alt=”Upclose with a dog at the shelter”> alt=”Upclose with a dog at the shelter”>Loop Abroad offers two semester abroad options for pre-vet students and students who want to learn more about animal science, conservation, and veterinary medicine around the world:
How can you choose which one is the best fit for you? It may help to understand the differences between the Thailand VSA and the Global VSA.
The Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad is offered during the fall and spring academic semesters, while the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad is offered during the summer.
Many students prefer to study abroad during the fall or spring because:
On the other hand, many students prefer to study abroad in the summer because:
There are benefits to both a school-year or summer veterinary semester abroad- it just depends on your goal!
The tuition for the Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad is a bit lower than the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad. Both semester options have up to $5,000 in need-based financial aid available.
You will find that the airfare for the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad costs more than the airfare for the Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad. We can help you to arrange a multi-stop ticket for the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad.
During the Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad, you will have all your courses with the same group of up to 12 students. You will live together, travel together, study together, and go to all your classes together. This means you’ll have the chance to form close friendships with your cohort and support one another throughout the semester.
During the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad, your group for each course will be different. You may have some students in your group who are only traveling with Loop Abroad for 2 weeks, and you may have others who are in your group for a few classes in a row or even the whole summer. You will have the chance to get to know a different group of classmates and friends with each class.
On the Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad, once you arrive in Thailand, you will travel with your group to each program location. On the Global Semester Abroad, you may be flying by yourself or with one or two other students between program locations. Loop Abroad staff will pick you up at the airport as you arrive in each program country. Within your program country, you will travel with your group between program locations.
The Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad requires a rabies vaccination, and applicants must have successfully completed one course of college-level biology before participating. The Global Veterinary Semester Abroad does not have either of these requirements.
The Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad courses are more academically rigorous than the courses in the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad. They build on one another and allow you to get a deeper expertise and understanding of veterinary medicine. The Global Veterinary Semester Abroad courses will also give you an understanding of different areas of veterinary medicine, but the focus is more on a breadth of experiences than a depth of knowledge in one field.
The Thailand Veterinary Semester Abroad lets you spend the entire semester (13 weeks of courses) in and around Chiang Mai, Thailand. You will get to know Thai culture on a deep level, including a course in Thai culture and practice in Thai language throughout your semester. For students looking for a chance to delve deeply into one new culture, this can be a great option.
The Global Veterinary Semester Abroad gives you a chance to spend four weeks at a time in South Africa, Thailand, and Costa Rica. Four weeks gives you a chance to learn about culture and how it interacts with conservation and development. You’ll explore Buddhism in Thailand, wildlife rescue and research in Costa Rica, and national history and politics in South Africa throughout your time in-country. For students who want to explore different cultures around the globe, the Global Veterinary Semester Abroad can give them the opportunity to do so.