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More U.S. college students are packing their bags and heading abroad to complete some of their undergrad degree requirements.
The number of students studying abroad for credit during the 2013-2014 academic year grew 5.2 percent from the previous year, topping 300,000, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Studying overseas can be a great way to complete college coursework while also learning a new language and experiencing a different culture. At some schools, almost every undergrad studies abroad.
[See the 10 top destinations for U.S. students studying abroad.]
Goucher College in Maryland and Soka University of America in California, for example, require students to spend time overseas. At both of these schools, 100 percent of 2014 graduates studied abroad — the highest percentage among the 321 colleges and universities that submitted data to U.S. News in an annual survey.
Among the 12 schools where the highest percentage of students studied abroad, 10 are National Liberal Arts Colleges. These institutions emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts fields.
[Find out which countries are best for taking classes overseas.]
The average percentage of graduates who studied abroad among the schools on the list is 83. In contrast, among all 321 schools, an average of 23 percent studied abroad.
Below is a list of the 12 schools where the highest percentage of 2014 graduates studied abroad. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report.
| School name (state) | Percent of 2014 graduates who studied abroad | U.S. News rank and category |
|---|---|---|
| Goucher College (MD) | 100 | 112 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Soka University of America (CA) | 100 | 45 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Arcadia University (PA) | 87 | 41 (tie), Regional Universities (North) |
| Centre College (KY) | 85 | 45 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Goshen College (IN) | 83 | 127 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Carleton College (MN) | 78 | 8, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Pitzer College (CA) | 78 | 36, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Susquehanna University (PA) | 78 | 120 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Lee University (TN) | 76 | 46 (tie), Regional Universities (South) |
| Calvin College (MI) | 75 | 120 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Kalamazoo College (MI) | 75 | 66, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. Lawrence University (NY) | 75 | 60, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
Don’t see your school in the top 12? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find study abroad data, complete rankings and much more. School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.
U.S. News surveyed nearly 1,800 colleges and universities for our 2015 survey of undergraduate programs. Schools self-reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News’ data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of this survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Colleges rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. While the data come from the schools themselves, these lists are not related to, and have no influence over, U.S. News’ rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools or Best Online Programs . The study abroad data above are correct as of Feb. 23, 2016.
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Universities With the Most Students Who Study Abroad originally appeared on usnews.com
