The Effect of Study Abroad on Intercultural Competence Among Undergraduate College Students

Abstract

International educators have long asserted that study abroad improves students’ intercultural competence. However, the evidence is less clear than the rhetoric suggests. Examining longitudinal data from a national study of college students, this study explores the impact of study abroad on intercultural competence while accounting for a host of precollege characteristics, institutional differences, college experiences, and study abroad intent. Results challenge prior assertions and complicate our understanding of the educational impact of study abroad