Finding an Exchange Program
Looking for an experience that will help you reach personal goals, challenge your ideas about the world, ignite your independence or offer unique opportunities to teach, assist, or research with others from different cultures in your field? Then an international exchange experience may be right for you.
Read "Survival Strategies" Chapter One: Exploring International Opportunities
Chapter One Includes:
- Types of International Exchange Programs
- Evaluating Overseas Opportunities: Defining Your Interests and Needs
- The World to Choose From: Where Do You Want to Go and What Do You Want to Do?
Some exchange opportunities are best determined by the country of destination due to the language spoken or your choice of accessibility; others by the type of program such as volunteering or researching or studying abroad; and others by the length of time of the program due to funding or your availability; whereas other choices may depend on a combination of two or more of these attributes. The following considerations may assist you in deciding what type of exchange program best fits your needs:
CHOOSING A COUNTRY
 |
ClimateCultureDisability AccessLanguageTypes of Programs
|
To determine a country, you need to decide if you want....?
- A place where the local people speak the same language as you do or a place where they speak a different language
- A place where the culture/food is similar to yours or to one which is different from yours
- A place where disability access is good and attitudes are progressive or a place where the experience of being there is more preferential than your independence or use of adaptive equipment
- A country where programs that interest you are established (i.e. art programs of Italy, Spanish language programs of Mexico, eco-tourism in New Zealand, AIDS/HIV prevention programs in Africa, etc.) or one where you are developing your own program
- A country where the climate is similar to where you currently live or one that is different and one where you are willing or medically able to adjust to a different climate
CHOOSING A PROGRAM TYPE
|
|
|
 |
Educational
| IF you want to: Read stories of people with disabilities who have done this type of exchange. Are you a community college student? Learn more here.
THEN select "Study Abroad", "Degree Abroad", "Language School" or "High School" and use our website to find exchange programs listed in our database. |
Volunteer
|
Read stories of people with disabilities who have done this type of exchange.
THEN select "Volunteer Abroad"on our website to find exchange programs listed in our database. You can also select more specialized keywords once there such as "environment," "community development," "human rights," "sports" etc.
|
Work Experience or Professional Development
|
IF you want to: Read stories of people with disabilities who have done this type of exchange.
THEN select "Teach Abroad", "Intern Abroad", "Jobs Abroad", or "TEFL Certification" in our database. |
CHOOSING A PROGRAM BASED ON LENGTH OF TIME
 |
|
|
If you want to be abroad for:
|
