What would be an ideal way for you to spend a longer time abroad? Check out ISIC's tips on how to spend a longer time abroad!

How to spend a long time abroad?

Are you dreaming of spending a longer time abroad? If you feel like a trip to another country for one week or several leaves you wanting for more, or maybe you came across a city, state or culture that you instantly felt at home, there are many ways to spend a longer period of time abroad, even while one is still studying or heading out with a limited budget. We've listed here some popular ways of spending a longer period of time abroad. Read through and find your way to go out to the world for a little longer!

Working Holiday & Workaway

Working Holiday is a fantastic option to gain working experience and combine it with globe-trotting for several months. During your Working Holiday you'll not only get to work in an international environment and prep your language skills, but make new friends and earn money to fund your travels further. At the moment, it is possible to get a Working Holiday visa from the Nordic countries to Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, you can also spend a part of your Working Holiday studying at an Australian university - what a fantastic way to combine travelling, working and studying! Read more about Working Holiday here. 

Workaway is another way to work and travel the world for several weeks or months. As a Workaway employee you often enjoy free accommodation and some meals from your host family or organization, but the work itself is volunteer and thus often unpaid (some hosts may pay a nominal salary, while some may charge a small fee for accommodation and meals). Workaway placements can be found all over the world, so pick your favourite destination, check out the hosts/employers and see if there is a different holiday waiting for you out there! 

Au Pair

Do you wish to gain and develop experience in childcare, and do not shun from household chores? Working as an au pair is a popular opinion among secondary level students and those who have recently graduated from secondary level studies. There are many destination countries on offer around the globe - check IAPA for au pair placements globally, EurAupair for au pairing in Europe and USA, Au Pair in America for au pairing in the US, and Nordic Nannies for au pair placements in Great Britain and elsewhere. 

Volunteering

Volunteering is a way to experience the world in a different light. Volunteering helps you to gain perspective to issues at home, especially when you spend a longer time working with a local community or a conservation project. Volunteering programs range from a few weeks' projects to volunteering for 6-12 months. Remember that volunteering is volunteer work and most commonly unpaid. Some United Nations volunteer programs provide a basic income to cover the living costs of their volunteers, but in most projects the participants cover their own fees themselves. 

Studies

Studying abroad is likely to keep you abroad for a longer time, as even shorter language courses and summer schools tend to lasts for a few weeks at least. Exchange or degree studies will get you many months abroad, and will give you the opportunity to travel around your new home city and region during school holidays and weekends. Studying abroad may cost you a lot of money, but there are countries with no or low tuition fees (especially for EU citizens planning to study in another EU country) and also a bunch of scholarships and grants available. Check out our article about studying abroad here!

Working seasonal jobs both home and abroad

Part-time job from your home country or on the go job at your destination is good way to facilitate spending a longer time abroad. Winter is high season in the Northern parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway, and summer is busy in all the Nordic countries - why not work for 5-6 months in your home country, save up some money working a seasonal job and travel for some months, when it's low season back home? Seasonal jobs are available all around the world; Japan offers jobs for ski instructors during the winter months and USA is looking for summer camp and amusement park workers for the summer season, for example.