AI-Supported Study Abroad: A Review of Emerging Evidence on Affordable Internationalization at Home

1. AI-Supported Study Abroad: A Review of Emerging Evidence on Affordable Internationalization at Home

Study abroad is widely recognized as a high-impact educational practice with the capacity to promote experiential learning, intercultural competence, and student engagement. A well-designed study abroad program provides extended learning experiences, exposure to global cultural differences, opportunities for practical application, and structured reflection. These cultural exposures support deep learning by challenging students’ assumptions, fostering and developing transformative perspectives. Research indicates that participation in study abroad is associated with gains in intercultural awareness, global mindedness, academic motivation, and career readiness (Akiyama, et al., 2025, & Mayer, et al., 2024). However, these outcomes are not automatic. The educational impact of internationalization depends on a well-funded, intentional program design, including clearly articulated learning objectives, guided reflection, faculty development and mentorship (Huang, et al., 2023). Without these components, study abroad risks functioning as a travel experience rather than a meaningful educational intervention which parents and funding agencies consider to be a heavy cost (Ogunleye, 2024).

Shapiro (2025), states higher education institutions adjusts to unpredictable student demographics and technological innovation, confirming that study abroad continues to evolve as a dynamic high-impact practice requiring ongoing assessment and pedagogical intentionality to maximize students’ worldview and learning outcomes. Therefore, this review contributes a new plan to overcome the limitations of high cost of traditional study abroad using artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping teaching and learning across higher education institutions worldwide (Zhang, et al., 2025).

Concurrently, researchers emphasize that AI incorporation requires intentional pedagogical design to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities or diminishing human-centered learning (Huang, 2025 & Li, et al., 2025). More so, ethical considerations such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and transparency have therefore become central to discussions of AI adoption in global mobility programs, while its role is shifting from a supplemental technology to a strategic educational tool, reshaping instructional practices, assessment, and student learning experiences that can immerse them in cultural learning.

Existing literature tends to examine study abroad outcomes in general or explore AI applications in isolation, often without systematically assessing whether AI interventions produce measurable differences. This research gap in student learning outcomes strongly recommend that carefully designed and coherent activities with tailored assessments be implemented in AI supported programs (Zheng et al., 2022). As a result, it remains unclear whether AI functions as a meaningful instructional enhancement, a neutral support mechanism, or a potential constraint on intercultural engagement. This empirical gap limits institutions’ ability to make evidence-based decisions regarding proposing AI incorporation in global learning programs. Addressing this gap is essential to understanding the value of AI supported study abroad and to show intentional design of high-impact, equitable, and pedagogically sound international education experiences driven by AI technology.

How does AI supported study abroad programs demonstrate different levels of intercultural competence development compared to students in traditional study abroad programs? The deeper reflection of this inquiry will encourage educators to embrace AI tools as a viable alternative that can widen access to intercultural development through study abroad programs. Study abroad has demonstrated potential to enhance students’ intercultural competence, global awareness, and academic engagement. In recent years, higher education institutions have increasingly integrated artificial intelligence supported tools, such as adaptive reflection platforms, language assistants, chatbots, and learning analytics into study abroad programming to enhance student preparation, in-country support, and reflective learning. Despite this growing adoption, there remains a notable lack of empirical research directly comparing intercultural learning outcomes between AI supported study abroad programs and traditional study abroad models.

The Institute of International Education has supported expanded participation in study abroad through its yearly open door reports, even though affordability and duration of programs still determines level of participation. The US Department of State capacity building program known as Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for US study abroad (IDEAS program) provides small grants, in-person training and digital resources to support US colleges and universities diversify study abroad programs in areas of entrepreneurship, technology and innovation (US. Department of State, n.d). Terra Dotta (2025) study abroad survey indicates that cost is significant in study abroad and possibly the biggest barrier to participation with 38 percent of intending participants hoping to fund their studies through financial aid. Although there is an increasing number of US students participating in study abroad, yet many more students could not access the right information for funding. Further, the institute of International Education of Students (IES Abroad) has launched a dedicated financial resource to make study abroad accessible particularly for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and financially deprived students; the pilot program recorded significant increase in financial aid application (IES Abroad, 2024).

