Planning to study abroad can feel like you’ve added a whole extra class to your schedule. You have programs to compare, course options to research, and timing to consider. Then there’s, arguably, the biggest decision you’ll make: where to study abroad.
You’ll get to learn about another culture while you learn about yourself wherever you end up, but getting a little unconventional often means even more of those perspective-shifting, connection-building opportunities you’re after. Step aside, London, Paris, and Florence. This time, unique places to study abroad are having their moment.
You can study abroad just about anywhere on the planet (yes, even Antarctica), so take yourself off the beaten path and into a one-of-a-kind experience.
11 unique places to study abroad
There are endless unique places to study abroad waiting for you!
No need to be predictable. Whichever continent calls your name, you’ll find cool places to study abroad and explore your inner foodie, polyglot, adventurer, and all-around world traveler. Here are 11 of our favorite unique destinations across the globe to inspire your study abroad planning:
1. Ecuador
It should come as no surprise that the home of the Galápagos tortoise offers some seriously cool places to study abroad. Renowned for its geographic and climatic diversity, Ecuador is a nature enthusiast’s dream. You’ve got coasts, you’ve got mountains and volcanoes, you’ve got the Amazon rainforest—and that’s before you even get to the otherworldly Galápagos Islands.
Don’t count out cities like Quito and Cuenca, complete with their own UNESCO World Heritage site designations, either. Bonus points: You’ll situate yourself in one of the best places to learn Spanish thanks to the clear, easy-to-understand accent spoken in a country rich with history, culture, and biodiversity.
- What? Biology, conservation & preservation, ecology, environmental studies, Spanish, zoology & wildlife sciences
- Recommended program: IES Abroad - Study Abroad in Ecuador
2. New Zealand
Fill your days with fjords, glaciers, ancient volcanoes, and other landscapes right out of Middle-earth (seriously, New Zealand served as the real-life filming destination for the “Lord of the Rings” movies) when you choose this unique place to study abroad. Those with a penchant for adventure will feel right at home in New Zealand, where high-quality academics come together with some striking natural wonders for the ultimate boost to your travel cred.
New Zealand is the place to learn about Māori culture, see everything from black sand beaches to snow-capped mountains to dark sky reserves, and get your adrenaline pumping in a place known as the adventure capital of the world (looking at you, Queenstown). English-speakers won’t have to worry about a language barrier, so you can take harder-to-find subjects while you get your adventure on.
- What? Communications, creative writing, education, environmental studies, engineering, psychology
- Recommended program: TEAN - New Zealand - University of Auckland
3. Cuba
Cuba has plenty of diverse landscapes and experiences to offer.
It’s hard to top Cuba if you’re looking for a unique place to study abroad—culture shock is part of its pull on traveler’s imaginations. One of the few still-existing communist states, Cuba gives students a window into its economic and social system and intriguing past, present, and possible future realities.
You’ll have your fair share of nature to take in here, too. Cuba’s coral reefs, wetlands, rainforests, and other habitats stand as some of the best-preserved in the Caribbean, where constant tourism has taken its toll on some of the other landscapes and wildlife. Boasting plenty of endemic species, including the world’s smallest bird, this island is nothing short of one of a kind.
- What? Environmental studies, health sciences, history, political science & politics, social sciences, Spanish
- Recommended program: IFSA: Universidad de La Habana Partnership
4. Hungary
Think you can’t get a classic European study abroad semester (or summer, or year) that’s affordable? Hungary’s here to make you reconsider.
The central European country may be relatively small, but it’s chock full of more than enough beautiful lakes, villages, historical architecture, and spa retreats to fill out an itinerary. It’s also a strong contender for one of Europe’s best underrated wine countries.
With various programs taught in English, Hungarian universities let you take courses for your major while exploring. Make Budapest your home base if you’re looking for the grand European capital experience on a budget, or venture further off the beaten path to student cities like Debrecen, Pécs, or Szeged.
- What? Computer science & IT, economics, history, international business, marketing, political science & politics
- Recommended program: Study Business Abroad with CEA
5. Madagascar
Practice multiple languages in Madagascar!
Trade dorm rooms and dining halls for white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and lush rainforests (not to mention spiny forests, mangrove forests, mineral forests…you get the idea). Madagascar’s unique geologic history has led to a huge array of endemic species, enchanting visitors and researchers with its lemurs and baobabs—and offering a study abroad destination that gets at the very definition of unique.
Though the island itself has counted 88 or so million years of geographic isolation, the people of Madagascar claim diverse roots from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. You’ll get to practice your French or pick up Malagasy as you explore landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth.
- What? African studies, anthropology, culture, ecology, environmental studies, health sciences
- Recommended program: SIT Study Abroad: Madagascar: Traditional Medicine
6. Singapore
City, state, island: Singapore is the only place in the world to check all those boxes at once. It’s also a place with a unique linguistic and cultural diversity—English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil are all official languages—and a place where towering cityscapes and sustainable green spaces coexist.
