Effective or Self-Selective: Random Assignment Demonstrates Short-Term Study Abroad Effectively Encourages Further Study Abroad

Much attention has been paid to the effects of study abroad, especially because of recent increases in participation in such programs. One problem, however, is the selection bias of participants inherent in study abroad programs. The present study examines whether participation in a short-term study abroad program leads to participation in further long-term study abroad programs. Data were obtained from 705 applicants in the 2013-2015 academic year at a Japanese university, 300 of whom were assigned randomly to participate in a short-term study abroad program. The study results showed a significantly higher participation rate among previous participants than among nonparticipants. The results of a questionnaire completed by the former participants of the short-term program showed that they were more likely to translate plans for participating in the long-term study abroad program into action based on their prior overseas experiences.