Study abroad on your own terms and at your own pace – without enrolling in a formal program.
I woke to the sound of laughing children and barking wolf-dogs, opening my eyes to a colourful geometric pattern spiralling towards the apex of the yurt — where a circular skylight revealed that it was, indeed, time to start the day. I was living in a yurt village in Tong, Kyrgyzstan—almost exactly halfway around the world from my hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
To get there, I had slowly journeyed across Europe and the Middle East before landing in Central Asia. When I finally left Kyrgyzstan two months later, I’d flown to Istanbul, then snaked through the Balkans by sleeper train before heading home to Canada. It may sound as though I’d won some sort of once-in-a-lifetime bucket list adventure—but really, I’d just chosen to embark on a self-guided semester abroad.
Studying abroad falls on every post-secondary student’s radar at some point; why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to gain university credit while living in a far-flung destination you’ve always dreamed of?
But surprisingly, Canadians seem to be passing up this chance—only 11 percent of Canadian students choose to study abroad, compared with 33 percent of French students and 19 percent of Australians. While many students have great experiences, enrolling in a traditional, formal study abroad program through a school may not align with everyone’s needs, offering limited flexibility and undesirable or expensive housing arrangements.
Digital nomadism has become a mainstay of modern working life—but if you’re craving more adventure in your academic pursuits, you can jumpstart that career path by becoming a student digital nomad before graduation. If you find yourself stuck between taking a formal semester abroad and staying home, a self-guided semester abroad could be right for you.
Designing your semester abroad
There are, more or less, three options for building your semester:
1) Take only courses that are available fully remote through your home institution, being vigilant of conflicts (for example, mandatory in-person labs or exams).
2) Take a semester as a visiting student through a fully or largely online Canadian institution, such as Athabasca University (AU) or Thompson Rivers University. AU, in particular, is extremely well-established for remote learning. (The university’s first courses were administered via snail mail in 1973!) These two options allow for the most flexibility and are great choices if your dream semester includes travel to multiple destinations.
3) Take courses as a visiting student at an institution abroad. Being a visiting student can feel intimidating, especially in a country you aren’t familiar with, but this is a great way to ground yourself in your new environment, keep yourself on a schedule and stay tethered to a student community. I recommend taking a beginner-level course in the local language, as this will not only help you immerse yourself, but also allow you to meet some other international students in a similar situation.
With options 2 or 3, make sure you get a letter of permission from your university in order to ensure that all of your credits will transfer.
You could also combine these options for a fully customized semester.
I took my first two years of courses through Athabasca University while travelling full-time. After transferring to an in-person institution, I ended up spending one of my four semesters fully remote in order to revert to my previous digital nomadism. A longer-term experience abroad is not for everyone, but I loved it and was able to visit more than 40 countries while getting my degree.
Academic student first, traveller second
Staying on top of your studies may be a concern when considering study abroad, especially if you’re thinking of going self-guided. Courses taken through Athabasca or Thompson Rivers are often extremely flexible: you can extend them several times and reschedule your exams at a moment’s notice.
While this can be a godsend, beware: too much deadline flexibility could cause you to lose out on student aid. Many provinces require that you finish a course within a certain time frame in order for it to count towards your course load for that term—even if the option to extend exists. Failing to meet these deadlines could drop you from full-time to part-time status, or disqualify you for certain awards entirely. You could also face academic penalties—many universities mark courses as F if a transcript isn’t received by a certain date.
Studying became less of a chore and more of a grounding exercise that I looked forward to—especially since I felt I was designing my educational experience.
However you choose to take your courses, be sure to integrate your studies into your daily life early on. It’s easy to lose a routine in the excitement of a move—take it from someone who once tearfully completed a forgotten midterm from the top bunk of an Australian hostel. Set up a calendar, whiteboard or vision board near your desk, find a cafe near your new home and establish it as your study spot. Setting up little reminders in your environment that you are a student can be crucial, especially if you’re taking most or all of your courses online.
Overall, I found that changing my environment actually made it easier to stay engaged. Studying became less of a chore and more of a grounding exercise that I looked forward to—especially since I felt I was designing my educational experience rather than just taking part in it. If you’re neuro-divergent like me, you may be surprised at the ease with which you adapt to this lifestyle.
Building your own campus social life
Perhaps the biggest downside of a self-guided semester abroad is having to build a new social circle—going independent of your school means you will get out what you put in.
My advice is to hit the ground running: give yourself a day or two to shake off the jet lag and adjust to your surroundings, then start socializing. If this sounds terrible to you, you’re not alone.