Language immersion is undoubtedly one of the perks of studying abroad in Singapore, though if you’re up for the challenge of a rigorous academic culture, you’ll find a wide range of courses available to you in English. Brush up on Singaporean laws before you go, but know that Singapore offers a particularly safe study abroad experience.
- What? Business, communications, computer science & IT, environmental studies, foreign language, sociology
- Recommended program: CIEE Arts + Sciences in Singapore
7. Spain
Yes, Spain consistently makes its way into the ranks of the world’s most popular study abroad destinations, so calling the choice “unique” seems a misnomer at first glance. But hear us out: Look beyond study abroad darlings like Madrid and Barcelona and you’ll find a wide range of less-expected destinations to call your home away from home in a remarkable cultural space connecting the Mediterranean and Atlantic worlds.
With a profound history of Jewish-Christian-Muslim exchange, with unique architectures—spanning Roman infrastructure and institutions, early Visigoth churches, the Moorish mosque of Córdoba, former Juderias at the core of ancient cities, old universities, and world-class museums—Spain isn’t short of cool places to study abroad. Aspiring polyglots especially should consider spending time in the Basque Country, if not for the chance to study both Spanish and the ancient and intriguing language isolate Basque language, then for the opportunity to do it while enjoying the region’s beaches, architecture, and can’t-miss cuisine.
- What? Architecture, art history, business, film, Spanish, STEM subjects
- Recommended program: USAC Spain: San Sebastián- Spanish Language & Psychology
8. South Africa
There’s something for everyone to do and experience in South Africa.
Speaking of places that’ll have aspiring polyglots ready to pack their bags, South Africa comes through with eleven official languages. Most South Africans can communicate in multiple languages, so you’ll get to practice Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans, and more. (If you don’t consider yourself a budding linguist, that’s OK too. English is the most commonly spoken and the official language of business.)
The country’s multicultural heritage makes studying abroad in South Africa special, as does its incredible biodiversity. One of Earth’s 17 megadiverse nations, South Africa treats you to the chance to see a stunning array of wildlife, from the “Big Five” lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo, and rhinoceroses to cheetahs, zebras, and hundreds upon hundreds of bird species.
- What? Business, culture, environmental studies, human rights advocacy, political science & politics, public health
- Recommended program: AIFS Abroad in Stellenbosch, South Africa: Semester
9. Thailand
You might first think of it as a tourism hub, but there are plenty of reasons to study abroad in Thailand. The country’s reputation for great weather, affordable prices, and welcoming locals make it easy to have a meaningful experience abroad when you leave behind those tourist trappings and prioritize intercultural learning.
Connect with Buddhism. Tap into your inner foodie. Explore iconic temples or the beaches, beaches, beaches. Or (why not?) all of the above.
Future veterinarians and animal lovers in general should also check out Thailand’s opportunities to study wildlife and conservation. The elephant is a national symbol, after all.
- What? Asian studies, conservation & preservation, international business, philosophy, travel & tourism, zoology & wildlife sciences
- Recommended program: Study in Thailand with World Endeavors (Mahidol University)
10. Morocco
There’s much to see in Morocco—cities and countryside alike are beautiful.
Here’s another one for the polyglots out there! Because of Morocco’s colonial history, you’ll likely hear everything from Arabic and Berber to French and Spanish while you’re out and about. You’ll have many opportunities to immerse yourself in the rich culture as you make your way through medinas, markets, traditional villages, music and theater performances, and more.
Morocco also delivers when it comes to geographic diversity. No matter where you base your study abroad experience in Morocco, you’ll want to get in on excursions to places like the Atlas Mountains and Rif Mountains as well as cities dotting both the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.
- What? Anthropology, Arabic, French, history, international relations, religious studies
- Recommended program: ISA Study Abroad in Meknes, Morocco
11. Iceland
Iceland is a hotspot for learning, but you can’t get much cooler than the land of ice and…OK, OK, and fire. Iceland lives up to its nickname on both fronts, dazzling with sprawling glaciers and some very active volcanoes.
It’s the only place in the world where you can see a mid-ocean ridge above sea level—two tectonic plates diverge here, and you can quite literally check out the rift’s edges in Þingvellir National Park. But it’s not just awe-inspiring landscapes that make studying abroad in Iceland unique.
Expect thriving academics and tight-knit communities in a country that consistently sits near or at the top of lists for the world’s happiest, safest, and most gender-equal places. When you’re not taking in the northern lights or midnight sun, get off the beaten culinary path with dishes like hverabrauð (“hot spring bread” baked underground with heat from geothermal activity) and the infamous hákarl (fermented shark you’ll likely want to wash down with some Brennivín).
- What? Engineering, environmental studies, gender studies, geology, marine biology, sustainable development
- Recommended program: API: Experience Reykjavik, Iceland (Scholarships Available)
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Find the best (an most unique) place that works for you!
Choosing a less-traditional destination opens you up to a way of studying abroad you can’t always get in a mega-popular spot. You’ll have more excuses to swap your study abroad bubble for making local friends, speaking the local language, and trying new experiences when you go somewhere unique. And if you can’t decide on one one-of-a-kind place? Well, there’s always multi-country study abroad…or studying abroad more than once!
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