Imagine immersing yourself in a whole new country and culture while still earning credits. Would you take that opportunity?
At Lehigh, that question feels less like a choice and more like an expectation.
For years, the university has prided itself on its international involvement. In 2021, Lehigh won the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, a national honor recognizing global engagement.
The Office of International Affairs reports hosting more than 250 programs in 60 countries. According to the university’s global data reports, Lehigh ranked No. 22 in 2024 for students studying abroad.
That same year, 789 students took part in nearly 1,000 international experiences, and 42% of graduates left with at least one global experience under their belt.
That’s impressive — and it speaks to Lehigh’s commitment to sending students across borders. When it comes to education, there’s certainly something to be said for learning through experience, rather than from a textbook.
However, the significant percentage of students who take part in these abroad experiences have lent to a pervasive study abroad “culture” on campus that’s hard to miss.
Somewhere along the way, going abroad shifted from being a special opportunity to the unspoken rule. It’s almost as if you haven’t really gone to Lehigh if you didn’t spend a semester in Europe, posting Instagram stories with your friends in front of the Eiffel Tower.
This isn’t to say we disagree with the fact that studying abroad can be life-changing. Having the chance to spend an extended period of time in a brand new country unlocks incredible opportunities and broadens worldviews.
A lot of us dream of traveling the world, and many people even consider going abroad a major factor in their college decision process.
It’s an immense privilege to be able to attend a university where so many study abroad opportunities exist, making a lot of those dreams a reality. But that doesn’t mean these opportunities should necessarily have to become the norm.
Many Lehigh students study abroad in the spring semester of their junior year. In the days before winter break, a common small talk topic among juniors is often the question of what country someone’s going to for the upcoming semester.
And for those of us whose answer is that we’re staying on campus, this can feel discouraging in comparison to our peers who get to live in Spain for the spring.
In reality, not everyone has the privilege to go abroad. Programs are competitive, visas and passports are complicated, and the logistics alone can be overwhelming.
There’s a wealth of grants and scholarships available for international programs, and financial aid packages can be applied to covering the cost of tuition while abroad.
However, day-to-day expenses while living in a different country can pose a financial burden that many are unable to afford. Studies show the average cost of living outside of tuition and housing expenses for someone studying in Europe averages from $1,100 to $1,900 per month.
So at Lehigh, where 67% of students’ families come from the top 20% of the income bracket, it makes sense that there’s a pertinent study abroad culture.
Of the top 25 colleges that support study abroad programs, 21 of them are private with most charging above $60,000 a year. Thus, Lehigh’s study abroad culture is not a phenomenon among private universities.
It’s reasonable to assume that a school that charges upwards of $86,000 a year would put effort into creating international opportunities for its students.
Yet it’s important to remember that at the end of the day, studying abroad should be seen as an opportunity, not an obligation, and it’s up to each of us to decide what path best suits our goals.
Between classes, clubs, sports, extracurriculars and everything else we do, we shouldn’t take for granted our access to a wealth of opportunities we have here on campus. Professional and academic development doesn’t have to happen overseas.
There’s already enormous pressure to be outstanding and make use of every opportunity Lehigh provides, including studying abroad. It’s important to follow your dreams — and if that’s study abroad for you, you should go for it.
But if your goals, course requirements or financial situation means you’re better suited to stay here in Bethlehem, that shouldn’t feel like a fault, but rather it should be celebrated.
Whether one is crossing oceans or digging deeper into the opportunities right here on campus, the real value lies in making choices that feel genuine, not just expected.
After all, a meaningful college experience doesn’t have to look the same for everyone, and success should be measured not by how far we travel, but by how much we grow.
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