BYU has long been a top school for study abroad; No. 1 ranking is a first
BYU is No. 1 in the country — for studying across the world.
New data from the Institute of International Education Open Doors Report shows BYU is tops in the United States for the most students who studied abroad this past academic year.
According to the report, 2,878 BYU students took part in 204 BYU study abroad programs located throughout 61 countries. The University of Texas was No. 2 on the list with 2,652 total study abroad students, followed by New York University, Indiana University and Florida State University.
"As we emerged from the pandemic, BYU students were eager to travel and get back out across the world,” said Stan Benfell, BYU Kennedy Center director and associate international vice president. “This No. 1 ranking was only possible as a result of our Kennedy Center staff, who worked tirelessly to make these opportunities a reality.”
BYU’s previous highest mark in the annual Open Doors report for most study abroad students was No. 14, after the 2018–2019 school year. Other universities in the Top 10 in this year’s report include the University of Georgia, University of Florida, Texas A&M, University of Michigan and the University of Colorado.
Kennedy Center Associate Director Cory Leonard said the larger goal is more than numbers.
“We want every BYU student to be able to afford an educational experience abroad,” Leonard said. “These learning experiences bring global awareness, cultural competence, and language and area studies expertise, and they make a difference in students’ academic, professional and personal lives.”
BYU has long been one of the top schools for study abroad, but this year is the first time it topped the nation. Alums from around the world chimed in when they heard of the new report.
“I was so lucky to have studied abroad in London and Jerusalem through Brigham Young University,” Juliette B. Qureshi, VP of PR & Media Comms at BILT Incorporated, posted on LinkedIn. “Those experiences, plus an 18-month Church mission to Ottawa and Montreal, Canada, were formative in my life. I’m still in touch with at least 50 study abroad friends and just had a reunion with my London friends from 1990!”
Added BYU grad and Honorary Consul to the Czech Republic Jonathon Tichy, “My year abroad at BYU was invaluable. It completely changed the trajectory of my studies and career.”
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To see study abroad opportunities available to BYU students, check out the Kennedy Center's "Find Your Program" website here: https://kennedy.byu.edu/find-your-program
