How Minnesota colleges are keeping study abroad programs afloat amid the pandemic

For college students, opportunities to study abroad this school year are sparse. As the COVID-19 pandemic grips nations across the globe, both the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State campuses have canceled study abroad programs for this fall and winter.

But while enrollment may have largely come to a halt, planning has not. Program leaders say they’re looking ahead to this spring and this summer, assessing how they might safely send at least some students abroad if conditions allow. 

In the meantime, some study abroad offices have had to cut back on staffing, due to a lack of revenue. Others have managed to keep their entire office intact. At least one private college has continued sending students abroad to a handful of countries. Many study abroad offices are considering virtual options as a valuable alternative to an in-person intercultural experience. 

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