The number of American students studying abroad increased after the pandemic. In the academic year 2021-2022, 188,753 American students studied abroad. As the value of international education and experiences increases in the job market, there will be an increase in the number of Americans studying abroad. Aside from not knowing the impact of international education, one of the significant reasons many students do not study abroad is because of a lack of funding. Students must learn about thousands of scholarships to help them study abroad without financial burdens. For instance, the Gilman Scholarship offers up to $5,000 for a study or an internship abroad, while the Fund for Education Abroad provides up to $10,000 to underrepresented undergraduate students. We previously discussed scholarship opportunities students can apply for to study abroad. However, what happens when you don’t get those scholarships? Should you forego an international experience because you do not have enough money? I will argue no. Having a small budget should not prevent you from studying abroad. This post will provide realistic guidance on traveling cheaply as a student or a young professional. Before we dive into tips for affordable student travel, let me share my experience traveling to China with only $500.
My Study Abroad Journey
Like many students who want to study abroad, I was worried about finances. In High School, there was an excursion program to Europe. I contacted them, and they told me it would cost $5,000. The cities on the excursions were Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London, all my dream destinations. I begged my mother to give me the money to fulfill my travel desires. At that moment, my mother only had enough to meet our needs and not enough to satisfy our wants. As a kid who grew up around other kids whose families were well off and were going on these excursions, I was sad. A teacher asked me if I wanted to attend college, and I said yes. He then told me that I would have options to study abroad. I went through high school, hoping to attend college and study abroad. When applying for college and discussing majors, I would ask recruiters about their study abroad programs because I wanted to go overseas. When writing down my goals to study abroad, I did not consider its impact on my professional career. I wanted to experience other cultures, try new food, and take vacations. I focused more on “having an abroad experience” than “studying abroad.”
During my first semester at the University of Rhode Island, I learned about the J-term or Winter abroad programs that different faculties led. I chose the Cape Verde trip because the thought of being on an island surrounded by water was more appealing than being in the cold New England winter. However, I needed more than $2,000, and I needed to figure out where else to get the money from. I needed more than my part-time job at CVS to meet the deadline: another disappointment and a crush on my travel dreams. As a Chinese major, I knew I had another opportunity to study abroad because the Chinese program required us to study abroad. Therefore, I started saving for the following year. When the second J-term approached, I knew, rain or shine, that I would be realizing my travel dreams, and I did that J-term. Indeed, my trip to China was made possible by scholarships. Because it was a faculty-led program, I did not have to worry about paying out of pocket for excursions or even transportation. Our professors booked and planned all of our scheduled activities. However, I was still responsible for paying for outings outside our scheduled programs. Therefore, I had to be wise about how to spend my money. I managed my budget by setting a daily spending limit, prioritizing experiences over material things, and finding affordable local food options. So how much did I bring with me, you ask? I had $500. You read that right: $500 for a five-week trip to Shanghai. How did I manage? Let’s dive into it!
Managing a Small Budget Travel Adventure
Although I credit my trip to Shanghai as the reason that influenced my desire to have multiple trips, falling in love with traveling was not the only life lesson I acquired after going to Shanghai. One of the most significant skills I learned was how to manage a small budget in your life regardless of where you are, especially when you are abroad. In a previous post, I discussed my fantastic adventure to Shanghai. Reflecting on this moment in the early months of my 20th birthday and having to make significant financial decisions, I feel incredibly proud. At that time, I was embarrassed about my small budget. The embarrassment deepened after some of my classmates wanted to do a group trip to Guangzhou and wanted to go to Disneyland Shanghai, and I could not afford either adventure. I needed money for transportation and food for dinner or shopping. Although I was careful about my spending, I still managed to have fun, pay for essential things, and no longer carry the shame I felt of being broke. Here is what I learned and six tips for traveling on a budget when you are a student or a young professional.
6 Tips for Student Travelers to Travel on a Budget
- Accept Your Situation
In psychology, awareness and acceptance is the first crucial thing someone has to have before embarking on any adventure. Hence, even in treatment programs, the patients must be aware and accept that they have a problem. The same idea applies to being a broke college student wanting to study abroad. You must consider your situation when deciding to study abroad, during the application process, and during your time overseas. As someone who traveled abroad as a student three times with three different budgets, I learned that I need to acknowledge and accept my situation before making any plans. I have had a budget ranging from $500 to $20,000. In both instances, the first step to set myself on a healthy path was to analyze and accept my situation.
Indeed, with a $20,000 budget, you will not have to worry about the day-to-day expenses you might encounter, as you would with a $500 budget. However, if you don’t take the time to think through some things, you will misappropriate that $20,000 and be in a situation where that $20,000 can turn into $500, and you would need to microbudget. Understanding your predicament will help eradicate the feeling of wanting more. It will remove the shame I spoke about above. You will not live with an inferior complex or compare yourself to others. You will focus on what you have instead of what you do not have. Plus, you will learn what you can make with the little that you have, which will deepen your skills in making something out of nothing. Therefore, should you find yourself in a situation where you “do not have enough,” accepting your situation also enables me to plan for meaningful adventures because “not having enough” is subjective.
