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 STUDY ABROAD: A GUIDE FOR WOMEN
Introduction • Access to Information • Where to Find Information on Study Abroad
Other Important Considerations • The Testing and Application Process
Selection/Interviewing Issues • Terms and Conditions of Your Scholarship • Going Abroad
Introduction
 “. . . so spirited, so excited, full of letters falling on doormats and whoops of joy from young people . . . packing their cases, looking at strange currency, getting ready to open their minds and adapt their views and fill their memories with sights and sounds which would change their future lives.”
— Mary Robinson, President of Ireland, describing international education at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Institute of International Education in 1994
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Overview
Despite recent progress, the percentage of women participants in international scholarship programs remains markedly lower than that of men. To address this problem, the Institute of International Education (IIE), with support from the Ford Foundation, surveyed a number of these programs to identify why some were more successful than others in attracting and retaining women candidates. At the end of the study, IIE sponsored a conference at which program administrators, funding agencies, and program alumnae came together to develop a set of recommendations to promote the increased participation of women in international scholarship programs.
This handbook, one product of the Ford-supported project, offers women around the world practical information on the variety of issues involved in study abroad.* Much of the material in this handbook is based on in-depth interviews with a group of program alumnae who met with IIE staff to discuss their personal experiences studying abroad. Hailing from countries as widely separated both geographically and culturally as Argentina and the Sudan, Hungary and Indonesia, Costa Rica and South Africa, each participant brought her own perspective and unique anecdotal reflections to the conversation. Despite the group's inherent diversity, it became clear that these women also had much in common—as international students, as engaged and committed professionals, and, not least, as women pursuing their dreams in what is still largely a man's world.
We are immensely grateful to the many women who participated in this research project: those interviewed and surveyed, the conferees, advisory committee members, report authors, and those at the Ford Foundation who supported the effort.
For the location of your local Fulbright Commission or U.S. Educational Advising Center, contact the American Embassy or Consulate in your country. For the nearest International Center for Research on Women, contact the National Council for Research on Women, 530 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
*This booklet is not just for women. Clearly, men face some of the same bureaucratic hurdles as women. Nonetheless, the barriers to women's participation are often extremely subtle, culturally imbedded in long-held societal assumptions that can be difficult to recognize, and, once identified, even more problematic to overcome. Therefore, the concerns of women serve to frame the many issues that are addressed in this booklet.
Women Speak Up
“This is education for liberation. We have to get out of the system in order to express and explore new ideas. Here [in the U.S.] we do not ask to be allowed to participate—we are expected to. I have also learned that in spite of oppression, one can work hard and benefit from every opportunity. The Program gave me the knowledge and skills I need to make changes. I will return with greater self-confidence and a renewed commitment to serve my community.” — 1995 South African Career Development Fellowship Program alumna
“My Humphrey year has been conducive to shattering myths about the American nation, but most important, my stay in the States has reinforced my love for my own country and confidence that we have the capability of addressing our own problems. Can one end the program with a realization better than this?” — 1994 Humphrey Fellowship Program alumna from Pakistan
“My goal is to make a major contribution in life—to change the health system and cultural constraints that oppress women from the top as well as from the grass-roots level. In order to be heard in Asia, I need to have an award [for study abroad] that is both recognized and accepted by my male counterparts.” — 1995 AAUW Educational Foundation International Fellow from Malaysia
“Coming to the United States has changed my life by opening up a world of opportunities to me. I firmly believe in cooperation between nations and it was a joy to realize that I was part of an exchange where I learned from others and others learned from me. El Salvador needs me now and certainly the education I received in this country helped me get the job I have back home.” — 1995 Encyclopædia Britannica Scholarship Program alumna from El Salvador
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