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LGBTQ+ Students

One of the greatest joys of studying abroad is to witness and experience the cultural, political, and economic structures that shape the social climate of a particular country or region that is different than your own. These experiences, while often positive, can also contribute to bouts of culture shock. For students who identify as LGBTQ+, researching and learning about the sociocultural norms and attitudes towards your sexual or gender identity can help prepare you ahead of time to help reduce certain negative impacts of culture shock. Below is a comprehensive collection of resources from the LGBTQ+ community to help you stay informed and prepare, as well as shed light on some personal experiences.


Travel Resources

NAFSA’s Rainbow Special Interest Group (Rainbow SIG)
  • Scholarships, resources, and newsletters
Spartacus Gay Travel Index
  • Includes a wide variety of news, blogs, and country-specific information for LGBTQ+ travelers
GoAbroad.com Governmental Travel Resources International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association
  • IGLTA is an association of tourism businesses that welcome the LGBTQ+ community
  • Check out the hundreds of personal travel and business blogs from 80+ countries
General Blog Posts


Affiliate Resources and Scholarships

CET CIEE IES ISA ISEP Semester at Sea


Student Perspectives

Many of our partner organizations operate student-run blogging programs! If you are interested in hearing from LGBTQ+ study/intern abroad alumni, the following blog posts may assist in addressing concerns and getting you excited for your own study abroad experience!

Arcadia CEA CAPA CIEE AIFS Abroad IES IFSA  ISA  ISEP SAI  SIT