Crystal Ball: Education Abroad in 2026

After a year of significant uncertainty for higher education, international educators are bracing for more changes in 2026. Though education abroad offices did not experience the same near-daily ups and downs as other areas of the field did, they were still affected—as were their students. Against that backdrop, new trends emerged in student preferences, program types, and career readiness.

International Educator spoke with four education abroad professionals about what they anticipate for 2026, from trends and program types to office priorities—and what they learned in 2025 that will inform their work this year.

What do you anticipate will be the biggest trend in education abroad in 2026, and how is your institution preparing for it?

Tina Stoiciu, Williams College: I believe that the interest in studying abroad will remain strong. Unfortunately, I also anticipate that fewer international students will be studying abroad due to immigration and reentry challenges. However, the interest in studying away domestically for those who cannot cross country borders is still available, and we are seeing that shift. A lot can be learned from crossing country borders, as well as state borders, and we are committed to providing those opportunities. This includes our own Williams-Mystic program, a semester-long interdisciplinary ocean and coastal studies program that takes place in Mystic, Connecticut. During this program, students learn about climate change and confront the great challenges of our day.

Marisa Gray, Toronto Metropolitan University: In 2026, education abroad will increasingly prioritize intentional, equity-centered global learning over volume-based mobility. At Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), we’re responding by aligning education abroad more closely with academic outcomes, community engagement, and ethical partnership practices. This includes embedding structured reflection, strengthening Global South partnerships, and ensuring programs reflect TMU’s commitment to access, inclusion, and real-world learning.

Megan Jones, Drew University: The Forum on Education Abroad issued several research reports in 2025 illustrating the impact of education abroad on career development, making explicit the connection between education abroad experiences and career trajectories, vital job skills, and average salaries. I see a variety of indicators—the new U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, discussion during family summer picnics about the continued utility of a four-year degree, and continued interest by prospective Drew University (Drew) families in seeing direct connections between learning and salary—clearly showing there is an increased focus on return on investment in discussions about the value of an undergraduate education. Many institutions, including Drew, are reading those signs and ensuring that we are positioning a liberal arts education, including an immersive global learning experience, as an effective method by which a person can achieve a successful career. I anticipate that the work of the Center for Global Education will place more emphasis on career skills built by education abroad and increase the number of programs that integrate internships.

What program types or formats do you think will see the most growth in 2026—and beyond?

Jones: In my view, partnering with entities that support internship experiences as a critical component of the education abroad program will be important. Drew’s London Semester program started this practice in 2019; students can choose an internship placement as one of their four courses. We are now working with our career development colleagues to highlight internship opportunities with Drew’s existing approved list of semester abroad programs; we are also actively working with faculty to integrate internship opportunities into some short-term, faculty-led programs to provide internship opportunities for students. Some students may have difficulty finding internships, so including those in academic year opportunities, as well as short-term programs that still allow for summer jobs, will be critical for those students who need to work while studying for their degree.

Stoiciu: Our semester/academic year portfolio remains strong. Students are really interested in engaging in experiential opportunities. They are continuing to seek internships during the semester, are eager to conduct field research, and also continue to pursue unique opportunities like enrolling in a large urban university or a full language immersion program beyond what is locally available.

Gray: TMU is seeing strong growth in short-term, faculty-led programs that are tightly integrated with curriculum and experiential learning. Programs focused on global issues such as climate justice, public health, and social innovation and change, particularly those involving community-engaged learning, are especially appealing. We also anticipate continued expansion of hybrid models that extend learning before and after travel, making global learning more accessible and academically meaningful.

What’s the top priority for your office in 2026?

Angela Henderson, Fullerton College: In 2026, we are trying to diversify the types and lengths of our study abroad programs. We have two programs designed to target student populations at the community college that are less likely to study abroad: men of color and students in career technical programs. We are offering these programs in a short, 10-day format in an effort to extend the opportunity to these populations. Most students who are men of color work and often are part of our student-athlete population. These obligations prohibit them from participating in a four-week summer program, and the semester-length programs are out of the question. Since the community college has a large career technical program focus, we worked with AIFS to offer a 10-day program in Grenoble, France, that focuses on machine technology.

Gray: Our top priority is enhancing the quality and coherence of the education abroad experience across the full student journey. This includes faculty development, intentional predeparture preparation, and structured reentry programming that supports reflection and integration. We want students to return not only with global exposure but also with deeper intercultural awareness, ethical insight, and a clearer connection between their experience abroad and their academic and career goals.

