LONDON — As college students in the United States pack up and head to Europe this summer to attend academic programs, a weak dollar and the high price of oil are making it tougher.

About 225,000 U.S. students will study abroad in 2008 in what many hope will be a life-altering experience to broaden horizons and develop independence.

University of Georgia (ENLARGE)

University of Georgia of student Ra'Shanda Robinson on a study-abroad trip to Ghana.

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With the greenback down by more than 20 percent against the euro and about 6 percent against the British pound in the last two years, many colleges have had to raise the costs of study-abroad programs.

Others are encouraging students to try less expensive destinations such as Latin America or Asia rather than traditional but more costly European destinations such as France, Spain, England and Ireland.

At the University of Georgia, enrollment for programs abroad remains strong, said Kasee Laster, director of study abroad programs.

But she said a weakening dollar has taken a toll.

"Some UGA programs, particularly those operating in Western Europe, have had to make adjustments in their budgets and of course some have seen a higher increase in the program fee this year than has been common in the past," she said.

"Part of the increased costs are related to exchange rates, definitely, but almost as significant for some of our programs that move through multiple locations has been the increased cost of ground transportation such as coach rental due to petrol prices," she said.

Some 2,069 UGA students earned academic credit abroad during the last school year, or triple the number of a decade ago.

Laster said that Italy has long been the most popular destination, followed by Britain.

"But our fastest-growing region for the past two to three years has definitely been Asia, followed by the Middle East," she said.

At Georgia Tech, Amy Henry, the school's director of education abroad, said the weak dollar is making it increasingly difficult to run study-abroad programs.

"We've had to do things like reduce the benefits provided to the faculty or reduce group excursions or meals," she said. "We've raised program fees some but only by a few hundred dollars and even then we are still being squeezed."

So far, Henry said rising costs haven't affected enrollment numbers.

"I think students look at this as being such an expensive thing anyway so a few hundred dollars won't stop most students from participating," she said. "If the dollar continues to be this weak, though, we'll have to see what happens."

She said the school's biggest destinations continue to be France, England, Spain, and China.

Besides the cost of the programs, even daily expenses are likely to give students sticker shock.

"There's no doubt that if a student studies in the UK or any of the European countries using the euro, the day-to-day expenses are expensive," said Lee Frankel, director of Academic Studies Abroad, a private company based in Boston that arranges study-abroad programs around the world. "However, most students realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so they are willing to make the sacrifice."

International Studies Abroad, a study-abroad provider based in Austin Texas, said it was forced to raise prices on about two-thirds of its euro-based programs by about $400 each in October to keep pace with the weakening dollar.

According to ISA, students must shell out $14,900 for a semester in Rome next fall, which includes tuition, room, and board, while a semester in Costa Rica runs at less than $8,000.

Students who have participated in study-abroad programs have learned the art of pinching pennies.

Kim Ybarra, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Dayton, spent three "great" weeks in Italy last summer.

"It was the first time I'd gone to Europe and I found it to be very expensive," she said. "It was always hard to do the math and to really realize that three euros is not the same as $3 but that it's $5.

"I found myself running short of money before the end of the trip," she said.

Despite the weaker dollar and post-9/11 security concerns, the number of U.S. students participating in study-abroad programs has increased dramatically in recent years. A record 223,000 U.S. students studied abroad during the 2005-06 academic year, up 8.5 percent from the year before, according to the most recent data available from the Institute of International Education, a New York-based nonprofit organization that administers study-abroad programs.

Experts say the surge is partly due to a spike in interest in foreign countries following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and also because universities are placing an increased emphasis on international studies.

Expenses are cheaper in places like Asia, Africa, and Latin America and often their currencies haven't battered the dollar as much as the euro and the pound.

Studies show that enrollment in programs in alternative destinations outside Europe has been particularly healthy over the last few years where the dollar isn't as weak.

"For instance, we are encouraging students who want to improve their Spanish to look at our Argentina and Chile programs where the dollar is strong," Frankel said. "In Buenos Aires our students can live in a world-class city yet still get a fantastic meal for under $10."

TOP 10 STUDY-ABROAD UNIVERSITIES (number of students abroad)

1. NYU - 2,809

2. Michigan State - 2,558

3. University of Texas at Austin - 2,244

4. Penn State - 2,168

5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - 1,988

6. University of Minnesota - 1,981

7. UCLA - 1,966

8. University of Florida - 1,926

9. University of Georgia - 1,916

10. Ohio State - 1,858

TOP 10 DESTINATIONS

1. Britain

2. Italy

3. Spain

4. France

5. Australia

6. Mexico

7. China

8. Germany

9. Costa Rica

10. Ireland

Nearly 60% of all U.S. students abroad study in Europe. Latin America hosted 15%, Asia 9%, Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Islands) hosted 6%, and Africa 4%. Only 1% studied in the Middle East.

Source: Institute of International Education report for 2005-06 academic year

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