Students investigated learning in environments as varied as tents and cruise ships during the Study Abroad Fair on the UA Mall yesterday.

Sponsored by the Office of Study Abroad and Student Exchange, the annual event offered more than 100 international education programs offered during the summer, fall or spring. They gave the option of going to school in a different country or flip-flopping with a foreign student like Leah Scott.

Scott, an exchange student from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, is finishing her art degree as a journalism major at the UA. She arrived in Tucson on New Year’s Eve and returns home in June.

“”Being here is like an extended holiday, because I do not have to worry about working,”” she said.

Study abroad programs were offered in countries including Mexico, Turkey, Namibia, Kazakhstan and New Zealand.

The programs offered opportunities for students to do something in the summer for fun, to volunteer overseas or to take courses during a semester which will count toward their degrees regardless of major.

Julie Kennedy, an undeclared freshman, checked out the fair to see what different experiences and cultures were out there.

“”I want to go everywhere, but I mostly want to go to Africa just to help out,”” she said.

Nikki Cook, a pre-physiology sophomore, wants to go to London more than any other place.

“”I love London’s history and its people,”” she said. “”I love to travel. I think it broadens your horizons.””

While diverse in scope, the programs included specific demands of applicants.

For the Desert Ecology and Conservation Biology Program, students are based in Namibia and earn credit toward biology degrees. The students live out of tents for five weeks during the summer and do projects on whatever they want.

The International Scholar Exchange, Collaboration and Training (INSECT) program is a new student exchange program on campus. It lets students choose from three universities at which to spend their spring or fall semesters: Students can choose the University of Würzburg in Germany, the University of Tours in France or the University of Southampton in England.

Another program, Semester at Sea, is college on a cruise ship. Roughly 600-700 students will be accepted to take classes on a ship that goes to several different countries during the summer, fall or spring.

This summer, the ship is going to the Bahamas, Norway, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Croatia and Virginia.

Study abroad and exchange opportunities are available in countries like Mexico and Italy for students who want to learn new languages.

One program in Oaxaca, Mexico, covers Spanish and the geography of Mexico during the summer.

Simrit Khalsa, an international studies senior, went through the program.

“”If you are looking for an immersing program and to learn Spanish, Oaxaca is great,”” Khalsa said.

Studying abroad can be a cheaper learning alternative for students who live out of state, although many programs can be costly. Financial aid is available for some programs.

More information can be found at studyabroad.arizona.edu.