Three UC students share heartfelt advice on navigating family concerns about study abroad, especially for first-generation and Hispanic students. Drawing from personal experience, they offer a step-by-step guide to transform parental worry into support, emphasizing how thoughtful planning and open communication can help students pursue their dreams while honoring family bonds.

Planning to study abroad? UC Santa Barbara student Jacob Dicker turned his European adventure into a food lover’s quest, discovering everything from affordable Michelin-starred brunches to hidden food halls. Here’s his insider’s guide to eating well on a student budget, including the three best apps for finding amazing food abroad and why Copenhagen might just beat Paris as Europe’s top foodie destination.

UCEAP students who studied abroad for a year share why “more is better” when it comes to international education. Through personal stories of transformation, they reveal how a full year abroad allows you to feel an even deeper connection to their community, campus, and culture abroad.

When fifty friends gathered around a makeshift Thanksgiving table in Edinburgh, they were no longer strangers but family. From joining Scotland’s oldest sport to creating nightly traditions in the Warrender dorms, one UC Santa Barbara student shares how she transformed her biggest study abroad fear – loneliness – into an unforgettable story of community and connection. Through candlelit dinners, Highland adventures, and tearful goodbyes at Kings Cross Station, discover how saying “yes” to every opportunity built lasting friendships that bridged 5,000 miles.

Solene Granatur, a seasoned solo traveler, shares practical tips and heartwarming moments from her study abroad journey across Europe. From navigating budget airlines to finding community in unexpected places, discover how to make the most of your solo adventures while staying safe and savvy abroad.

Growing up in California with years of Spanish classes can make you think you’re ready to live in Spain, but real fluency comes not from classes or textbooks. Rather, it comes from embracing the awkward moments and making mistakes. Read (UC Santa Barbara) Aileen Pulchney’s humorous and honest adventures of learning to speak Spanish in Madrid.

Study abroad is an experience that teaches you beyond what you think you will learn. It stretches you, transforms you, and shakes you out of your comfort zone. See the most important lifelong lessons Nico Shin (UC Santa Barbara) learned while studying abroad in South Korea.

What is it like to study abroad in Queensland, Australia? Take a look at Dorienne Larbig’s (UC Santa Barbara) tips and recommendations on where to live, new foods to try, and the most interesting classes you can take abroad.

Ever wonder what it’s like to spend Thanksgiving in another country, far away from your family and friends at home? Read (UC Santa Barbara) Elias Veran’s story of spending Thanksgiving weekend on an olive farm in Provence, hosted by UC alum, Thomas Seale.