Eisha participated in the Oxford program for the course ENG296Y0: Shakespeare. With a passion for everything Shakespeare, she went it expecting to enjoy the course but couldn't imagine just how much until she got to Oxford. This experience was valuable to her in that what she learned in lectures and on the page one moment came to life in the next through visits to museums, galleries, and the Globe, among others. Read about her experience in the course.
Kate, a participant in the Germany program, shares her experience using the Sunflower Lanyard, a way for individuals to have an accessible travel experience. She reflects on the use of the lanyard while travelling and offers advice from her personal experience to students with accessibility needs who are considering going abroad.
Emily, a participant in the Italy program and an IDE Award recipient, talks about how the workshop-style format of the class, the friendships she made, and the backdrop of Italy's rich history provided a very conducive environment for her writing. She explains how the connections she made with her classmates became the biggest source of learning and inspiration and showed her once again the importance of inclusion, diversity, and equity (IDE).
Maryam, a Netherlands program participant, showcases the transformative nature of her Summer Abroad experience through an online blog post.
Mehek participated in the course ENG297Y0 Creative Writing in Italy this past summer and talks about how this experience provided her direction to pursue her creative endeavors. She came into the course knowing what she wanted to accomplish, but left with much more than she expected to. Read about how this experience shaped her perspective on writing and became a place of inspiration.
We are excited to welcome our new team of ambassadors! All of these students have participated in at least one Summer Abroad course. Over the fall and winter semesters, you will be meeting them across the three U of T campuses answering questions about Summer Abroad. They are eager to share their own experiences and advise students on all the international learning opportunities available through Summer Abroad in 2027!
Noora participated in the Ecuador program this summer and discusses the transformative experience of doing a course in which a majority of her time was spent outdoors. This truly highlighted what makes an international experience valuable compared to completing a course on campus and attending regular lectures. She discusses how this course allowed her to not only to use the knowledge she gained in the course in a practical way but also how to meet new people and learn new perspectives.
Jasleen participated in the Netherlands program this summer in a course on Dementia care. She found this to be not only a valuable academic experience but also, unexpectedly, one that will help her in pursuing a career in sports psychiatry. She discusses the importance of the Netherlands as the course location and specifically to learn about care systems, which the country is known for. Watch her testimonial to learn more.
Kharisma was the recipient of the 2026 Summer Abroad Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence Award and participated in the France: Tours program this past summer. He shares what this program and the award meant to him and the transformative experience he underwent by immersing himself in a new location and culture.
Sofia participated in the Portugal program this summer and talks about how going abroad through this program was valuable to her both a personal and academic level. The program allowed her to connect with her heritage in a way she never had before by directly interacting with the language and the people as well as bringing back experiences, knowledge, and skills that she can carry with her into her academic and professional life. Read her testimonial to learn more.