Furthermore, recent scholarship highlights AI’s potential to support equity and access to study abroad, particularly for students who are first-generation, underrepresented, low socioeconomic or academically underprepared (Chen, et al., 2024). Chen et al. found that AI powered language tools were efficient in closing communication gaps, promoting self awareness, and managing cultural diversity. Consequently, AI technologies, including adaptive learning systems, automated feedback tools, chatbots, learning analytics, and language support applications are being adopted to enhance personalized learning, improve student engagement, and streamline institutional services. These technologies enable real-time data analysis and tailor instructional supports towards allowing institutions to respond more effectively to diverse student needs (Li, 2025). Lastly, this review will attempt to affirm AI study abroad programs as credible alternative to traditional in-person study abroad program as a means to minimize cost and yet deliver intercultural competence with cultural immersion for students with low access to the program.

2. Conceptual Review

This review is guided by a concept that positions Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a learning mediator in the development of students’ intercultural competence during a study away. The concept assumes that intercultural learning is intentional, calculated and scaffolded, rather than an automatic outcome of physical immersion, where program design shapes the depth and quality of students’ learning experiences. Study abroad is a program traditionally linked to in-person exposure and informal cultural immersion; whereas AI supported programs integrate technologies such as adaptive reflection tools, language support applications, chatbots, and data-informed feedback to structure personalize reflective learning before, during, and after online intercultural experience.

AI supported interventions influence intercultural learning through instructional scaffolding and learning processes, which serve as facilitating mechanisms. The processes include guided and timely reflection, cultural sensemaking, metacognitive engagement, and contextual language mediation. By prompting students to critically examine experiences, question assumptions, and interpret cultural encounters; AI tools are expected to deepen students’ engagement and simplify sensemaking by helping students develop cultural etiquette which are known to reduce cultural, social and linguistic barriers. It also enhances communication with native speakers and contextual insights into cultural understanding of history, traditions, values and social norms.

The conceptual review further recognizes student engagement and contextual factors as moderating variables that shape the effectiveness of AI support. These factors include language context, program duration, prior international experience, and individual student characteristics. Such variables may amplify or constrain the impact of AI enhanced pedagogical supports. The framework posits that AI supported study abroad programs will produce significant intercultural competence gains at affordable cost than traditional programs when AI tools are intentionally aligned with program outcome. Overall, this concept provides a coherent structure for empirically comparing AI supported and traditional study abroad models by clarifying the mechanisms through which AI may enhance intercultural development.

3. Review Method and Thematical Outcomes

Literature was retrieved from ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and ProQuest using keywords including artificial intelligence, intercultural competence, study abroad, global learning, virtual exchange, internationalization at home, and language learning. Only peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2020 and 2026 were included.

4. Intercultural Foundations: Study Abroad and Intercultural Competence

For higher education institutions seeking internationalization; one of the key goals is to develop the intercultural competence of their students and staff. Both students and staff need to understand what being interculturally competent means by incorporating intercultural development into their curricula and programs thereby exposing learners to cultural differences. Nonetheless, there has been a limited consensus of the definition of intercultural competence due to multiple cultural connotations not fully represented in any particular definition thereby failing to meet the characterization of all-inclusive global culture. Since the 1960s, scholars have tried to define intercultural competence to mean the ability to communicate effectively, achieve self-transformation, developing multicultural personality, negotiate and understand linguistic differences while other scholars have defined these different norms and cultures as narrow to fully define intercultural competence. Hence the components of intercultural competence is continuously shifting, as culture itself is evolving. If there is a clear assessment methodology that keeps pace with cultural shifts then the definition of intercultural competence could evolve after moderate consistency. This shifts remains a constant scrutiny for educators seeking greater understanding and consensus on advancing intercultural competence (Barrett & Borghetti, 2025; Sabet et al., 2025; Czura, 2022)

Consequently, educators and intercultural agencies face a daunting task of defining which instructional framework and evaluative tool to capture students’ intercultural skills. Students can hardly explain how they have transformed, what changed or how they changed or which experiences produced the change after their participation in a study abroad program (Chiocca, 2025). This is due to factors such as duration of program, faculty knowledge, study abroad destination, first time effect or program design. For too long, intercultural competence measurement have relied on self-reports in assessing behavioral and cognitive skills. Hence, developing intercultural competence depends on designing an assessment rubrics that is most reflective of cultural awareness of participants (knowledge, skills and abilities in other cultures, other than own culture) usually associated with assessment tests. For this reason, the ability to deal constructively with intercultural competence on a cognitive, and behavioral level is crucial at all times. Intercultural competence has become an increasingly important area of scholarly and professional focus as workforce populations become more diverse and workplace demographics continue to evolve in the United States and across the globe. Consequently, internationally designed and skillfully facilitated interventions are critical to help students develop intercultural competence to fill in workplace diversity and develop personal worldview.

