Students who study abroad have higher levels of belief in their abilities to perform difficult tasks and cope with adversity, according to new research. A study of 221 students at Leuphana University  of Luneburg in Germany, found that students who had been abroad had higher levels of self-efficacy than those who remained on campus.

The paper, International Experience Makes a Difference: Effects of Studying Abroad on Students’ Self-efficacy, also found that those who studied abroad tended to meet with more social contacts each week and that these contacts enhanced the development of their self-efficacy. 

Students with higher levels of self-efficacy tend to have a more “laid-back” view concerning confrontation with a new culture and were less likely to view it as a “threatening challenge”. This could be because a high sense of self-efficacy supports students to overcome challenges more easily or that individuals with a high sense of self-efficacy might evaluate the challenge of a new culture as less problematic, the paper said.

However, the paper found that the effect of sojourning on self-efficacy, “even though significant, is rather small”, suggesting there may be other factors at play. It added that a possible rise in self-efficacy is unlikely to become a “crucial reason” for students studying abroad but is a “potentially useful side effect”.

A survey of 1,588 UK-domiciled undergraduates, conducted for the British Council and the UK Higher Education International Unit in 2015, also found that 90 percent of mobile students reported improved personal development, including increased independence, self-confidence and intercultural understanding.