A guide on when and how to list your study abroad experience on your resume, with detailed examples and screenshots from resumes that worked.
3 years ago • 7 min read
For many students, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone and learn to navigate life in a new culture. Through this experience, you’re bound to grow personally and professionally as you broaden your mind to new perspectives.
But even though studying abroad can be an incredible, life-changing experience, is it worth including on your resume? The short answer is that it depends. If you can show that you gained valuable skills and experience from your time overseas — and especially if that experience is relevant to the job you’re seeking — it could absolutely be worth mentioning on your resume. Let’s go deeper into why and how you may want to do so.
Here's a quick step by step guide to listing study abroad on your resume.
The education section of your resume is a natural fit for study abroad experience. Here's how:
Here's an example you can copy and paste:
RESUME WORDED UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Engineering
May 2021
New York, NY
Major in Computer Science; Minors in Mathematics and Psychology
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
Study Abroad Program in International Business and Globalization
Jul 2018 - Jul 2019
London, UK
If you completed an overseas internship or volunteer program, it may be a better fit for your work experience section. Here's how:
Here's an example you can copy and paste:
Here's a free ATS-ready resume template you can download that showcases study abroad experience:
I’d recommend uploading your resume to the tool below to check if you’ve listed your study abroad experience the right way. It’ll let you know if your study abroad experience shows enough soft and transferable skills and quantifiable accomplishments.
Not sure whether your study abroad is a better fit for your education or work experience section? Here's a more detailed breakdown, including examples of what study abroad should look like on your resume.
The most common way to list a study abroad experience is to include it in your resume's education section. This is ideal if:
If you want to draw attention to your study abroad experience, you should list the overseas institution you attended separately, followed by the name of the study abroad program. If you're still in school or have recently graduated, you can also list any relevant classes on a separate line titled 'Relevant Coursework.'
If you're a mid-level or more experinced hire with a standard education section, you can still list study abroad on your resume without it taking up valuable real estate. Simply list the study abroad below your college or university name, in the bullet-point section where you list your educational achievements.
On its own, study abroad doesn't usually merit inclusion in your work experience section. The exception to this is if you worked — including internships or volunteer work — while studying abroad. You should treat these experiences the same way as other past jobs you’ve held — simply list the name of each employer, their location, the title of your role, and a few bullet points illustrating your best achievements.
Of course, you’ll want to give examples to illustrate the skills you’ve developed rather than simply listing them on your resume. Provide specific examples of times when you used your skills on your resume, in communication, multitasking, or handling uncertainty during your study abroad experience.
If you acquired any hard or technical skills while overseas, list them in a separate skills section on your resume. Note that your skills section should only be for listing hard skills such as softwares you’ve learned, certifications you’ve completed, or languages you’ve become proficient in. Soft skills should be demonstrated through examples in your work history.
If you want to get a list of technical skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for, use the tool below to find the right ones.
For those who dream of living and working overseas one day, studying abroad is a great first step towards that goal. It can give you a taste of life in another country, and it can also be a perfect opportunity to start making career connections in the place where you want to live.
Planning ahead is key to relocating and finding work in another country. Read on for some tips on how to make the most of your time overseas and create opportunities for your future life abroad.
If your study abroad experience directly relates to the job you want, you can mention it in your cover letter. You may want to feature your time abroad even more prominently if you learned applicable skills or gained experience that fits closely with your desired job (e.g. if you would be working overseas or need to be proficient in another language).
Take some time to dig deep and reflect on your study abroad experience. As you’re writing your cover letter, think about what stood out to you the most, what you took away from the experience, and what skills you developed that could benefit you as a professional.
You can also add your study abroad experience to your LinkedIn profile. Your profile’s education, experience, and/or volunteer sections are all good potential places to list your time overseas. Just make sure to add some bullet points with accomplishments and relevant skills to your description of your time overseas. And make sure to optimize your LinkedIn profile before you start applying for jobs with it.
Studying abroad teaches skills that you can bring into almost any life pursuit. The soft skills you develop during this time can be invaluable in your professional life. Telling potential employers that you’ve studied abroad can show that you are open-minded, flexible, and unafraid to take risks. It demonstrates that you can adapt to new situations and that you’re willing to challenge yourself. It also demonstrates transferable skills that many modern employers look for, like cultural awareness, global competency, and cross-cultural communication.
Having this kind of life experience can also help differentiate you from other job applicants and demonstrate your foreign language skills. When you’re applying for jobs at international or multinational companies, hiring managers may be glad to see that you’ve had experience living abroad and that you’re proficient in other languages.
Additionally, if you were working while in school before leaving the country, listing your time abroad can help explain the gap in your work history. It’s also worth mentioning any notable accomplishments or work experiences you had while overseas.
