Combining planning and intention-setting with reflection and retrospection, like with every big activity in life, is a certain method to optimise your potential to get the most out of an event. Setting goals for your study abroad experience is a crucial step in making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you haven't done the legwork of determining your own study abroad goals, it's practically impossible to realise why studying abroad is useful to you. Furthermore, you should not limit your learning objectives to merely studying overseas. Consider how this event might affect you both professionally and personally.

Academic goals for study abroad: There's a reason it's called "study" overseas rather than "give-up-all-things-learning-and-get-credit-for-no-reason." You must study—and even set learning goals for yourself while studying abroad! Determine a healthy amount of your personal study abroad academic goals to help you stay focused and make your time abroad as a student effective.

Professional goals for study abroad: A bright, glittering addition to your resume is one of the nicest takeaways from an adventure abroad. However, you can't merely include it in your future applications and expect hiring committees to be impressed—it needs to be substantial. You must have more detailed professional goals for study abroad and consider the impact of study abroad on your career.

Personal goals: Your unique ambitions for studying abroad are just that... individualised! What do you want to see in the mirror when you look in the mirror? What kind of individual do you aspire to be? Set study abroad personal goals to assist you start charting your path to self-improvement.

Your study abroad objectives are vitally important—and highly personal. Get some ideas from the list above, but also sit down and consider what YOU want to achieve. Your objectives, whether they be personal, professional, or academic, can and should be broad.

Last but not least, make time to REVIEW your SMART study abroad objectives. You'll be missing out on a great chance for progress if you don't schedule this time to reflect on where you fell short and where you exceeded your goals. Now it's time to get out there and complete your task.