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New Ranking for International Study Program

The Kennedy Center’s International Study Program is the 14th largest university study abroad program in the United States, according to the Institute of International Education’s most recent Open Doors report. This is a sizable step up from our previous 19th-place ranking.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) breaks down barriers through the power of education and intercultural connection. Founded in 1919, IIE provides training programs, research, and reports to strengthen connections between American and international universities. One report in particular, the Open Doors report, details the number of students studying abroad from American universities as well as the number of international students studying at American universities. That report, available here (under Doctorate-granting Universities), ranked the Kennedy Center’s International Studies Program (ISP) as the 14th largest program among doctorate-granting universities in the United States for the 2018/2019 academic year.

During that academic year, 2560 BYU students participated in various study abroad programs. Of those students, 2215 went on programs directed by the ISP office, with the remaining 345 students attending the Jerusalem Center or touring internationally with one of BYU’s performing groups.

According to Lynn Elliott, the director of ISP, this report offers proof of a well-known truth: students, faculty, and administrators at BYU support international education. For students, these international experiences are an opportunity to enrich their academic experience and broaden their worldview. For faculty members, these study abroad programs are fantastic supplements to their curricula. For administrators, these international learning programs exemplify one of the university’s mottos: “The World is Our Campus.”

We invite students to broaden their perspectives through a study abroad experience. Check out our ISP page for more information on available programs.