U of A Study Abroad Participation Reaches Record High

A record number of U of A students studied abroad during the last academic year as the U of A continues to expand access to global learning experiences for students.

A total of 1,571 students participated in study abroad experiences in the 2025-26 school year, an 8% increase from the 1,455 students studying abroad the prior year. The university offered 37 faculty-led programs this year, and students studied in 49 countries, with top destinations including Italy (734 students), Spain (189), England (135), India (65) and Ireland (41).

"This growth reflects the dedication of so many people who work tirelessly to expand access to study abroad for our students," said Aley Bedair, director of the Kristen Collier Wright Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange. "I'm incredibly proud of our Study Abroad team and grateful for the support of our Study Abroad Champions across campus. Students are learning about study abroad not only through our office, but also in the classrooms, advising conversations and campus spaces they already know, thanks to professors, advisers and our many other Study Abroad Champions who support them."

"There is an energy around international education on this campus that is really special, and it's exciting to see that reflected in the growing number of students studying abroad," she added.

The university continues to broaden access to study abroad across the campus community. More than 1,000 students applied for scholarships, with nearly 20% of applicants identifying as first-generation students or Pell-eligible.

"Reaching a record number of students studying abroad is an exciting milestone for the University of Arkansas and reflects years of intentional work to build and strengthen our global programs," said Lindsey Aloia, associate dean for international education in GSIE. "I want to thank Aley Bedair, Francesco Bedeschi and their teams for their leadership and unwavering commitment to international education. The continued success of our Rome Center and the growth of our study abroad programs demonstrate the strength of our global partnerships and the opportunities they create for our students, faculty and university."

Among the university's colleges and schools, Walton College led with 461 students studying abroad, followed closely by Fulbright College with 423 students. Other colleges included the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design (178 students), Bumpers College (144 students), the College of Education and Health Professions (115 students) and the College of Engineering (89 students).

At the university's Rome Center, 464 students studied abroad last school year - a 3.1% increase from the previous year - with 380 of those being U of A students and 84 coming from partner institutions.

"Since the pandemic, the Rome Center has grown by about 8% a year, and that growth comes from across the university," said Francesco Bedeschi, director of the U of A Rome Center. "Students from seven colleges now study in Rome, and more Fayetteville faculty bring their own courses here every summer. Rome is becoming an asset for every college on campus — a place where any department can build a global experience for its students."

The Study Abroad Office also saw growth in graduate student participation. Graduate students accounted for 8.5% of all study abroad participants, up from 5.2% the previous year.

Graduate student Lucy Church recounted her experiences abroad at a breakfast event preceding the Study Abroad Fair on Sept. 9. Church studied in Sweden as an undergraduate and later traveled to New Zealand as a graduate student through a faculty-led program called Adventure Therapy and Leadership.

"It pushed me into counseling and interpersonal relationships, which was well outside what I'd trained in," she said of her experience. "New Zealand let me branch out of my comfort zone in every possible way. I ziplined; I whitewater rafted; I summited a mountain on a 13-hour hike.

"But here's the thing about being 13 hours into a climb with people you met a week ago," she continued, "you find out what you're made of, and you find out what they're made of, and something happens in that space that no classroom has ever done for me."

Church is now applying to a doctoral program to continue her studies in public health.

"Sweden pointed me toward this field," she said. "New Zealand taught me how to lead in it."

For more information about study abroad opportunities at the U of A, visit the Office of Study Abroad website.