Is the semester abroad worth it despite possible obstacles?
The European Union makes around 450 million euros available annually for its Erasmus+ exchange program, more than three million students have already been sent abroad for one or more semesters in the past 35 years, and the current Erasmus program 2021-2027 aims to appeal to even more people. Nevertheless, many quarrel whether a semester abroad – whether through Erasmus or another program – is really the right thing for them. Of course there are disadvantages: the stay abroad puts a great strain on existing friendships etc., is often very expensive despite possible state funding and can entail an involuntary extension of the study period. In fact, alumni of exchange programs also statistically have one or the other advantage over their fellow students.
Erasmus alumni are less likely to be unemployed five years after graduation
The ZEIT reports that almost three quarters of employers in Europe prefer applicants with international experience. Axel Plünnecke from the German Economic Institute reports something similar to the SWR: During the semester abroad, the students develop more social and communicative skills, problem-solving skills and openness – this even applied to the exchange students who were abroad during a lockdown. Not only international companies are interested in Erasmus alumni. Smaller companies are also very interested in employees who can develop these soft skills during a semester abroad.
According to SWR, this is also reflected in the results of a 2014 study by CHE-Consult commissioned by the EU: Five years after completing their studies, Erasmus alumni are therefore significantly less likely to be unemployed than students without a stay abroad. The same study showed that 90 percent of the participants with a semester abroad had more self-confidence after their stay. And Nicolai Netz from the German Center for Higher Education and Science Research explains to ZEIT: “Graduates who have been abroad are more likely to later work in an international context.” Thanks to their semester abroad, they would then have better chances of higher salaries there.
Semesters abroad promote personality development
The student blog of the University of Stuttgart expressly advocates a semester abroad and describes that personality development is significantly boosted in the target country. You are forced there to come out of your comfort zone and discover new things, become more open and later have better career opportunities, so you can also improve your CV and significantly improve your foreign language skills (if you not only interact with other exchange students, but also with get in touch with locals). Other advantages include the opportunity to build up your own international network and to satisfy any existing wanderlust – and all of this without missing out on a lot when studying at home: In most subjects, it is possible to have courses from abroad recognized at the university at home and, if desired or necessary, to adhere to the standard period of study despite the semester abroad.
All in all, a semester abroad can’t hurt in most cases, provided you can afford it and are willing to accept the bureaucratic effort. This does not mean that students without a semester abroad have poorer career opportunities – there are always other ways to achieve your goal, and the lower unemployment rate five years after graduation may have less to do with the stay abroad than with the personal commitment that students have for a semester abroad have to raise.
If you have wanderlust, an internship abroad after your studies is an option that has further advantages. If the internship is in an Erasmus partner country, this can also be financially supported by the European Union.
Olga Rogler / Editor finanzen.net
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