St. Olaf ranks No. 1 in study abroad for 12th straight year
St. Olaf College sent more students to study abroad during the 2018–19 academic year than any other baccalaureate institution in the nation, according to the Open Doors 2020 Report on International Educational Exchange.
“St. Olaf is honored to be the No. 1 baccalaureate institution for the total number of study abroad participants for the 12th year in a row,” says Director of International and Off-Campus Studies Jodi Malmgren ’92. “We have opportunities for study abroad in all regions of the world and also a number of off-campus study programs in the U.S. Faculty design and lead programs from many disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. The international office staff work with campus colleagues as a team to advise and support student participants and encourage them to bring their learning back to campus.”
St. Olaf typically offers study abroad programs in nearly 40 countries, including more than 60 semester or year-long programs and nearly 30 courses each Interim. Faculty-led semester programs include Global Semester and Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand. Students can work with the International and Off-Campus Studies Office to find a program that fits their goals.
In this time of global pandemic, we are more fortunate than ever for our broad network of international partners, who have taught and cared for our students in a time of significant disruption.International and Off-Campus Studies Director Jodi Malmgren ’92
“In this time of global pandemic, we are more fortunate than ever for our broad network of international partners, who have taught and cared for our students in a time of significant disruption,” Malmgren says. “In 2020-21 we have many fewer students studying abroad. As we look forward, we are planning with hope for a renewal of our former level of participation, while encouraging our students to hold their plans loosely. Opportunities for global learning are everywhere — students need look no further than their campus or local community.”
According to the Open Doors report, St. Olaf also ranked first in short-term study abroad numbers for baccalaureate institutions.
Open Doors is the comprehensive information resource on international students in the United States and on the more than 340,000 U.S. students who study abroad as part of their academic experience. The Institute of International Education publishes the Open Doors report annually with funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.