Taking a trip outside of the country can be a meaningful and eye-opening experience. You don't need to go further than your local community college at College of Lake County (CLC) to find study abroad opportunities to get a global education. Applications are open now for 2027 short-term study abroad trips.
"The most amazing thing is to see how students grow on these experiences," said Director of Global Engagement Dr. Voytek Wloch. "It's such an important experience that no one returns untouched and unchanged in one way or another, and in a good way. After all, these experiences are meant to be intellectually stimulating and prepare students for thriving in a global environment."
Programs range between 10 days and three weeks and vary in courses. A CLC instructor leads the program.
Available trips include travel to Asia, Europe, Africa and Central America. The list of trips and corresponding classes include:
Students who went on study abroad trips have returned feeling like the experience had a big impact on their lives.
"You're realizing the world is so much bigger, and you're able to bring that back home with you," said Sadie Saller, who went to London. "That can influence how you treat other people."
Andrea Gomez, who also went to London, added, "Studying abroad really helps with a lot of different areas, like building your own self-confidence to place yourself in a space that is unfamiliar."
Most of these programs happen either every year or every couple of years thanks to partnerships CLC has made with institutions in the countries. While the classroom portion of the trip is the focus, cultural components are built into the curriculum. Lots of exploring is done in groups, though there is some time during the trips for students to explore on their own.
To be eligible for the programs, you must register to be a CLC student, be 18 years old before the departure date of the program and have a valid passport for international travel. The trips are financial aid eligible, and scholarship applications are also available.
Get more information or apply here or contact the Department of Global Engagement at
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County (CLC) is a comprehensive community college providing northeastern Illinois with equitable, high-quality education, cultural enrichment and workforce partnerships. It is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. In 2023, CLC was named a Leader College by the nationally recognized Achieving the Dream organization. Each person affiliated with the college is committed to ensuring access, belonging and success for all CLC students. The college offers more than 170 degree and career certificate programs. Affordable in-person and online college credit and non-credit classes help students achieve academic, career and personal goals. CLC has three campuses located in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan. The Advanced Technology Center opened in Gurnee in 2022, and Prairie Restaurant at Brae Loch opened in Grayslake in 2023. Learn more at www.clcillinois.edu or call (847) 543-2000.
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