BYU leads the nation in student study abroad participation, according to the latest Open Doors report Institute of International Education.

In the summer of 2024, BYU students traveled around the world—from the streets of Tokyo to the landscapes of South Africa.

Through programs offered by David M. Kennedy Center for International Studiesthese students deepened their academic knowledge, but also gained cultural experiences.

Learn about the travel and learning opportunities around the world that BYU students have experienced first-hand.

Art in Japan, Study Abroad

Rylee Nelson, a senior fine arts student at BYU, found time to Japan was supposed to be the perfect ending to her undergraduate studies.

“I think it was a really good way to just do what I wanted to do without (the pressure of) a regular class schedule,” Nelson said. “There was a lot more time to work on the art I wanted to make.”

Nelson’s daily routine consisted of eating breakfast at 7-Eleven, planning his day—perhaps visiting Tokyo Tower, a five-story art store, or a museum—and looking for different places to eat.

“We always found different places for lunch and dinner and had the opportunity to try a lot of different things,” she said.

In the evenings, she went to see movies with her roommates, who Nelson says became her close friends even though they met while studying abroad.

Nelson appreciated the flexibility of classes, which met only three days a week.

“Being able to create the art I wanted while I was there really helped fuel my creativity,” she said.

Although the language barrier posed some challenges, she found support among her peers.

“There were definitely times when I wished I had learned a little more Japanese so I could have everyday conversations, like ordering food or asking for directions,” Nelson said. “It was really great to have that kind of BYU student body to lean on if you needed it.”

One of my greatest experiences was visiting a Buddhist temple on a rainy day.

“It was just so beautiful,” she said. “Something about that day just stood out to me because it was so peaceful. I felt comfortable in that space with people I knew, but still in a new place and learning about the culture. It was just really eye-opening.”

Nelson said she is nearing graduation and plans to apply to graduate school in the fall. She hopes to pursue a career in a creative field, such as floral design or as a curatorial assistant.

Study Abroad in Public Health in Europe

Sydney Giles, a senior studying exercise and wellness at BYU, graduated study abroad program where she traveled to several European countries including London, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris.

“I was literally so happy that I did it. It definitely lived up to expectations,” she said.

Although the program focused on public health, which was outside of her major, Giles felt it would be a valuable experience. During the program, Giles was able to take two classes, earning six credits—one that counted toward her major and the other as an elective.

“We studied different chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and obesity, and looked at how they varied by country,” she said.

According to Giles, all elements of the programme were related to public health issues, whether they were physical or mental in nature.

“In the Netherlands, cycling is so common that cyclists have the right of way even over pedestrians. We also had the opportunity to go on a bike ride as part of our physical health studies,” she said.

Giles said special aspects of the program were the daily worship services and attending church services on Sundays. Giles also appreciated the group meals and reflecting on daily learning with her study abroad group.

“They did a good job of connecting the gospel with public health,” she said. “When we had services on mental health, they were very spiritual, which was great.”

Reflecting on her experiences, Giles said she learned valuable information that she hopes to use throughout her studies and in her future career.

“It’s really rewarding to see small changes in health and the impact they have on people’s lives in the long term,” she added.

Giles said she is considering a career in occupational therapy when she graduates in April 2025.

African Study Abroad Trip

BYU third-year student Elise Evans is studying political science and has participated in study abroad programs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. program focuses on plant and wildlife sciences.

According to Evans, students in the program prepared for their time abroad by writing a paper on a topic related to the places they wanted to visit and then presenting their work.

“I wrote about the desert rain frog. I chose it because I hadn’t heard of it before and it was out of my comfort zone and it was just a funny little creature,” she said.

Evans said the programme included four days of safari, which required getting up early in the morning, around 5:30 a.m.

“We visited national parks, gardens, hiked, saw waterfalls and historic sites,” she said.

Evans said she also valued cultural experiences, such as meeting people who spoke different languages.

“We met a lot of people speaking click languages, which was just exciting and really foreign and beautiful,” she said.

Evans said a memorable moment for her was seeing Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“I’m not a huge fan of waterfalls because I feel like if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all except for Victoria Falls, which is bigger than Niagara Falls by a lot, and it’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and pictures don’t do it justice,” she said. “You walk right up to the edge and the water’s spraying everywhere, it’s misty and you get soaked.”

During her trip, Evans said she noticed things and connected them in her head to political science. The most important thing was that, coincidentally, South Africa had elections the day before the Evans group left.

“This was an important election this year because people were trying to determine whether changing parties at the national level would be more dangerous than sticking with what they knew,” she said.

Although Evans was not involved in many parts of the election process, she had the opportunity to interact with indigenous tribes and local people during her trip, asking them questions about their lives and culture.

“Understanding the world from different perspectives is crucial to understanding ourselves and our place in it,” Evans said.

Evans highly recommends studying abroad because it allows you to broaden your horizons and gain valuable educational experience.

Students interested in participating in upcoming study abroad programs can find more information at the Kennedy Center website.