Students interested in traveling for their education can visit the Study Abroad Fair in the Union Atrium on Sept. 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The fair is designed to help students learn about Weber State University’s Study Abroad program and the steps required to go abroad. It is recommended to have questions for the faculty and program leaders.

Students can expect to meet program leaders and faculty members, including Rebecca Schwartz, director of the program.

“The program is designed to give students an opportunity to learn a new language and learn more about the different culture,” Schwartz said. “Students who participate in the program have a 67 percent chance of being hired for a job than a student in WSU who didn’t participate. They generally have a $7,000 higher starting salary than other workers, too.”

Students who travel abroad can expect to gain leadership and communication skills, experience a different culture, learn a foreign language and gain college credits.

“Getting lost and finding your way back in the city as a student helps them grow as an individual. It is similar to getting lost on campus and then knowing where everything is in time,” Schwartz said.

The cost for the study abroad program is either the same or less than the normal tuition cost for attending Weber. By participating in the program, a $2,000 scholarship is automatically awarded. The most expensive parts of the program are the travel costs, which the scholarship is meant to cover.

Study abroad experiences include going on a business trip to Japan for a semester, learning about the nursing experience in Thailand and visiting the UK to differentiate the English language. The environment will be different than that of Utah, but the classroom setting and college lifestyle will be the same.

The countries that Weber has partnered with — and potential places of study — are Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France and Estonia.

While in the program, students will attend classes that will be taught in English, live in the dorms and have opportunities to engage in club activities in their country of choice. There will be a diverse mixture of students.

Students going abroad can either take a semester or a short term. Schwartz recommends the short term for students who have never traveled or taken a plane anywhere.

On the other hand, the semester experience is recommended for students who have already traveled, as it is the most beneficial experience to students. The short term option is completely tuition free, and the only expenses are the travel costs, which can be covered by scholarships earned.