5. AI Theory and Intercultural Learning

The experiences of COVID -19 with study abroad opened a renewed way to study abroad for students with low socioeconomic status, first-generation or who hope to fund their study abroad through financial aid. According to the Consortium for Analysis of student success through International Education (CASSIE); significant colleges worry that study abroad may delay or distract students from their academic progress. The CASSIE research compared students who traditionally studied abroad with students who studied away in the US (Rubin & Bell, 2020). While this assertion may not be disputed, traditional study abroad though expensive contributes to deepening learning experiences and ensuring students immerse their intercultural learning through skills and knowledge for post-graduation success. This cost and opportunity has led to innovative inquiry, and program development built around interventions that elevate student global experience. Assuredly, study abroad cannot be reserved for privileged students due to its high impact on student success, retention and completion rate. The emphasis on study abroad should be around affordable access for all students as this fact has become a growing concern. Undoubtedly, study abroad subsumes many high impact practices and opportunities such as quality interaction with faculty, increased exposure to cultural diversity, self-efficacy and immersed cultural shock experiences.

Conversely, AI tools significantly enhance students’ cultural knowledge, communication skills, and cultural awareness (Shadiev et al., 2021). This review findings suggest that AI tools can offer personalized learning contexts that effectively bridge cultural gaps by deepening students’ cultural understanding and fostering the development of intercultural competence through tele-collaborative settings (Shadiev et al., 2024). By integrating real-world cultural contexts, adaptive content, and real-time feedback, online study abroad and study away offers a promising alternative to expensive traditional in-person programs. The financial constraints associated with traditional study abroad have contributed to the growing popularity and adoption of short-term programs. However, the shortened duration of study abroad programs may have encouraged increasing number of students to study abroad but short-term can limit students’ opportunities for cultural immersion and meaningful engagement with host communities, they have also reduced the depth of student involvement when characterized by limited instructive engagement, insufficient mentoring, and poorly structured programs due to short time. These limitations can weaken students development of intercultural competence and worldview. Consequently, intentional program design remains essential in planning effective study abroad programs that produce deeper cultural learning outcomes.

The era of AI tools in study abroad can be the equivalent alternative to traditional in-person because virtual reality can uniquely contextualize learning in simulated or imaged settings with cognitive social and affective benefits. Despite the limitations of funding associated with in-person short-term study abroad programs, technological advancements have expanded the possibilities for fostering intercultural competence in contexts where deep cultural immersion may be difficult to achieve in a limited time. Emerging technological advances for multimodal and multilingual communication, particularly through translanguaging and instant feedback, allows learners to engage through diverse combinations of text, image, audio, and video. With advance technology; students feel a sense of inclusion, creativity, and engagement by recognizing and incorporating varied linguistic, sociocultural, and semiotic resources (Karki et al., 2026; Lee, 2025; Yang & Lin., 2025).

6. AI—Supported Global Learning and Virtual Exchange

Intercultural online learning also known as telecollaborative learning are defined as internet-based intercultural online exchanges among group of learners of different cultural backgrounds. There is no doubt that such environments create complex and unpredictable conditions in which multi-layered and multichannel technology-rich contexts are adopted. Institutions set up virtual learning programs to train students to achieve concrete learning outcomes. Technology-driven learning such as virtual exchange have its own unique opportunities and constraints that enable certain types of learning activity. While the role of training in guiding students online activity is developed with a high-level of intentionality to meet high quality required to develop competence in alien culture. To align the intended competence and bespoke training has been a more difficult challenge for administrators and faculty-led programs.

Chan, 2025 synthesizes 93 studies that facilitates faculty design of virtual exchange that align structured intercultural learning with cross-institutional coordination, assessment strategies, technological support and guided reflection opportunities. The research identified that instructional difficulties emerged from geographical and disciplinary variances, which means that purposeful interaction, critical reflection and behavioral adaptation will result in intended pedagogical design. Key results from Chan show that technology is the medium; pedagogy determines how students use that medium to develop intercultural competence, thus virtual exchange requires instructors to align technology with collaborative tasks, intercultural interaction, reflection, feedback, and learning outcomes.

Hence, the collaborative online international learning (COIL) is an approach that connects geographically dispersed learning spaces through virtual exchange to foster environments that promote intercultural competence and deepening internationalization at home for students who are unable to participate in international mobility. The idea of artificial intelligence is an innovation to infuse equity in higher education for all students with the opportunity of AI tools, and virtual exchange is becoming increasingly efficient and gaining wider acceptability as an alternative to the traditional in-person study abroad programs.

