Studying Abroad & Mental Health: What to Expect and How to Cope
Studying abroad is exciting, but we know from personal experience that it can also feel overwhelming at times, a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute, you’re stepping off the plane, buzzing with adrenaline, and the next, you’re sitting in your room wondering why it all feels a little bit heavy or disorienting.
Whether you’re on a week-long, faculty-led program or a full academic year abroad, you’ll deal with a lot of changes quickly: new routines (or sometimes, especially on shorter programs, every single day looks different from the last), the task of building friendships, navigating unfamiliar languages, and support systems that don’t look quite like those at home. Sometimes, all of that can throw you for a loop. Feelings of homesickness, anxiety, or loneliness are all common.
So how do you know what’s “normal” and when it’s time to seek help? How can you make the most of these challenges in a way that actually improves your mental health with time and plays a positive role in your personal growth?
In the guide below, we share notes on what to expect, some red flags, and a couple of practical tools you can lean into to support your mental health while abroad.
WHY YOU MIGHT FEEL OFF-BALANCE AT FIRST.
Even if you’ve traveled to an incredible place and you know it’s full of opportunities and memories to be made, it’s normal to feel unsettled in the beginning. Here’s why:
We need connection to thrive. And right now, we’re living in a world where people feel more disconnected than ever. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory named loneliness and disconnection as a public health crisis, with risks for both mental and physical health. Being away from your usual support system can feel amplified until you’ve had time to form new connections.
You’re in tune with your mental health. Many Gen Z students are, on average, much more self-aware and open about stress, anxiety, and the need for support than previous generations. That awareness is a strength, but it also means you may notice your own ups and downs more acutely while you adjust.
Your brain is responding to change. When routines, environments, and relationships all shift at once, your nervous system can read this as homesickness. This feeling is a signal that something familiar is missing. As you begin to form daily routines, find places you like to visit regularly, and nourish new friendships, those feelings often ease and make room for what will become your (temporary) new normal.
HOW STUDY ABROAD CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
The same challenges that can trigger homesickness while abroad can also strengthen resilience—your capacity to recover, adapt, and move forward. Resilience is closely linked to reducing the risk of developing mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. So by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in a supported environment—just like you do on a study abroad program—you’re practicing coping strategies that strengthen your longer-term wellbeing.
Travel can help you with:
Adaptability. It might come from general uncertainty, learning to navigate public transportation, figuring out group dynamics in a short-term program, or problem-solving around language differences.
Confidence in building connections. While abroad, you’ll have opportunities to meet people and find commonalities, including locals whose background or beliefs may be very different from your own. You’ll also join in on group activities during which you’re all experiencing something for the first time, together. This helps you carve out a sense of belonging with your peers.
Perspective shifts. Being immersed in a culture or community beyond your own can help you reframe the way you look at your own life. You might find ways to re-frame challenges, for example, or develop a stronger sense of empathy, both of which can support your mental health.
Whether you’re on a short- or long-term program, domestic or international, the main premise—getting out of your comfort zone and navigating new situations and challenges—remains the same. Practicing these skills during travel will strengthen them, and they will support you well beyond your trip, including helping you with future transitions like taking on an internship or moving houses.
HOMESICKNESS: WHAT’S NORMAL AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP.
Homesickness or a feeling of general discomfort as a result of so much change is completely normal when you’re away from home, whether it’s just for a week or for a full semester. This is the way your body and brain adjust.
Normal reactions:
Missing people, pets, or routines
Lower energy or motivation, especially at night
Craving predictability
Leaning on social media more than usual
Usually, the reactions above settle once you’ve had some time to adjust. Talking to a friend, faculty leader, or program director can help.
But reach out for support if:
Mood and anxiety worsen over time
Sleep or your appetite is disrupted for days
Panic attacks or other symptoms interfere with activities
You have thoughts of harming yourself or simply feel unsafe
Be sure to reach out to your program leaders as soon as possible if you’re feeling this way. They have experience helping students navigate anything from a tough travel day to more serious mental health concerns and can help you get additional support if needed.
COPING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES TO PRACTICE.
Things to try before you leave home and carry on while you’re abroad:
Create small, repeatable habits that give your days structure and stability. Move. Walk to class, stretch, and spend some time in nature. Even 10 minutes can change how your body handles stress. Focus on eating healthy food regularly. Get enough protein. Travel makes it easy to skip meals, which brings dips in energy and mood. Stay hydrated. Create a consistent sleep routine with a wind-down cue, like using a line-a-day journal or doing a breathing exercise.
Build micro-connections. Tiny interactions with others can keep your spirits up. Have a brief chat with a market vendor or barista. Ask a classmate to check out a local exhibition with you or play a game of UNO on a bus ride. Push yourself to join in on a planned group activity even if it feels uncomfortable at first. The more you practice these interactions, the more they build into a sense of belonging.
Balance check-ins with home. Keep calls to friends and family short and sweet. Share one quick daily update with a photo. This keeps you connected with home without dwelling too much. Allow yourself to focus on the present and make the most of the incredible opportunities in front of you.
Create purpose. Start each day with a small goal to accomplish. Find the best street food stall, learn three new sentences in the local language, or set out to capture three seconds of video every hour that day to compile later into a “day in the life” memory.
Ground yourself with techniques. Try box breathing (breathe in counting to four, hold for four, breathe out counting to four, hold for four, and repeat). Tap into your senses (name five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste). Label your feelings. This can help diminish their intensity and power. “This is homesickness. I know this feeling. It will pass.”
QUICK-LOOK TOOLKIT TO KEEP IN YOUR PHONE NOTES.
When you need a reminder:
Breathe: Box breathing, two minutes.
Move: Walk or stretch, 10 minutes.
Connect: Conversation or small interactions.
Eat & Drink: Eat healthy food and hydrate.
Sleep: Use a consistent wind-down routine.
Label: Name your feeling; remind yourself it’s temporary.
Ask: Seek support from staff if needed.
It’s important to remember that feeling off balance means you’re stretching yourself in new ways. The challenges of studying abroad are also the moments that build resilience, connection, and confidence. With time, you’ll look back on those ups and downs and understand how they are one of the reasons why studying abroad is so transformative.
