Ways to Go Abroad For Free

By Rhiannon Winner on July 30, 2016

Who doesn’t want to see the world? We plan dream vacations, scroll through Pinterest boards that catalogue beautiful sites around the globe, and harass our friends who have gone abroad about their experiences. Unfortunately, as anyone with an incurable case of wanderlust knows, travel is exorbitantly expensive even if you take the cheapest flights, book the sketchiest hotels, and eat cup ramen for every meal. Plenty of would-be travelers have heard of things like the Peace Corps, and while that is an admirable route, it’s not for everyone. For students who want to see the world, but don’t plan on waiting until they’ve graduated or taking any measures as drastic as dropping out, it can seem hopeless. The good news? If you work hard to find them, there are plenty of ways you can see the world for free!

1. Find a volunteer opportunity or internship abroad 

This sounds intimidating, but if you do your research, it’s entirely possible! There are plenty of places that pay you for your help or provide you with free food and housing in lieu of a paycheck. To get started, check out sites like GoAbroad (which collects internships, temporary English teaching opportunities, et cetera), or HelpStay (which finds volunteer positions, some of which provide free food and housing or a stipend). If you do enough digging and complete the right applications, you could land yourself the opportunity of a lifetime.

2. Check out your college’s study abroad office 

A lot of colleges have at least a person or two dedicated to helping students plan study abroad opportunities. These are often at no extra expense to the student, as some colleges provide airfare vouchers and provide you with a host family who will feed you. If your college lacks a study abroad program, check out an organization like the School for International Training (SIT). At a price close to, or cheaper than, some colleges’ tuition rates, SIT will send you abroad at the cost you’d be paying for a semester anyway.

3. Look for scholarships 

There are plenty of organizations that want you to go abroad so that you’ll be a valuable asset to any company upon graduation. Many of these are tailored to specific kinds of students and fields, so there’s almost certainly a program out there that’s right up your alley. For example, are you interested in languages? The US Department of State will send students abroad for free to learn a language deemed critical, from Japan to Azerbaijan, with a Critical Language Scholarship.

4. Create opportunities using clubs 

As the saying goes, if you want it done right, do it yourself. You can create opportunities to travel by utilizing clubs on campus. If you’re in Model UN for example, apply for funding to send some members to international conferences. You’ll be participating in something you enjoy and you’ll get to travel with your friends! Many colleges are willing to dole out thousands of dollars to provide students with international experiences and get their own name out there.

5. Test your sea legs 

That’s right. If you’re looking for some adventure (and you might even get paid), there are always people looking for crews. No, you don’t really have to know that much, or anything, about boats for some jobs. Although this is quite niche, scour the Internet and you’re certain to find opportunities like this that provide free travel. You can always work over the summer, and come back next semester with some cool stories! This particular example was only intended to be indicative of how abundant free travel opportunities are if you search for niche interests. However, if you really are interested in potentially joining a crew, check out Crew Seekers.

6. Fundraise 

Going abroad for free is clearly possible, but if none of the above are options for you, you can always count on your fundraising skills. There are plenty of organizations and people you could convince to donate if you’re going abroad for a purpose. Ever wanted to conduct research, but don’t want or expect to ever get something like a Fulbright? Fundraise! Are you an aspiring photographer or journalist who could provide unique perspectives by travelling? Fundraise! Trying to call attention to an issue by doing something notable, like hiking across a country? Fundraise! Want to volunteer but need money for airfare, food, and housing? FUNDRAISE! If you’re doing anything more than lounging around on beaches, you have a story that you can use. Fundraising is by no means easy, especially when you’ll need such a large amount of money, but with dedication and skill, you have the potential to succeed. Even if you don’t raise quite as much as you’ll need, you will hopefully have still raised a hefty sum that will ease most of the burden of cost.

 7. Get your lucky heirlooms out

Whether it’s crossing your fingers or clutching that four-leaf clover, talent and a bit of luck can take you abroad. There are plenty of travel contests that can be won with your talent rather than by chance (although no doubt, you’ll need some luck, since you’ll be competing against plenty of other talented people). You can still enter the free travel getaways advertised in magazines, but realistically, you’d have a better shot by pursuing contests relevant to your strengths. Fancy yourself a writer? Check out contests that’ll pay you, or specifically offer winners a trip. Think you can capture some artsy scenes in your town? Apply for amateur photo contests. Ones like the Washington Post’s can offer amounts as high as $4,000.

No matter how you choose to go about finding your study abroad opportunity, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Best of luck, travelers!

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