6 reasons I chose to study abroad during business school

An MBA student shares key factors that motivated her to do a quarter-long exchange program in Singapore and how this experience has increased her global exposure within the business world.
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Kellogg MBA student Kalyn Chang with two other classmates during their last day of classes at INSEAD and shares reasons why she chose to study abroad.
David Ingraham ’24 MMM Program (L), Kalyn Chang ’24 MMM Program (C) and Daniel Mobayyen (R) ’24 Full-Time Program are all smiles during their last day of classes at INSEAD.

By Kalyn Chang ’24 MMM Program

I knew immediately that I wanted to participate in one of the Full-Time Exchange Programs at Kellogg. I didn’t study abroad during my undergrad, so I was excited to have another opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture both in and out of the classroom. I was especially interested in INSEAD Singapore’s exchange program for a few reasons:

  • INSEAD’s student population is diverse, so I’d expose myself to more cultures and ways of thinking.
  • There are a lot of interesting classes available for exchange students. The class selection can be more limited at other programs.
  • I had always wanted to live in Asia, and I was particularly drawn to Singapore’s reputation as a global hub for innovation and the Silicon Valley of Asia.

I completed my exchange at INSEAD Singapore this past quarter, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision and experience — it broadened my horizons and helped me grow professionally and personally. Here are six reasons why I chose to study abroad during business school: 

1.  Gain a global business perspective

INSEAD business students represent a global community welcoming nationalities from all over the world.
Chang strengthened her interpersonal skills while studying abroad and boosted her network with people from other countries.

At INSEAD, no more than 12% of their student body is of any one nationality, and course material like case studies dives into business problems from all around the world. It was refreshing to participate in discussions and hear perspectives from a global perspective beyond an American lens. I loved that students’ name tags at INSEAD have their nationalities on them, so you have more cultural context behind each student’s class contributions.  

2.  Build my international network  

Studying abroad during business school helps you make international connections.
Chang's diverse group proudly hold their recognition for first place in their class competition.

I connected with classmates from around the world who I’m looking forward to staying in touch with. I took Market Driving Strategies and competed in a team-based simulation. My team consisted of members from China, Singapore, Thailand, the UK and America. We won first place, showing how diverse teams can lead to better discussions and outcomes.  

3. Step outside of my comfort zone   

Kalyn's study abroad experience allowed her to go past her comfort zone and explore a new country.
Chang's study abroad experience allowed her to go past her comfort zone and explore a new country.

Studying abroad and navigating a new country and a new school is a perfect chance to jumpstart growth. It gave me a fresh start where I was able to apply what I learned during my first year of business school in a new setting with new people. Without my usual group of friends to lean on, I was pushed out of my comfort zone and became more independent and confident as a result.  

4. Immerse myself in a new culture 

Studying abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in a different culture and expand your cultural competence and grow your network.
Chang and her peers explored their new environment with culinary adventures throughout the city.

Living abroad can come with its own unique challenges such as finding long-term housing, but it also gave me the opportunity to take things slower and dive deeper into a country’s culture and society.  

Singapore has a large Chinese population allowing me to reconnect with my roots and cultural heritage, especially through food and traditions. For example, Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in Singapore, and it was special to experience the holiday while living there and to see signs of it all around the city since it’s not as big of a celebration in the United States.  

 5. Travel to new places  

Kalyn scuba diving while studying abroad in Asia.
Chang didn't miss out on the opportunity to put her scuba certification to use while traveling throughout Southeast Asia.

I took advantage of already being abroad to explore as much of Asia as possible, particularly Southeast Asia, since it has some of the best diving in the world. I was able to put my certified open-water scuba diver skills to full use! Singapore served as an excellent hub for traveling throughout Asia, and INSEAD’s class structure allowed me to take a lot of extended trips in between classes.  

INSEAD’s term is only eight weeks, so I had an extra month to travel before classes at Kellogg started again. After my term in Singapore wrapped up, I moved to Hong Kong for the next month and used it as my travel base to explore more of East Asia. The timing worked out since my fiancé, who is also a Kellogg student, was doing his global exchange in Hong Kong at the same time. 

Flights within Asia are very affordable and traveling within Southeast Asia especially can be done on a budget, so I had the best time going on trips to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Korea with a mix of Kellogg and INSEAD friends. I even got to meet up with the Kellogg students who were doing an exchange program in Japan while there!  

6. Make lifelong friends  

Studying abroad helped Kalyn develop deeper bonds with her fellow Kellogg exchange students.
Chang bonded with her study abroad peers learning more about them during group dinners.

Studying abroad can help you develop a deeper bond with your fellow Kellogg exchange students. There’s something about spending eight weeks living in a foreign country and going through a transformative experience together that leads to lifelong friendships.  

I’m looking forward to reuniting with my classmates for my final quarter of business school back at Kellogg!  

 

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