What are the differences between being an international student and studying abroad?

Hi!

I'll share with you my experience and see if it helps. Let me first put it in perspective of a high school environment, since I am familiar with it, and I think it will help illustrate the differences. For the past three years, I have been a 'host family' for two Korean students. When they came to the States, they enrolled in a Christian k-12 school. I was surprised when they told me they weren't religious at all. I didn't understand why they didn't just go the same local public schools my kids go to.
For them to attend the local public school- that school has to participate in an exchange program. Students from here go there, students from there come here. Since there wasn't such an exchange program in place where I live with their school in Korea - their families decided to simply pay for them to attend a private school here in the States. The designation on their student Visas is "International Student."

I believe that a "study abroad" program is similar to the public school version of an "Exchange Student" program. So to participate you enroll (and pay your tuition) at your chosen college/university here, and they make the enrollment and tuition arrangements for you at the international college/university. Sometimes this is preferable because credits transfer easily between the US and the international school.

The 'International student' designation is more frequently used when someone chooses to attend a college/university in another country. And the enrollment (and tuition) arrangements are made directly with the college/university in the other country.

Please note- the definitions and descriptions I provided above certainly can vary from school to school.

Hope this helps,
-rbt