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Studying abroad on a budget can be easy with the right program. You can do just that by choosing a CU Education Abroad exchange program! Exchanges are great for students who are independent and want to be fully immersed by enrolling in a foreign university. They are the most affordable programs and also offer the easiest way to make local friends from another culture!

Check out these two exchanges featured below in Lancaster, England, and Uppsala, Sweden. Both of these cities are very similar to Boulder in that they offer all of the amenities of big city living combined with the quirky charm of a small town. And guess what? The cost of living is less than Boulder!

They are still accepting applications for fall/year 2021 through April 1.

Lancaster University | Photo courtesy of Lancaster University

Lancaster is an outdoor lover’s paradise! You would be able to participate in lots of outdoor activities with its proximity to the gorgeous mountains, lakes and valleys of England's scenic Lake District. Since Lancaster is on the west coast of England, you could hop on a three-hour train down to London or a two-hour train leading up to Edinburgh, Scotland! It’s also very easy to travel around mainland Europe by leaving through Manchester, which is only 45 minutes by train.

The Yorkshire Dales and the Pennines are also nearby, which are ideal for hiking, climbing and other Bouldery outdoor pursuits! To the south are the spooky Forest of Bowland and Pendle Hill, said to be the haunt of some notorious 17th-century witches. Then the Lune and Kent rivers are to the west, where there is good sailing, and the expanse of Morecambe Bay with its famous bird sanctuary and tidal flats.

 has a sports center with amazing indoor and outdoor facilities for swimming, badminton, basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis, aerobics and more. These facilities are even equipped with a sauna and a rock climbing wall, all free for you as an exchange student!

Not into sports? There are more than 80 other cultural, academic, political, religious and other activities and clubs that provide opportunities to pursue a hobby or to just have fun doing something new while abroad.

You could take courses in the humanities, social sciences, business, engineering, computing, pre-med or sciences. Lancaster University is one of the top five management schools in the U.K.

Uppsala Cathedral in Uppsala, Sweden | Photo courtesy of Francesca McMillan

Want to be immersed in Swedish university life? On this program, you would become a member of one of the 13 different “Student Nations,” which are clubs dating back to the 17th century. The Nations are hard to explain, and some students have compared them to Hogwarts Houses from Harry Potter, but we like the best. The Nations are definitely one of the highlights of studying at Uppsala University, and they offer many unique social activities. Each nation also has a building with its own café, pub, library and game room.

was founded in 1477, making it the oldest university in Scandinavia. It has a well-renowned international research center, and six Uppsala scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize.

It’s located only a 25-mintue train ride to Stockholm's International Airport, so also very easy to travel. In the past, Old Uppsala was the focal point of the Kingdom of the Swedes, and traces left by Viking forefathers can still be seen there. Uppsala is also fairly flat, so walking and bicycling are wonderful ways to explore the town as well as the surrounding fields and forests.

You would live in a residence hall with a single room, often with your own bathroom, and would share a kitchen with other students living on your corridor. Living in a Swedish res hall can be a very rewarding experience, since you would have the opportunity to get to know local students along with others from all over the world.

You also don’t need to know any Swedish! They offer tons of courses in English, and have no fear, English will be widely spoken by your new Swede friends.

Not sure if England or Sweden is for you? Check out our other . April 1 will be here before you know it, so to get abroad this fall or next year!