The taste of paella with fresh mussels in Barcelona; that feeling at the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town; the lights and sounds of Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. What are: things you can’t capture on a résumé?

We know a life-changing international experience can’t possibly be summarized into a few bullet points, but in order to enjoy the career benefits of study abroad, incorporating this experience into your professional materials and conversations is non-negotiable.

Think of this as the opportunity to take a stroll down memory lane and talk about your experience long after your friends and family have heard all about it—we’ll show you how, section by section and in our sample résumé example!

Four Study Abroad Skills to Put on a Cover Letter

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Adapting to a New Cultural and/or Professional Environment

Mention your ability to handle ambiguity and stay positive.

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Effectively Communicating Across Cultures

Consider any presentations you've done.

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Being Flexible

What steps did you take to mitigate challenges abroad?

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Multitasking

Emphasize your ability to keep organized in a new work culture.

Three Places to List Study Abroad on Your Résumé

students sitting in a Berlin Center classroom during a lecture

Education Section

When articulating your study abroad experience on your résumé, make sure to actually write about it! This may seem like a no brainer, but much of the time this information is omitted or not highlighted to its fullest extent, likely because it's unclear how to speak about it. This was probably was one of, if not THE most memorable periods of your life, so why not talk (or write) about it every chance you get?!

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Experience Section

While you were studying abroad, did you do community-based learning in South Africa, a professional assignment in Amsterdam, volunteering in Rabat, or a summer internship in Vienna? Yes? Then along with other work experience you’ve had (if any), put these in chronological order.

students practice writing Chinese characters in Shanghai

Skills Section

Skills, skills, skills! What skills didn’t you acquire while abroad? Good news—there is more than one place on your résumé where you can highlight your many talents. Whether "hard" (technical) or "soft" (intangible), your skills can be included in the bullets under each of the positions you held.