Thursday Bram, an American at an Irish university, didn’t want to live on loans. Her parents couldn’t finance her, either. So Bram became a freelance writer.
Thanks to the Internet, freelancing has become a popular way of financing studies abroad.
“The number of students taking on work that can be done online is incredible,” says Bram, now 24. “Whether such an approach follows the letter of the law depends on the host country, but it remains a practical option.”
She documents this trend in her book Working Your Way Around the World, to be released this fall.
With a bit of creativity, you can study abroad very cheaply. “Universities charge a huge amount for study abroad programs,” says Maya Frost, author of The New Global Student: Skip the SAT, Save Thousands on Tuition and Get a Truly International Education. “But students are starting to get smart. Many now enroll at foreign universities independently, which saves them thousands of dollars.”
Finding your own housing is a big cost-saver. Students can find their own accommodations through Facebook or websites like www.Couchsurfing.com, www.Globalfreeloaders.com, and www.Transitionsabroad.com.
“Personal fundraising is also becoming an important factor,” says Andrew Gordon, president of Diversity Abroad. “Be creative and reach out to your family, friends, local business and civic organizations abroad.”
