What's in their baggage? The cultural and social capital of students going abroad

What is it about?

Studies suggest that equitable access to study abroad is more myth than reality. This study took a narrative approach supported by survey data to explore this issue at one Australian university. The survey indicated that the majority of students are effectively excluded from the university’s Student Exchange Programme, and that those included generally have high cultural, social and economic capital. Interviews revealed how multiple dimensions of privilege typically work to make study abroad imaginable, affordable and do-able for some. These findings are complicated by one student’s atypical narrative, which serves to raise further questions for research.

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Why is it important?

This study illustrates how a student’s habitus works to make study abroad an imaginable, affordable and do-able venture for some. This begs the question: how might universities enhance not just the economic capital of less advantaged students, but also their social and cultural capital in ways that build dispositions for study abroad? The development of institutionally supported, intentionally developed social networking communities of practice could provide less privileged students access to the mostly tacit knowledge their more privileged peers share through their social networks.