According to a study conducted by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the number of American students who chose to study abroad during the 2018-2019 academic year increased by 1.6% compared to previous years, to be more specific, between 341,751 students to 347,099 students. In other words, NAFSA said that this represents about 1.8 percent of all American students who have opted for a higher education institution in the United States.
However, while our students choose other destinations to complete their higher education, many students around the world still choose to study in the United States. The truth is that US degrees have a greater international reputation, American universities can also provide their students with a lot of facilities, benefits and incredible classroom experiences, not to mention that they offer a flexible academic environment as well.
So, why do most American students choose to go abroad to study? The answer appears to be complex and there are probably a lot of factors that can influence their decision, from the desire for new adventures and cultural experiences to the fact that they see other opportunities in other countries.
Nevertheless, choosing to study in another country or continent is not a mistake as long as you focus on your education and want to learn new things and get a specialization in a certain domain. In fact, there are many famous Americans who have studied abroad at some point in their lives and it seems that it was a good idea after all. So, read on to find out more info!
Bill Clinton
One of the most famous but controversial American presidents, Bill Clinton, chose to study abroad at some point in his life. Clinton served as the 42nd president of the United States, namely from 1993 to 2001. Besides being a famous American politician, he was also an attorney, serving as Attorney General of Arkansas from 1977 to 1979.
Although he is a Native American born and raised in Arkansas, he chose to explore the education system on other continents as well. Clinton attended Georgetown University, University College – Oxford in England, and Yale Law School. (see more on the next page)
So, he studied at Oxford University for about two years because he was a recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship (the most prestigious international scholarship program that offers students around the world the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford). Nevertheless, he never ended up getting a degree from Oxford.
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Chris Pine
Christopher Whitelaw Pine is an American actor best known for his role in the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–2016), as well as The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), Unstoppable (2010), Into the Woods (2014), Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) and so on. (see more on the next page)
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Pine was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002 with a B.A. in English. What many people don’t know about our famous actor is that he was an exchange student at the University of Leeds in England for one year.
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Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson is an American singer, songwriter and actor who chose to study abroad as well. He was the creator of numerous hits, such as “Me and Bobby McGee”, “For the Good Times”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” for which he wrote the lyrics.
Kristofferson also starred in several movies, such as Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976), to name a few. (see more on the next page)
So, even though his parents had relatives who emigrated or were born in various European countries and his family had to move around frequently because his father had a military career, Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, but later moved to San Mateo, California.
As in the case of Bill Clinton, Kristofferson earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he studied at Merton College. He played rugby and boxing there and met art critic and poet Michael Fried. He graduated with a master’s degree in English Literature.
Vincent Price
Vincent Price was an American actor well-known for starring mostly in horror movies and having one of the most iconic voices in American cinema. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for motion pictures as well as his role in television.
He was a member of the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London, intending to study for a master’s degree in fine arts, but he changed his mind and opted for theater. However, Price’s acting career began in London in 1935.
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Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, and author. He was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. People still consider him the most influential film critic of all time in America.
Our famous film critic was born in Urbana, Illinois and his paternal grandparents were German immigrants, as well as his maternal relatives, who had Irish and Dutch roots. (see more on the next page).
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In 1965, he was a Rotary Ambassador Scholar, and chose to study at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Initially, Ebert went there to study English Literature, but later said he was completely captivated by the beautiful customs and traditions of that country, which not only changed his student life, but they had a huge positive impact on his entire life as well.
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Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey is an American actor and producer. He starred in Dazed and Confused (1993), Angels in the Outfield (1994), Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994), A Time to Kill (1996), The Wedding Planner (2001), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), and so on. (see more on the next page).
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Even though he was born in Uvalde, Texas and later moved to Longview, Texas, he also chose to live on another continent for a year to try a new education system. Hence, he earned a Rotary International Scholarship, so he went to Australia for a year, in Warnervale, New South Wales, as a Rotary Youth Exchange student.
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