Coming Home for Study Abroad Students

 

Student stands in front of a small red car

Your study abroad experience doesn't have to end once you return home. Your new insight and knowledge are needed by others. The International and Study Abroad Programs Office encourages you to stay involved by supporting your community, to share your story of this once-in-a-life-time experience, and to take advantage of all the new opportunities for which you are qualified.

This page contains further resources for students returning from a program abroad. Please contact our office if you have any further questions about returning from abroad. 

  • Returning home after your study abroad experience isn’t always straightforward. Now that you’re back you might see some things have changed. Noticing these changes (and knowing they are completely normal) can help you adjust. Look out for the following:

    Reverse homesickness: It’s normal to miss the friends you’ve made and the city you called home whilst studying abroad. Try not to resist this; allow yourself time to adjust to being back home. How might you be able to bring your experience abroad into your day to day life?  

    Relationships have changed: Think about how you can support your family and friends to accept the person you’ve become while you’ve been away. 

    Value your experience: Remember the family and friends you’ve returned to will want to hear about your experience but they can’t share it. Don’t allow this to frustrate these relationships.

    Balance: Finding adventure and excitement in the everyday, just as you did while studying abroad, can help you find and maintain a balance as you adjust to being back home. What were parts of your routine abroad that you may be able to introduce to your routine at home? 

    Fitting in: You need to fit back into your life at home, with family and friends, your Fordham campus, your studies. Think about how to do this healthily and happily. What do you need?

     

    Should you like to discuss readjustment home further, please feel free to schedule an appointment with the Office of Study Abroad or reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services as needed. 

  • Please complete your Program Evaluation upon returning from abroad. Our Staff reads each program evaluation and are made available to prospective study abroad students to assist them in researching their programs. Complete your Program Evaluation online by logging into the Study Abroad Portal at my.fordham.edu.

    We encourage you to be thorough and honest in evaluating your study program or university because our office relies heavily on these forms when we review our study abroad program roster. Your voice helps us maintain the highest possible standards when looking at study abroad programs. Your evaluation serves another equally important purpose as your peers - future study abroad students - read about your experiences with great interest. Your program evaluation can help them make decisions regarding their own study abroad plans.

  • Study Abroad Book Club: Join other study abroad alumni in reading and discussing a pertinent book selected by the Book Club members. If you are interested, please email [email protected].

    The Study Abroad Alumni Art Exhibit at Fordham features everything from sketches and poetry to photography and painting done by students who have been inspired by their time abroad. If you are interested, please email [email protected].

    Study Abroad Photo Contest: The ISAP office hosts a study abroad photo contest each semester.

    University Language Service sponsors a photo contest with a chance to win one of four scholarships of either $100 or $500. Submit a photo you have taken while studying abroad, then write a description of no more than 200 words describing where the photo was taken and why it summarizes your experience abroad. You must be a college student and U.S. citizen to enter. See their website for the full set of rules.

    Transition Abroad Publishing is dedicated to work, study, living, and cultural immersion abroad and is currently seeking articles for their annual Student Writing Contest. Prizes will be awarded to winning submissions and will be published on the Transition Abroad website and Webzine. Specific contest guidelines and samples of past winners can be found online. Also, Transition Abroad accepts Student Participant Reports, Student-to-Student Reports, and Study Abroad Advisor articles on an ongoing basis, all year around, with payments ranging from $50 to $100.

  • The Office of Study Abroad has convened a group of current undergraduate students to serve as the Study Abroad Student Advisory Council. By establishing this council, we hope to seek insight and feedback from current students about their on-campus and study abroad experiences.

    This group will meet regularly to discuss undergraduate study abroad at Fordham and campus topics. For additional information or to suggest topics for council discussion, please contact the Office of Study Abroad at [email protected].

    2024-2025 Study Abroad Student Advisory Council Members:

    Kyle Molinari FCRH '25, co-chair

    Madeline Schneider FCRH '25, co-chair 

    Santino Augi GSBRH '25

    Anastasios Chrysochoou FCRH '25

    Cara Denton FCLC '25 

    Reilly Fournier FCLC '26

    Irene Hao FCLC '25

    Ann Marie Headrick FCRH '25

    Chelsea Laubach GSBLC '27

    Ava Leonard FCLC '25

    Genesis Maldonado FCLC '25

    Maxanne Millerhaller FCRH '25

    Alessio Paolucci GSBRH '25

    Maggie Schenk FCLC '25

     

     

     

  • Take a moment to update your resume with information from your semester abroad including and internships or volunteering you undertook, or other leadership positions you held. You might also consider highlighting relevant course work in your curriculum vitae or cover letter when applying to specific positions. 

    For questions about highlighting your experience in the most impactful way, visit the Career Center or make an appointment online. 

  • Language Exchange Program
    Language Exchange Program is organized through Institute of American Language and Culture (IALC). The purpose of this program is to give students an opportunity to practice a foreign language with a native speaker (ESL students, who speak English at various levels).

    For example, if you are an English speaker interested in practicing your Spanish, you will be paired with a native Spanish speaker interested in practicing English. The program not only helps to keep your foreign language skills sharp, but it brings you in contact with a different aspect of the region where you have studied abroad. It is also a great way to share knowledge and your experience with your conversation partner’s native language and culture.

    For more information, please email [email protected].