Despite an increase in applicants for the class of 2013, the number of students studying abroad is down this year, acccording to the UF International Center.
"The economy definitely is having an effect on students' decision to go abroad. We're seeing that right now," said Kirsten Eller Laufer, senior adviser at the UFIC. "Students want to go, but the cost is a huge issue."
Prices range from $8,000 to $15,000 per semester, Laufer said.
While the number of interested students visiting the UFIC has slightly decreased, the number of students who are actually able to go is even lower, she added.
"The recession is a definite factor because we can't send every student," she said.
But Laufer said UF hasn't seen the same large decreases that other schools across the country have seen, and the number of scholarships available through the UFIC hasn't been affected. The UFIC gives $80,000 every year to students going abroad for yearlong, summer-long and semester-long programs.
"It's absolutely worth still going abroad," she said. "Today, going abroad sets you apart."
Laufer offered some alternatives to students who want to go abroad but don't want to break the bank.
"Going during the summer is a great option because it's more affordable," she said. "We have summer programs that go from three weeks to 12 weeks."
Laufer also recommended going through a UF exchange program because students pay UF tuition, which is much more affordable.
At UFIC's Study Abroad Fair, which takes place Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Reitz Union Colonnade, students can meet with faculty who teach overseas and find information about outside study-abroad programs and other UF-approved schools like Boston University and The Florida State University. Students can also ask peer advisers, students who have already been abroad, questions.
"Students who want to go should get to the fair as soon as possible because the brochures the outside programs bring with them always run out quickly," said Angela Grindal, UFIC's event coordinator.
Despite the economy, the UFIC expects a normal turnout on Wednesday.
"It's a great opportunity to see what's out there, even if study abroad isn't feasible," Laufer said.