7. Documented Gains and Inconsistencies of AI—Tools

Liu (2025) and Yu et al., (2022) studied and designed intercultural communication education with an Agent-Object-Relationship Model Based on Consciousness (AORBCo) which challenges and transforms students real world intercultural communication for language education using artificial intelligence equipped with personalized learning paths and real time feedbacks mechanisms. In this model, learners experience tailored interactive approach paving ways for greater mastery of language and cross-cultural communication skills. Recent developments in U.S. higher education suggest that artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to expand access to language learning opportunities for students who may be unable to participate in traditional study abroad programs. Institutions such as Arizona State University, Purdue University, and Columbia University have begun integrating generative AI activities into language courses, particularly in Spanish instruction (Figueroa, n.d). These institutions provide students with low financial opportunities to experience practical support and real-time feedback (King, 2024). Although AI facilitated language learning cannot fully reproduce the cultural immersion and lived social experiences of study abroad, it can reduce barriers related to cost, time, geography, and access. For low socioeconomic, and first-generation students AI supported language learning may therefore function as an affordable form of internationalization-at-home by providing simulated interaction, personalized feedback, and culturally contextualized communication practice within the domestic classroom and associated localities.

In Purdue University, the faculty has already began rewriting the curriculum for teaching language to include AI (Nair, 2024). For instance, the use of AI provides additional support to learn effectively through non-verbal communication, history and meaningful feedback, set strategic goals aimed at internationalization to enhance students global skills. Hence, it would be logical to explore artificial intelligence to facilitate internationalization because of the growing culture of technological acceptance that would benefit students who cannot travel abroad. Furthermore, educators has been utilizing synchronous and asynchronous means to create virtual multicultural learning which has enhanced productivity and student satisfaction, increased level of attention through chat box and has engaged students at an all-new level.

The Stevens Initiative as an international leader in virtual exchanges brings young people from all over the world to collaborate through technology having geographical reach, diverse curriculum and exposure to variety of experiences and developing cross communication skills. One of the initiative’s virtual exchange is the Middle East & North Africa and US region internationalization program which has proven to be inclusive by the use of self-report adopting a post program survey (Stevens Initiative, 2023). Furthermore, virtual programs has no common barrier known to traditional mobility programs (in-person) exchange programs like high cost, access to visas, time away from families and work commitments or disruption to courses of study etc. Although, there are some challenges associated with virtual exchange programs facilitated by AI tools. Many of the programs conducted faced technology disruptions and logistics problems, while institutions has been faced with the difficulty of developing exchange programs that align with students’ individual goals in intercultural competence. There is no single program that can reproduce the goal of all students, and this has overstretched faculty in developing and make up for lost class instruction leading to burnout of educators.

Furthermore, one of the main institutional challenges at two - year colleges has been the disproportionate low enrollment and budget cuts (Stevens Initiative, 2023). The budgetary cuts has impacted on the provision of technological mechanisms that can guarantee quality virtual programs. This directly implies that shrinking budgets or support for virtual programs may lead to low support for virtual exchange programming and increased canceled courses due to weak engagement and less available time for faculty to devote to virtual exchange training. Additionally, two - year colleges are often absent in the discussion about international education (Whatley et al., 2022). U.S. two - year colleges serve a disproportionately large population of historically underserved and underrepresented students, including individuals from low-income and minority backgrounds, making two - year colleges important settings for expanding equitable access to virtual exchange programs. The socioeconomic characteristics of two - year college populations, combined with the comparatively limited institutional capacity of many two-year colleges to support international education initiatives, can constrain students’ participation in traditional global learning opportunities. These challenges are particularly noticeable among first-generation students, older and working adult learners, and students with limited financial resources, for whom the costs, time commitments, and logistical demands associated with physical international mobility may present substantial barriers. Consequently, virtual exchange offers a potentially more accessible and equitable approach to extending international and intercultural learning opportunities to two - year college students who have historically been underrepresented in traditional education abroad programs. Collectively, these structural and socioeconomic barriers contribute to the persistent underrepresentation of two - year college students in U.S. study abroad and underscore the need for affordable alternatives.

8. Discussion

There is a general aggregate that technology can play a pivotal role in the expansion of access in the development of intercultural competence and affordability to enable minority students to enroll in global mobility education. Most of the minority students have a special demography of first-generation, low-income families, in two - year colleges or HBCUs and HSIs. This is the reason why low-income families are the most affected in the cost of study abroad. Further, most scholars and educators agree that study abroad serves as a high-impact program that motivate students to persist and complete their higher education. However, administrators and faculty also need training and buy-in for AI supported study abroad programs for quality interaction with students.

