Every year, students from across America choose to go to college abroad, with the top three destinations for these students being Europe, Latin America and Asia. According to NAFSA, in 2019, 162,633 students chose to take the study abroad route, this year some of those students will be from Lincoln.

Jonah Byars is a graduating senior who is choosing the college abroad pathway. He will be attending either University of Vienna or a different university in Austria, his mother’s home country. He has dual citizenship in Austria and America, which played a major role in his decision to study abroad. 

“First of all, as a citizen, it would cost practically nothing. So for four years it would be under $5,000 in tuition, which is a lot cheaper than a school here,” Byars said. “Also, I have a lot of family there and I speak German so I think it would be a really cool experience.”

Byars is excited to move out of Oregon and have more independence as he transitions to a new phase of his life. He also realizes that there will be some big adjustments, not only being away from family, but being in an entirely new continent.

“There is definitely going to be culture shock. You’re just going from living 18 years here in Portland, Oregon, and then going to college in Austria. I feel like there’s a lot that’s [going to be] very different,” Byars said.

Phoebe Grimes is also a graduating senior with plans to go to either the University College Dublin in Ireland or the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She has had these plans for a very long time.

“I knew that I wanted to [attend college abroad] since middle school. In ninth grade, I was sure that I wanted to do the IB program because I knew that was the next step to get me to go there,” Grimes said.

She is very excited about going to a school that is more internationally diverse.

“I’m most excited about meeting kids from all over the world because both schools have about a 30% rate of international students that go there,” said Grimes. “I think that would be a super cool experience that I wouldn’t get anywhere else in the US.”