Studying abroad, whether it’s for a semester or for a year, is a rite of passage for many American college students. The immersive experience of living in another culture, the challenge of communicating in another language, and the opportunity to travel to other countries has become an essential part of the American university experience. (Prefer to stay home? These are the 30 best college towns in America.)
To compile a list of the best cities for studying abroad, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a report conducted by HelpfulProfessor.com, a site developing peer-reviewed study guides for college students. The site looked at over 1,300 universities, gathering data from multiple sources to score cities in seven categories: number of universities, average number of international students per university, cost of living, freedom (i.e., individual freedoms such as freedom of expression and equality under the law), safety, and friendliness. Note that the study considered only a portion of the universities in each city, so “number of universities” is not reflective of the true number of such institutions in each place.
Of the 20 best cities for studying abroad on our list, 12 of them are European. Not surprisingly, five are in the United Kingdom and one is in Ireland, nations that pose no language barrier for students. Language might also be a reason that four in Australia – Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney – and two in Canada are included here. Tokyo and Seoul are the two outliers, and students will find no shortage of English speakers in both cities. (Some of these cities are pricey, however. These are the most expensive cities to live in as a college student.)
Many U.S. universities offer a wide range of foreign study opportunities. Duke University, for instance, administers 150 student programs around the world; Northwestern offers more than 100 choices, in destinations ranging from Cuba to Israel to Kenya; and at tiny Goucher College outside Baltimore, students are not just encouraged but actually required to study abroad before graduation.
20. Vienna, Austria
> Total score: 48/100
> Number of universities: 3 (avg. university score: 56/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 5,676
> Cost of living index: 38% less than the national avg.
16. Delft, Netherlands
> Total score: 49/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 73/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 6,104
> Cost of living index: 35% less than the national avg.
16. Cambridge, England
> Total score: 49/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 96/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 7,925
> Cost of living index: 30% less than the national avg.
16. Paris, France
> Total score: 49/100
> Number of universities: 20 (avg. university score: 41/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 4,773
> Cost of living index: 24% less than the national avg.
16. Canberra, Australia
> Total score: 49/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 84/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 6,496
> Cost of living index: 19% less than the national avg.
14. Aachen, Germany
> Total score: 51/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 52/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 12,477
> Cost of living index: 41% less than the national avg.
14. Seoul, South Korea
> Total score: 51/100
> Number of universities: 18 (avg. university score: 30/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 2,087
> Cost of living index: 21% less than the national avg.
11. London, England
> Total score: 52/100
> Number of universities: 19 (avg. university score: 37/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 6,668
> Cost of living index: 26% less than the national avg.
11. Dublin, Ireland
> Total score: 52/100
> Number of universities: 4 (avg. university score: 37/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 4,311
> Cost of living index: 23% less than the national avg.
11. Brisbane, Australia
> Total score: 52/100
> Number of universities: 2 (avg. university score: 58/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 14,322
> Cost of living index: 17% less than the national avg.
6. Liverpool, England
> Total score: 54/100
> Number of universities: 2 (avg. university score: 29/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 6,469
> Cost of living index: 36% less than the national avg.
6. Manchester, England
> Total score: 54/100
> Number of universities: 2 (avg. university score: 48/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 10,796
> Cost of living index: 36% less than the national avg.
6. Munich, Germany
> Total score: 54/100
> Number of universities: 2 (avg. university score: 71/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 8,703
> Cost of living index: 27% less than the national avg.
6. Sydney, Australia
> Total score: 54/100
> Number of universities: 3 (avg. university score: 66/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 18,721
> Cost of living index: 18% less than the national avg.
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
> Total score: 54/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 66/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 4,135
> Cost of living index: 18% less than the national avg.
5. Melbourne, Australia
> Total score: 55/100
> Number of universities: 6 (avg. university score: 34/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 11,062
> Cost of living index: 22% less than the national avg.
4. Glasgow, Scotland
> Total score: 59/100
> Number of universities: 2 (avg. university score: 52/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 8,231
> Cost of living index: 37% less than the national avg.
2. Vancouver, Canada
> Total score: 61/100
> Number of universities: 1 (avg. university score: 76/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 15,399
> Cost of living index: 28% less than the national avg.
2. Tokyo, Japan
> Total score: 61/100
> Number of universities: 13 (avg. university score: 29/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 1,768
> Cost of living index: 26% less than the national avg.
1. Montreal, Canada
> Total score: 62/100
> Number of universities: 3 (avg. university score: 55/100)
> Avg. number of international students per university: 10,056
> Cost of living index: 35% less than the national avg.