January 14, 2025

Mizzou has more than 200 study abroad programs for students to choose from, with 30 focused on engineering disciplines.  

It’s not a vacation: study abroad is one of the best ways for students to gain independence and real-world experience outside the classroom. At Mizzou, one in five undergraduates go beyond the Columns to participate in study abroad to gain a global perspective and explore engineering in a new environment. 

Mizzou Abroad offers 30 study abroad programs tailored for engineering students that are structured to enhance global employability and critical thinking skills. Students engage in academic experiences, internships or research opportunities, growing both personally and professionally while discovering new cultures. 

“Studying abroad is a great way to build your resume while having the experience of a lifetime,” Kate Huskin, Mizzou Engineering Study Abroad Coordinator, said. “The cross-cultural skills you’ll develop living and learning in another country will set you apart from other job applicants. You’ll also have the opportunity to make friends from around the world and gain the independence and confidence that comes from immersing yourself in another culture.” 

Students are encouraged to apply for study abroad scholarships, decisions for which are made prior to program application deadlines.  

Here are five reasons we recommend Mizzou Engineering students apply to a study abroad program. 

1. Gain work experience that sets you apart 

Work experiences while studying abroad are similar to those you can get in the U.S.—students work with companies and organizations to put their knowledge into practice and learn what they want out of a career. Obtaining this experience in a foreign country provides students with unique stories to share with potential employers, distinguishing them from other job candidates. 

“From Monday to Thursday, I worked at a French tech company,” Anusha Mishra ‘23, a computer science graduate, said about her international experience in 2022. “My company needed me to research and create a solution for translating a website they were making for internal processes. I was working with other French interns directly and other older coworkers daily and discovering French culture through talking and getting lunch with them. On Fridays, I had a business class at a local school where we did site visits and learned about different business topics like differences in work cultures.” 

During her time abroad, Mishra said she learned to trust in her skills.  

“This was my first internship ever and to do that in a different country and be able to communicate these skills I’ve never practiced for a real company was intimidating,” she said. “People do not expect you to know everything and you will always be able to fill in the gaps or ask for help. It is definitely true that the opportunities worth pursuing are usually the scarier ones.” 

2. Become a global citizen 

Studying abroad broadens students’ perspectives and fosters an appreciation for global cultures, enriching their understanding of the world around them. 

“Culture shock is a real thing and it is important to be positive and adaptable when going abroad,” Jordyn Lodes, a mechanical engineering student, said. “Life truly was different in Germany, and I had to adapt. For example, I had to adjust to a lack of air conditioning, public transportation and a greener way of life. I really enjoyed experiencing another country and culture.” 

Lodes, who is pursuing a minor in German, travelled to Germany for six weeks to participate in the program, “World History on the German Stage.” She picked the program to see the places she’d been learning about in class and to improve her language skills. 

“The first two weeks of the program focused mostly on culture and history,” she said. “My group visited important sites in both Berlin and Leipzig such as the Berlin Wall Memorial, the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, the Baumwollspinnerei, the Bundestag, and more. For the last four weeks of the program, my group participated in the interDaF language program through the University of Leipzig.” 

3. Put ideas and knowledge into practice 

Leaving campus also provides opportunities for students to engage in thoughtful conversations and interactions with others in other languages and contexts. Completing workbook exercises in a new language differs significantly from navigating an unfamiliar city without fluency in the local language. Engaging with the language in real-world settings often enhances understanding. 

Isha Deol, a recent biomedical engineering graduate, studied abroad in France this summer to become more culturally literate about French culture and language. 

“I have studied French for over 10 years and wanted to finally put my skills into use,” she said. “I completed all the courses for a French minor at Mizzou outside of my engineering degree. I truly believe studying abroad is something everyone should do.  

“My parents are both from India, so I have visited India multiple times growing up, but that was within my family’s culture,” Deol said. “It’s important to venture beyond what you are familiar with and to see and explore what this world has to offer. Studying abroad in college is a chance to take weeks, if not months, or a full year, to explore the world while you have the chance.” 

4. Step outside your comfort zone 

Study abroad opens doors for students to try new things in new environments. It’s one thing to make friends in a residence hall or in the student center, it can feel different trying to do so in another country so far away from one’s support system.  

Rhea Pookulangara, a computer science and biomedical engineering student, said that her international program in Sweden taught her how to be comfortable and confident with being alone in different spaces and how to adapt to unexpected situations. 

“In a city with a metro, you’re bound to take the wrong line at some point,” she said. “My first time being lost happened to be when I was alone. Realistically, I knew that I would be okay and that I had options, but I had to be okay with making a mistake. It felt like walking down the street next to a crowd and then having to turn around in front of them. Of course, no one was watching me, but figuring out how to change plans and completely rely on myself had a small learning curve.” 

5. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences 

Mizzou’s campus offers numerous opportunities to create memories, but it doesn’t offer as many chances to explore new places. Studying abroad provides students with the opportunity to experience something completely different. 

Claire Fanning, a junior in biomedical engineering, learned how to most efficiently take advantage of her time in Europe during her study abroad program in France.  

“I have made it to 13 cities during the six weeks I have been here, and it has been a different experience in each one,” she said. “I have gotten to do things I never imagined I would have the opportunity to do, such as going to a real ball in Vienna and skydiving in the Swiss Alps. 

“One of the things I have enjoyed most about my time in France is getting to experience the city of Paris as if I actually live here,” Fanning said. “I have been living in a neighborhood that is more filled with locals, and I have loved getting to see a different side of Paris. I have also loved my time being a tourist and going to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and so many other places around Paris.” 

Choose a university with opportunities to explore the world beyond campus. Learn more and apply to a study abroad program today!