The romanticized version of expat life you see on social media—in which you instantly fall into a swirling, cinematic adventure flanked with friends-for-life you met on the airport metro—is far from the truth, and making friends requires a bit of concentrated effort.
Most cities have regular meetups for newcomers; dedicate your first week to finding these and commit to attending them at least one each week. Finding community is much easier when you have a shared experience. One of the easiest ways to get to know your surroundings and meet people is to attend a local festival or group activity, such as a language exchange, holiday street party, or cooking class. You can often find these events (as well as groups of people who are attending) through apps like Couchsurfing, MeetUp or InterNations.
Another great way to meet other young travellers is by starting your semester abroad in a co-living space. Companies like Outsite, Common and Cohabs combine the social aspect of a hostel (including shared kitchens, organized outings and movie nights) with the privacy of an apartment.
Making dollars and sense out of variable costs
Unless you hold multiple passports, it’s true that going abroad may mean giving up your income. Consider applying for a youth mobility visa, available in 36 countries to Canadians between ages 18 and 30 (or 35, depending on the country). I obtained a one-year Spanish work visa this way, and found the process fairly straightforward. You will also be eligible for federal and provincial student aid (both loans and grants) no matter where you’re living—as long as you maintain resident status in Canada.
The cost of accommodation can be intimidating, given the housing crisis present at home and abroad. Many university-run study abroad programs will have you pay them a flat fee for housing—no dealing with landlords through Google Translate! However, in many cases, you’re likely to save significantly if you find accommodation yourself. For example, a shared bedroom costs $1,875 under the University of Toronto’s four-week Summer Abroad program in Puerto Rico, to be paid directly to the university, but I was able to find several private apartments for less than $1,300 on Airbnb (including the notoriously exorbitant fees).
No matter which path you choose, you will almost certainly end up spending much less on housing once you’re out of Canada. I paid $700 plus roughly $120 in utilities each month for a room in a four-bedroom, one-bathroom house in London, Ontario with an attic infested with raccoons, but only $600 inclusive for a private studio villa in Ubud, Bali with a pool and chef. Although finding your own housing can be intimidating—especially if you are used to living on campus—I promise you can do it, and will feel so empowered when you succeed.
Perks of a self-guided semester abroad
One of my favourite perks of self-guided learning was coordinating my course material with my destination (or vice versa) for complete immersion. For example, I spent time in New York City attending shows in the Theatre District during a film and theatre course-heavy semester.
Your semester is likely to consist, at least partially, of online courses. This teaches you how to succeed in a remote working environment, an invaluable skill in the post-COVID job market, which has seen many positions shift to hybrid or fully remote. Many students are all too familiar with Zoom lectures and ProctorU, but learning to navigate this along with time zone changes, coworking spaces and inconsistent wifi access will condition you to function in variable working conditions.
You’re in control of how long your international journey lasts! Are you unsure if expat life is for you, and think you may end up wanting to head home mid-semester? No problem — set yourself up with a flexible housing term through a short-term rental, and take all of your courses online! End up loving it and wanting to stay another semester? Depending on your program and international visa, this is likely doable as well!
Why a self-guided semester abroad may not be for you
Crafting an independent study abroad can be a cost-effective option—but it's not necessarily cheaper than a formal program.
Depending on your school and program, generous scholarships may be available to make your semester abroad more accessible. If you choose a self-guided semester, this funding will not be available to you. And while study abroad can get a bad rap as an expensive venture (often due to additional costs, such as flights or housing) the cost of tuition is the same as your home university in Canada, due to formalized agreements between institutions.
Carefully consider your major or degree program. For example, some business schools may offer for-credit internships which are only available directly through your university, making a formal semester abroad a better choice for you.
Not all study abroad programs are created equal. The level of involvement in a student’s experience will vary widely between universities and programs. Many universities offer exchange programs which leave the student in control of their housing, transportation and meals, simply requiring payment of your regular tuition plus a registration fee. Other programs will involve more structure or supervision, such as living with a host family. No option is inherently better than another—it’s all about finding the balance that is right for you! I recommend speaking to students who have experience studying abroad through your school in order to get a first-hand account.
The bottom line
I really do believe that every student can benefit from trying a self-guided semester abroad at least once. This experience has done wonders for my sense of capability: it taught me to step out of my comfort zone and relentlessly seek out opportunities, unphased by international borders or cultural barriers.
The flexibility allowed me to accept work and volunteer opportunities as they came, unconstrained by time or location. I graduated feeling hopeful and excited for my future, having learned that the institutions that guide our society can be more aligned with freedom than I originally thought—and I have the power to create a life that makes sense for me.