Updated on January 8, 2024
4 Languages Students Want to Learn Abroad
Going abroad to immerse yourself in a new language is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the language, culture and traditions that help shape it. Students who go abroad know this, and often go abroad with the specific goal of improving their skills in another language!
This trend-along with the specific countries students most want to visit-was revealed in a recent survey conducted by academic search engine educations.com. Of the 33,000 students surveyed, a whopping 31% said that learning a language was a top priority when deciding to study abroad. Of those who cited language-learning as a top reason for studying abroad, almost a fifth are specifically going abroad to take a language course.
It’s no surprise that students want to go straight to the source when learning a new language, since one of the best predictors of long-term success is doing something on a regular basis. So while students are guaranteed to experience foreign cultures, make new friends, and have an unforgettable adventure, they’re also guaranteed to boost their language skills in a big way!
A good command of the Spanish language opens up many doors for world travellers: It’s the second most widely spoken native language in the world and is the official language in 20 countries!
While it’s mostly spoken in the Americas and Europe, its status as a global language means it’s spoken internationally and is learned and spoken by many people as a second language. Planning to exercise your language skills and your body? Try Spain, which was listed as the world’s healthiest country!
If you dream of travelling around the world, the Spanish language can take you far!
According to the survey data, about 23% of students who prioritised learning a foreign language chose to study in a country where English is the primary language.
Students who study a programme in English are among the largest group of language learners—English is by far the most commonly studied foreign language in the world!
For students who love travelling and living abroad, knowing English boosts their chances of landing a job at multinational companies.
A language with a 44-letter word and enough grammar rules to make your head spin, German is not for the faint of heart. However, the benefits of adding German to your verbal repertoire are many: It’s the most widely spoken native language in the European Union and is an official language in seven countries.
For students, the fun-loving nature of Germans is definitely appealing! While most people have heard of Oktoberfest, there are a huge number of fun festivals to take part in while practicing your language skills!
The French language is an extremely popular one to learn as it’s the only language besides English to be taught in every country in the world. This Romance language is known as the language of love, and for students looking for a whirlwind romance, France might be just the ticket.
Even the greetings in French involve kissing! La bise, a kiss in the air while touching cheeks, is just one important cultural tradition you’ll learn when you travel to a French-speaking country.
Whatever language you choose, studying abroad to learn it will provide you with much more than grammar and pronunciation skills – you’ll learn the important cultural traditions and habits to take you from proficient to fluent by the time you fly home.
