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While many college students go abroad every year, for student athletes, it may seem out of reach. With obligations to your team, coach, and university, busy sports seasons, and mandated training during off seasons, many student athletes doubt that they are eligible to study or intern abroad. Fortunately, for most college athletes, study abroad or international internship programs are possible.
Discover how student athletes can study or intern abroad with AIFS Abroad!
Can Student Athletes Study Abroad?
The short answer is YES, most student athletes can study or intern abroad with the right planning and support. While eligibility may depend on your university, team, schedule, and individual circumstances, there are often flexible options that allow you to go abroad without putting your athletic career on hold.
How to Study or Intern Abroad as a Student Athlete
Wondering, “How can college athletes study abroad?” These tips will help you get started:
1. Talk to your academic advisor: The first step you should take if you’re considering studying or interning abroad as a college athlete is to speak with your academic advisor at your home institution. They’ll help you lay out your options and can give you more information on term-specific programs that can work with your sports schedule and/or incorporate athletics into your curriculum.
2. Speak with your coach: Along with your academic advisor, you should speak with your coach at your home institution before choosing a program. They can offer you advice on how to maintain your training routine while you’re abroad and may even have suggestions to support your plans. Your coach might also know of other student athletes who have studied or interned abroad or have connections at international institutions that could help you stay engaged in your sport. Plus, if you’re thinking about going abroad, whether it’s during your sport’s season or not, your coach will want to know!
3. Choose the right term: Depending on your schedule, you should be able to study or intern abroad during the off-season. For example, if you’re on the rowing team that competes during the spring, like AIFS Abroad alumna Brianna, you may choose to go during the fall instead.
Do you need to be at your home university during the fall and spring semesters? No problem—AIFS Abroad offers programs during January Term (also known as your winter break), May Term, and summer, so you can study or intern abroad outside of the school year!
Are none of those terms compatible with your schedule as a college athlete? There’s still another option—study or intern abroad after graduating from college! Just make sure to arrange the program with your university before you graduate, as this will increase your chances of getting accepted to your dream study abroad or international internship program!
4. Research programs with university teams or sports-focused classes: Another option that allows you to study or intern abroad while you advance your athletic career and maintain your physical fitness is to incorporate your sport into your study abroad or international internship program. Whether this means joining a club sports team at your host institution abroad or exploring student athlete internships abroad, there are many viable options out there!
For example, AIFS Abroad offers several sports and wellness programs around the world that can help you advance your sports knowledge while you soak up the culture of an international destination.
5. Join a local team or train: If you’re studying abroad, you may have the opportunity to compete with a club team at your host institution or in your host community. And whether you study abroad or intern abroad while playing college sports, joining a local sports club can help keep your skills sharp. Before you go, research which countries are most active in your sport to boost your chances of continuing to compete while abroad.
And even if competition isn’t possible, you’ll still have plenty of ways to stay in shape—whether it’s hitting the gym, running through a nearby park, or joining casual pickup games with locals.
6. Understand your eligibility timeline: If you’re playing at the NCAA or NAIA level, speak with your compliance officer about how studying or interning abroad fits into your eligibility window. Many student athletes successfully go abroad by planning around redshirt years or leveraging summer/winter programs that don’t conflict with competition seasons.
Study or intern abroad as a student athlete with AIFS Abroad!
Being a college athlete often comes with a demanding schedule, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the life-changing experience of going abroad. At AIFS Abroad, we offer a variety of flexible study abroad and international internship programs—some of which are connected to the sports and wellness industries—so you can grow athletically and academically at the same time. Whether you’re joining a local team, studying sports management, or maintaining your training routine, with AIFS Abroad, you don’t have to choose between your sport and a semester abroad.