 2011 survey, an average of about 21 percent of 2010 graduating seniors studied abroad at some point during their undergraduate years.
Goucher and Soka both reported that 100 percent of their students studied abroad, and Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina reported 92 percent. Of the top 10 institutions with the highest percentage of students studying abroad, half are liberal arts schools, and all of them are private. Only 10 public schools reported that more than 21 percent of their students study abroad.
| School name (state) | Percentage of 2010 graduates who studied abroad | U.S. News rank & category |
|---|---|---|
| Goucher College (MD) | 100 | 121, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Soka University of America (CA) | 100 | 64, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Queens University of Charlotte (NC) | 92 | 21, Regional Universities (South) |
| Centre College (KY) | 81 | 42, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Loyola University Maryland | 81 | 3, Regional Universities (North) |
| University of Dallas (TX) | 80 | 14, Regional Universities (West) |
| Earlham College (IN) | 75 | 68, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. Olaf College (MN) | 73 | 53, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Elon University (NC) | 70 | 2, Regional Universities (South) |
| Austin College (TX) | 68 | 64, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
