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I have kind of a stupid question about studying abroad in university- how do you deal with the language issue?

I was an exchange student in Sweden my junior year in high school, and there was a similar issue with the language barrier, but my teachers took it easy on me and I didn't really need credit for the classes anyway.

Now I'm in my second year at university and I want to study abroad in a non-English speaking country for at least a semester next year, but I'm worried about the language. Do I need to know it at a university level? If not, how do you deal with this?

Thanks!

There isn't really a standard answer for this question, since there are so many different study abroad programs available.

Generally, most study abroad programs at the university level include a strong cultural/language component, where part of your program would be composed of several hours per day of language study and practice. You could then complement that portion of your studies by taking an art class or something that is particular to the place where you are studying. If you are only planning on studying somewhere for a semester, you wouldn’t have to worry about taking a core class requirement, such a chemistry or something complex that requires good comprehension in your foreign language plus a knowledge of jargonese. Hopefully, you will have had a chance to take a semester or so of the language of the place where you will be studying before you go. It is certainly possible to arrive completely green, but you might find that you will get more out of the experience if you have at least a foundation for the tongue.

Also, keep in mind that you will likely be able to choose what classes that you shall take while there, which means that your studies can be as easy or as difficult as you decide they will be. Most foreign universities will have an advisor for foreign students – they can help with your schedule.

It would be helpful to contact the study abroad coordinator at your current college to discuss the variety of programs that are available to you. It may be somewhat different in Canada, but many colleges in the US have agreements with foreign schools that allow reciprocity of tuition and classes, along with additional student supports. Your school’s advisor is the key to accessing programs such as those.

Study abroad is a great experience! You’ll have a blast!

I was also worried about this before my year abroad in France. If all of your classes are going to be university level classes with native speakers, there will be a language requirement before going. That was the sort of program I did, the requirement was four semesters of French, and as a peer advisor for studying abroad at my university, that's what all of our immersion programs were like. There were also English programs in non-English speaking countries, or programs with language courses. There are lots of options for people who don't speak another language well enough.

The first month or so was very hard; not a whole lot of people in the city I was in spoke English, it was hard to make friends, and I felt so, so stupid and thick tongued. Sometime after that first month, I was in class, and I realized I wasn't thinking about it anymore, I just understood the lecture. I needed the dictionary for a couple words; half the time I just asked, and the professor would explain. My French was never very beautiful, I got hammered in the one lit class I took because my language wasn't sophisticated enough, but I could communicate anything I needed to and, after the first painful semester, read literature without constantly referring to a dictionary.

Our grades were translated into American grades by our study abroad center, which took into consideration the fact that we weren't native speakers, though some universities just give you pass not pass credit. I looked at my French grades and I had several 16's and 17's (which is very high), and nothing below 12; one professor wrote to the study abroad center that I was à la tête de la classe. My profs didn't hold the language thing against me, except for that lit class, and my grades didn't suffer as a result of going abroad.