Elon University ranked second for undergraduate study abroad participation among U.S. doctoral universities, according to the Institute of International Education Open Doors Report. The institute reported that an estimated 94.3% of Elon students studied abroad by the end of the 2022-23 academic year.
Nick Gozik, Dean of Global Education wrote in a statement to Elon News Network that the GEC is proud of current student participation in study abroad programs, but is working to increase participation through increased access.
“Elon University is deeply committed to ensuring 100% access to study abroad opportunities for its students, a principle that has contributed significantly to our exceptional participation rate,” Gozik wrote.
Financial aid is one of the ways the GEC is using to make these programs more accessible. According to Gozik, the university awards more than $750,000 in grants and scholarships for global study each year. Among this financial aid are Elon Global Scholarships, which aim to help students who are on their first study abroad or Study USA experience.
The Elon Global Scholarships do not have a set amount and are different among each student. According to Gozik’s statement, these scholarships are based on financial need and what Elon University is able to give as a part of students’ aid packages. The GEC works with Elon’s Office of Financial Aid to assess each student’s eligibility and calculate the amount of aid they can receive.
“The amount of additional funding we can award is tied directly to the financial aid a student is already receiving,” Gozik wrote. “We cannot provide more aid than a student is eligible for, so any additional funding may simply replace existing aid rather than increase the overall amount.”
According to Gozik, out of 2,037 students who studied abroad in 2024-25, 13% received Elon Global Scholarships.
According to the Global Education Center, the average total cost of a Winter Term study abroad program is $9,833 and the average total cost of a semester abroad program is $38,396.
Paula Patch, program leader for ENG 2570: Literary Landscapes of England, said she’s noticed students bond more during Winter Term programs and keep their connections after the course ends.
“It's the general idea that you're problem solving together, because you're all in this new place,” Patch said. “And I think that you get closer with the other students who are there, more than you do if you're spending a semester with people who are busy and where you only have one class together that only meets every so often.”
Patch said Winter Term programs take students on a variety of excursions, but the short timeframe leads to a tighter schedule. During her course, Patch said students have time to explore London on their own, but don’t have time to leave the city unless it’s part of a planned outing.
For semester abroad programs, Rose Danthon, program coordinator for the Florence, Italy semester program, said students are given more independence in and out of the classroom.
“Semester abroad programs offer students an opportunity to live in the country for a short amount of time,” Danthon said. “They do have mandatory excursions where they explore Tuscany and surrounding areas near Florence, but living in the country also gives them opportunities to explore on their own.”
In the classroom, Danthon said the Elon Center in Florence has a similar teaching style to Elon University. Students complete multiple assignments and take tests like they do at Elon, but participate in immersive excursions around Italy with classes taught by international faculty.
Elon senior Jack Biango spent his 2025 Winter Term taking GBL 2590 Ireland: Literature, Culture, History. Biango said he got to see and experience lots of the country, and that he wished he had more time in Ireland.
“It can seem daunting, it was pretty daunting for me to spend three weeks in a far away place, but it really goes by in a flash,” Biango said. “I know that's a pretty common thing to say, but I really believe it.”
Elon senior Anabelle Sumera-Decoret studied abroad in London in Fall 2024, focusing on her acting major with classes and excursions focused on theatre. Sumera-Decoret said that spending the fall semester in London gave her the chance to not only live in a new place, but to get more experience living with other people.
“Definitely consider doing it, because it is an experience that is more difficult to get when you are no longer in school,” Sumera-Decoret said. “So much growth comes out of study abroad, and it can definitely help you develop more as both a student and as a person.”