Jones: My priority will be on continued mission alignment with the university as it pivots toward the future. In late 2025, Drew announced a new college that will focus on positioning a liberal arts education as vital experience and preparation for any job of the future because of its emphasis on developing a holistic, diverse, and broad range of skills, knowledge, and experiences. My priority will also be to ensure we are developing programs that speak to the needs and interests of the current and future student body—not only to develop career skills, but also to ensure that young people are provided the opportunity to experience another culture and see the world from a different perspective. This philosophical approach to developing programs, often tagged as one of “global citizenship” and critiqued on a variety of levels by some, is still important. We may be ensuring that students understand the economic value of a degree and an education abroad experience, but in my opinion it is equally important for us to support the development of well-informed citizens.

Stoiciu: We are working to stay focused on providing the best possible study abroad opportunities for students. We want students to engage globally in any way that makes sense for them and the places they are traveling to. That looks different for everyone, but we are lucky to be able to provide opportunities for summer research and study as well as short-term Winter Study global experiences during our January term. Our priority remains fixed on the needs of the student and the community they study in.

What’s one thing you learned or observed in 2025 that will directly shape how you approach your job in 2026?

Gray: In 2025, it became clear that students gain the most from education abroad when learning is scaffolded before, during, and after the experience. Simply sending students abroad is not enough. In 2026, this insight is shaping a stronger emphasis at TMU on guided reflection, identity-aware advising, and reintegration practices that help students translate global experiences into long-term learning.

Stoiciu: Last year presented us with a complicated landscape of international policy and program changes. We remain nimble, focused, and communicative across campus and with our global partners. I expect that to continue in 2026. This has proved challenging in many ways, and I am grateful for the community of professionals and educators who remain committed to the importance of the work that we do.

Henderson: We observed a growing interest in short-term programs and increased need for financial support. We continue to offer scholarship workshops and do one-on-one appointments to assist students applying for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Our study abroad program works with the college's foundation to raise money to provide scholarships as well. Students need more scholarships for passports and flights, and it is easier to ask for these smaller amounts from local donors.

Jones: Plenty of others have commented on this point in this magazine and elsewhere, but the importance of a supportive community is so vital for this work, as it is for society in general. As someone who career-shifted explicitly into international education in the last few years, it has been heartening to be a small part of a variety of gatherings in 2025—from site visits to workshops to conferences to peer mentoring circles. I have been a member of a few different education sectors, all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. The international education community has been incredibly welcoming and supportive; I remember speaking to Harvey Charles in 2022 when I was thinking about shifting to a career in study abroad. I had absolutely no idea who he was in the field, but he took the time to speak to me—someone not even enrolled in a program at his institution—and to provide guidance and advice. In 2026, I will do my part to add to this community by echoing this generosity of spirit and supporting fellow and future colleagues in every way possible.

Did any student feedback from last year surprise you or challenge your assumptions about what students want from study abroad?

Stoiciu: Students continue to inspire me with their open-mindedness, curiosity, and willingness to explore even when they are confronted with challenges beyond their control. The interest in global education has not wavered in the past few years, since COVID-19, and I anticipate that it will continue to grow. This brings me great hope as I think that understanding social, political, and cultural differences is more important now than ever.

Jones: As you might expect, students (when filling out evaluations) often list a range of reactions that are as individualized as they are. What did strike me, is that in addition to the frequent comments about life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, were the comments in which students noted that the program, especially short-term program, was an investment in themselves and their futures. This seems to be reflective of a pattern of students seeking a high return-on-investment for education abroad programs. Student participants who may have significant financial barriers  choose a program that is a better investment because it is longer, more directly relevant to their future interests, or incorporates more useful experiences. It is clear that education abroad professionals should recognize that students and their families are interrogating the value of all parts of an educational experience. It is beholden to international educators to recognize and support this view of education, which some might perceive as fairly mercenary, while also emphasizing the importance of understanding and connecting to different cultures—not only to build skills of the workforce, but also to be part of a broader, functional society.

Henderson: This is not new in our student feedback, but it is a good reminder: Students comment on a regular basis about the connection they experience with the instructor leading the program. They sometimes also indicate the support from the study abroad office staff was a compelling reason for them to participate. We have a unique student population wherein 90 percent of our students have not left the state, let alone traveled outside of the country, so this first step to even consider a study abroad program is an exciting leap for them. It is so rewarding when you see them and they tell you how much it has changed their life. One student who studied in Costa Rica told me his life was changed from the moment he arrived in country.

Gray: Student feedback challenged the assumption that learners want uncomplicated or “comfortable” experiences. Many students, particularly from historically underrepresented backgrounds, expressed a desire for programs that openly address power, history, and inequality. They valued honesty, preparation, and critical engagement, reinforcing the importance of culturally responsive program design and transparent conversations about global contexts.  •