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Student Experiences Abroad: Religion and Spirituality

Your religious, secular, or spiritual identity, as well as how you relate to belief, practice, or nonbelief, may shape your experience abroad. This includes students who practice a religion, students who are spiritual but not religious, and students who identify as atheist, agnostic, secular, or nonreligious.

Local norms around religion, spirituality, secularism, holidays, dress, dietary practices, sacred spaces, and public expression can vary widely. Experiencing unfamiliar beliefs or practices can also be a meaningful source of learning and connection. Planning ahead can help you make informed choices, identify resources, and participate respectfully and comfortably while abroad.

"Before studying abroad, I wondered how being a hijabi would shape my experience. Paris surprised me in a lot of ways. Even while being somewhere completely new, I found small pieces of familiarity through the Muslim community, practicing my faith, and visiting beautiful mosques around the city. It made me realize that no matter where you go, there are opportunities to find community and a sense of belonging."

Parker Akter
College of Literature, Science and the Arts

"In the heart of Sydney, I joined friends and strangers alike to celebrate Holi - the festival of colors, joy, and renewal. As we threw vibrant powders into the air, laughter and music erased every boundary of culture and language. In that radiant swirl of color, I felt the true spirit of global education—unity through diversity, and the beauty of shared humanity".

Bowei Feng
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
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Planning Your Experience Abroad

Use this page to explore considerations, opportunities, and challenges related to religion and spirituality abroad.

As you consider and prepare for an international experience, use the following questions as a guide. Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, and you may relate to multiple identities. You are encouraged to research and discuss these topics in person with an education abroad advisor in your school or college as you compare programs and prepare for travel.

Research beliefs, customs, and local context

  • What historical, cultural, or political context related to religion, spirituality, or secularism should I understand before traveling to my host destination?
  • What are local attitudes toward my religious, secular, or spiritual identity, including atheist, agnostic, or nonreligious beliefs?
  • What laws, policies, or social norms affect religious expression, public worship, religious dress or symbols, religious materials, sharing beliefs, or nonreligious expression?
  • How might my nationality, culture, or background shape how others perceive my beliefs or practices?
  • Are there differences by city, region, campus, workplace, or community setting that I should understand before I go?

Plan daily practices, observances, and accommodations

  • How might my program schedule, travel days, exams, excursions, internships, or fieldwork affect prayer, meditation, worship, fasting, Sabbath observance, holidays, or other practices?
  • Who should I contact early if I may need schedule flexibility, space for practice, dietary support, or other religious, secular, or spiritual needs?
  • How might I adapt my practices abroad while still honoring what is important to me?
  • What options or alternatives would help me participate fully in the program if my usual practices are difficult to maintain abroad?

Prepare for food, clothing, and daily needs

  • If I have dietary practices or restrictions, how will I navigate meals, groceries, restaurants, host families or homestays, group meals, or program events?
  • If I wear religious clothing, symbols, or items, how are they understood in my host destination, and are there settings where I may want to plan ahead?
  • What items might I need to bring with me, such as prayer items, religious texts, modest clothing, ritual items, or specialty foods that may be difficult to find locally?
  • What local customs around dress, gender, public behavior, or religious spaces should I understand so I can participate respectfully and comfortably?

Prepare for sacred sites and faith-based activities

  • Will I visit religious or sacred sites as part of my program or personal travel?
  • What expectations should I know before visiting, such as dress, photography, gendered spaces, silence, prayer areas, offerings, visitor access, or behavior during services?
  • How can I learn from these spaces respectfully, especially if they are not part of my own tradition or belief system?
  • If I participate in faith-based travel, service, volunteering, or another sponsored activity, what local laws, ethical guidelines, emergency plans, and on-site support should I understand in advance?

Connect with community and learn locally

  • Are there local religious, secular, spiritual, or interfaith communities, places of worship, meditation spaces, student organizations, or community groups I want to connect with?
  • How can I connect with local communities respectfully, including understanding visitor expectations, language norms, accessibility, or whether guests are welcome?
  • How can I learn about the meaning of local holidays and observances, as well as how they may affect transportation, business hours, restaurants, tourist sites, or program schedules?
  • How can I participate in local culture and community without assuming that one tradition or perspective represents everyone in the destination?

Build your safety, wellbeing, and support plan

  • Is it safe and comfortable for me to openly express my religious, secular, or spiritual identity in this destination, and what choices would support my comfort and safety in different settings?
  • If I am part of a minority religion or belief group in my host destination, what communities, routines, or supports might help me feel connected?
  • If I experience bias, unwanted attention, discrimination, or targeted behavior because of religion or belief, who would I contact first and what support options are available?
  • What key contacts should I save before departure, such as program emergency contacts, local emergency numbers, U-M resources, trusted contacts, and embassy or consulate information based on my citizenship?

Resources for You

Explore these helpful resources regarding religion, spirituality, belief, and travel abroad:

IES Abroad: Religion and Spirituality Resources
U.S. Department of State: Faith-Based Travel
U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Reports
U-M Religious, Secular and Spiritual Life
U-M Office of the Provost: Religious Accommodations in the Classroom

Highlight: Understand how beliefs may be viewed abroad

Religious, secular, and spiritual identities can be understood differently across countries, regions, and communities. You may find yourself in the religious majority for the first time, in a minority belief group, or in a place where public religious expression is more visible, more private, or more regulated than what you are used to.

Visible religious identity, such as clothing, symbols, prayer routines, or holiday observance, may be interpreted differently depending on local context. Students who identify as nonreligious, atheist, agnostic, secular, or spiritual but not religious may also encounter assumptions or questions in places where religion plays a larger role in public or community life. Researching local context before you go can help you make informed choices about expression, participation, and support.

Highlight: Plan around observances and schedules

Religious, secular, and national holidays can affect daily life abroad, including class schedules, internship hours, public transportation, business hours, restaurants, tourist sites, and personal travel plans. Before you depart, review both your own important observances and major local holidays in your destination.

If your practices or observances may overlap with program activities, talk with your education abroad advisor early about options. Planning ahead can help you identify schedule conflicts, navigate daily needs, and participate as fully as possible in the experience.