The development for AI supported study abroad programs is to expand access to a majority of low-income minority students who attend more affordable colleges, yet most colleges lack the necessary resources that support students to study abroad. While two-year colleges have been recognized by the IDEAS program as institutions with the modest catchment of students needing access to study abroad; the required funding, training and required infrastructure has been inadequate making it difficult for meaningful intercultural development to ensue.

Additionally, technological advancements have been slow to resolve frequent internet disruptions to enable exchange of cultural information. Infrastructural limitations has been failing in some regions especially in developing regions and new technology cannot immediately overcome inadequate physical infrastructure. Most of these regions lack the funding to upgrade the substantial investment required to meet stable electricity, advanced internet infrastructure that can guarantee exchange of information. Further, technology cannot guarantee deep cultural immersion within the limited time of a normal study abroad, and AI may not conduct a sense of inclusion that produce sociocultural and semiotic resources.

Unfortunately, low-income students may perceive AI supported study abroad as offering fewer of the benefits that the physical mobility. Two – year colleges have been challenged by disproportionate low enrollment for study abroad programs which impacts on the quality of technological provision and this institutional - type serve a large number of underrepresented students who are low-income. Why do students in two - year colleges record low enrollment for traditional study abroad and still reject AI supported study abroad programs as not offering the full potential of in-person mobility programs. Low participation in traditional study abroad or AI supported programs among two – year college students should not necessarily be interpreted as a lack of interest in international education. Rather, participation may be constrained by financial costs, employment and family responsibilities. Traditional study abroad remains an experiential learning that depend on physical presence, including immersion in the host culture, spontaneous interpersonal interactions, navigation of unfamiliar social environments, and direct engagement with local communities. AI supported programs can expand access to cultural information, language learning, reflection, and intercultural communication, but may not fully reproduce the embodied and situational experiences associated with international mobility. Consequently, the challenge for two - year colleges is not simply to replace physical study abroad with AI supported alternatives, but to determine how emerging technologies can reduce barriers to participation while preserving the experiential and relational dimensions that students associate with meaningful international education.

Implication for Practice

In contrast, the reviewed literature suggests that artificial intelligence has the potential to complement existing study abroad practices by investing in the training of educators in AI tools to get acquainted with new technology to drive virtual exchanges to bridge the gap in the literature. At institutional level, technological investment should be considered a priority to deliver the competence to lead carefully designed and coherent activities with real time technologies that develops diverse student needs, interactive techniques for mastery of language, cross-cultural communication skills. To stay focused on direction, literature upholds that a practice that reflects virtual exchanges as an isolation i.e., AI study abroad is seen as a separate study to traditional in-person program. The two programs can operated as a parallel study with the option of portraying cost implication, visa barriers, discrimination, time out of family and work.

Colleges and universities must invest in the technology and capacity that can transform virtual exchanges to favorably compete with in-person studies. Generally, virtual exchanges can be infused in the curricular and existing courses while in-person study abroad requires students to spend a defined period of time abroad. The virtual exchanges have the option of repeated online virtual practices while in-person provides the opportunities for language use in everyday contexts. In scalability virtual exchanges can involve students across institutions and countries, while in-person studies is usually limited by program capacity and physical mobility. Coopetition rather than competition between AI study abroad and tradition in-person programs will contribute to widen access to international education. Therefore, their value may be best understood in relation to the specific learning outcomes and purposes of an international education experience.

9. Conclusions

The IDEAS program leads in the diversification and digital resources that support US colleges and universities in their effort to promote mobility programs in the fields of national security and economic prosperity. More pertinently, the program facilitates study abroad to strategic locations where American engagement is critical in over 100 countries. Further, the advantages of technology in study abroad helps to facilitates constraints associated with traditional mobility programs; cost, family, work or discrimination. The contribution of AI in study abroad has created an alternative to traditional mobility programs. There is now a genuine substitute that offer tailored programming on intercultural development. AI scholarship will definitely widen access to participation, close communication gap and personalize learning and deepen student engagement. AI also supports equity, particularly for first generation and minority students. AI tool for cultural learning or immersion is still evolving, but it is a credible means of intercultural development with minimal cost but less of physical immersion and cultural shock experiences. The advancement of technology in study abroad are creating possibilities in intercultural contexts where deep cultural immersion may be difficult due to insecurity, natural disasters, pandemics, cultural and religious barriers.