- Choosing Small Budget-Friendly Destinations
Choosing small-budget-friendly destinations is one way to ensure you can see the world on a budget as a student. Being a student is a whirlwind experience with many challenges that can either strengthen or weaken your self-development. As a college student, you are constantly making decisions. From studying in-state or out-of-state? What major to choose? What financial aid packages are available to you? And much more! When you decide to study abroad because it is your dream to have international experiences but need more means, seek out small, budget-friendly destinations. If you do not have the scholarship to fund your international dreams, seek places within your budget! Why go to Switzerland when you can go to Colombia? One of the reasons I could survive in China on such a small budget was because it was relatively cheaper to buy food and pay for transportation there than in any country I have ever been to. On average, I pay 3 Yuan for a metro, which is $0.41. If I had taken the metro daily for the five weeks we lived in Shanghai, my total transportation expenses would have been $14.35. In Belgium, I used to pay 2.60 euros for the metro. Therefore, which place should you travel to when on a tight budget? Choosing a small budget-friendly destination ensures you have more for less and install in you to appreciate living on a moderate budget.
- Prioritize Essential Purchases
Thirdly, you must prioritize essential purchases to see the world of a budget. In other words, evaluate your needs vs. your wants. Imagine you make friends while on your trip abroad. They make plans for an outing that includes spending money. You are on a tight budget and can not spend like the others. What do you do? Do you stay home and feel down about not affording the trip, or do you go and spend like them? To answer that question, you must analyze if going on that outing impedes your ability to provide essential things for yourself. During my trip to China, I did not go to Guangzhou or Disneyland Shanghai because, after those adventures, I would have enough money to pay for food and other essentials. Therefore, I had to prioritize my purchases. As mentioned in the previous point, I had to accept that I could not afford to go to Disneyland with my classmates. The other thing that gave me solace in not going on those adventures is knowing that I will one day return to China and have those experiences. Although I was disappointed about not going to Disneyland or Guangzhou, whenever I think about my time in China, I do not think about the things I missed out on but the things I did.
- Save for a Rainy Day
Another tip to travel abroad on a budget is to always save for a rainy day. Regardless of how much you have, you should always have money stashed around for emergencies. Even if it is a small budget, always save for a rainy day. With my $500 budget, I set aside $300 on the first day. It was vital to divide that amount and focus on the $200 I had to spend. I was in China for five weeks; dividing my budget in half allowed me to prioritize the first half of my trip with a fixed budget and the remainder with the rest. Having emergency savings lets you know you have something to fall back on. Many things can happen while you are abroad. You may experience a cold and need medication. A mosquito may bite you, and you end up with a fever. You will need to go to the hospital and see a doctor. I recently needed to purchase new glasses in Greece because I realized I had forgotten my glasses at the airport. Also, when you are abroad alone, you cannot rely on someone to lend you money or pay on your behalf, so saving money is crucial. Plus, when you have money set aside and have managed the first chunk, you can use your savings to buy souvenirs and gifts or treat yourself to a nice dinner before you leave.
- Enjoy Free Adventures
I learned to pass the time as a broke student abroad by going on an accessible adventure. In a recent post where we discussed self-care activities for solo female travelers, most of the activities we listed, like walking, going window shopping, joining social clubs, and discovering hotspots, are free adventures travelers can enjoy. You do not need to have a fancy meal inside an expensive restaurant to feel like you have enjoyed yourself. People often say money does not buy happiness, and that is true. You do not need a big bank to enjoy a city like Shanghai, Paris, or Amsterdam. I once walked for 9 hours in Amsterdam and spent only 10 euros on coffee and croissants. Some of my most memorable adventures did not include cash. As a European student, you can access some of the most sought-after places for free. All you need is your student card. I went to the Chateau of Versailles for free! You can also go to the Louvre and many other attractions at no cost if you study in Europe. In Shanghai, museum admissions were free, so I went to as many museums as I could and enjoyed learning Chinese history and seeing beautiful artifacts that were centuries old. Therefore, don’t worry if you are on a small budget because you can see the world’s wonders without spending much.
- Focus on Quality of Experience vs. Quantity of Experience
Lastly, to see the world on a budget, you must focus on the quality of your experiences rather than the quantity. When you have a small budget, it is understandable that you won’t be able to go on many adventures. Instead of wanting to see everything, choose sites that appeal to you. If you love ballet and dream about going to the theater, invest your time in that! I have always loved the beach. Every time I am near a vast body of water, I remember the awe I experienced when I first saw the ocean at the age of six. That is why whenever I travel, I make it a priority to go to the beach. It destresses me; I feel at ease. It allows me to check on myself and think through my journey in that environment. My trips to the ocean in Saint-Malo were more memorable than the fancy dinner in Paris. Learning to prioritize the quality of your experience will remove that feeling of missing out, FOMO because when you prioritize quality, you feel complete. You can enjoy your time and not feel like you did not do much because of your small budget. For an example of how quality experience is better than quantity, read this post about enjoying my time in Belgium during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A small budget should never hamper you from studying abroad or having international experiences. A small budget will teach you about how to manage your finances. Being in a foreign land while learning to manage money gives you the confidence that no finance classroom can teach you. If you find yourself with a small budget, take it as an opportunity to discover your money management skills, and by following these tips, from accepting your situation, choosing a small budget-friendly travel destination to prioritizing quality over quantity, you have an incredible adventure.
Thank you for reading! This reading encouraged you to travel even on a small budget!
Until next time, safe travels!
xoxo,
Cy
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