Study Abroad – See The World For Credit

We don’t need no traditional education! Here are some tips to help you travel the world and get college credit for doing so:

1.) World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.net):

I am all about the nearly free, work-trade opportunities for college credit. Being a “woofer” offers much more than that, though; in return for volunteer help on an organic farm, hosts offer food, accommodation, and a chance to immerse yourself in organic and holistic lifestyles. When I WWOOFed in Mendocino County, CA I had my first dose of farming with absolutely no previous experience. Sleeping in a yurt, eating the freshest food… ‘twas the good life. This experience also sent me catapulting in a new life direction as I find myself now, four years later, gearing up for another farming season.

To get college credits, I simply went to the local community college and signed up for an “Agriculture Internship”. Basically, instead of sitting in a sterile classroom for a semester, I got a suntan, got buff, surrounded myself with beautiful vegetables and flowers, and met some amazing people. There are opportunities all over America, Africa, Asia, and Europe just waiting for eager farmers and gardeners to be!

2.) National Outdoor Leadership School (www.nols.edu):

NOLS is recognized for its outdoor education, leadership, and conservation curricula. Hundreds of colleges recognize the value of attending a NOLS course even though it is far from a traditional academic program. You’ll go on remote wilderness expeditions in awe-inspiring settings. Courses range from ten days to a full academic year. I had a friend who spent 30 days in the back country of Wyoming hiking, camping, and walking her talk all based in Leave No Trace ethics! Another friend of mine hit up Patagonia for some backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, sea kayaking, and wilderness medicine learning. Not too shabby.

3.) Semester at Sea (www.semesteratsea.org):

If you are jonesing for some sea legs, look no further. Next year’s itinerary consists of 11 countries in 101 days including China, Singapore, South Africa, India, and London. This floating campus gives a solid semester of credits that are transferable from the University of Virginia and prides itself on its world-class staff and professors including world leaders, TED talk speakers, and Nobel Prize winners. You won’t be roughing it on this ship; it has all of the modern amenities of a campus on land, including wireless internet, a 9,000-volume library, and a student union. Cheers to an educational cruise ship of sorts hosting as many as 720 undergraduates setting sail for success!

If you’re interested in studying abroad, check out our 5 Things to Research before Committing to Study Abroad.

4.) Leap Now (www.leapnow.org):

Next we have a full year of experience, adventure, and reflection hosted by Naropa University out of Boulder, Colorado, which has Tibetan Buddhist roots. Travel to India or Latin America, have a juicy three-month individual internship of your choice in 126 countries, and then two months of life-skills learning. Self-described as “the most unique year of college on the planet,” it is fully accredited and recognized by FAFSA for financial aid. This program truly gives participants a chance to live and volunteer anywhere in the world and to choose and control their learning environment.

This January, a group left for North India and Nepal to experience the religion, do service work, and have a complete cultural immersion. In the fall time, Central America is on the books for language study and environmental work. Both also involve short-term yoga or meditation retreats. Sounds like a balancing mix of adrenaline and Namaste!

5.) Expedition Education Institute, formerly known as Get On The Bus (www.expeditioneducation.org):

“Let nature be your teacher”. Students and faculty travel around the US in a retrofitted school bus, camping under the stars every night and studying and exploring specific bio-regions all over the states. Experiences will include living in a tight eclectic community and exploring the back country and national parks. Most of the bus space is used as a fully stocked library, a cubby for instruments galore, and a sacred place for fostering creativity, connection, and motivation. Programs include both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The fall semester takes you from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast with a theme of understanding energy production in the cleanest and dirtiest of forms. Other focuses include community, ecology, farming, and climate change. The main goal? “To create experiential learning communities that inspire informed and compassionate ecological leadership.” Sign me up!

Carmen G. Ruvie is a 2013 graduate of Northland College with a degree in Sustainable Community Development. She is a former vegabonding edupunk and current vegabonding organic farmer.