Submission Guidelines
General
Please direct your pitches to editors of respective departments. Additionally, note that Abroad View only covers destinations outside of the U.S. When pitching a story, consider that our editorial team works four months in advance. This means that if you are interested in writing a story on Paris in the summer, you need to pitch your story by February. We advise you to visit our website and become familiar with the tone and writing style of various sections.
Feature Submissions
Each issue of Abroad View includes two to three feature stories, at roughly 800-1200 words per piece. Each story touches on our publication’s theme of identity and cultural discovery. Please keep our audience of 18-24 year old students in mind and write stories that are narrowly focused, but have universal themes. For example, a story about students joining a sports league overseas illustrates the advantage of alternative engagement outside the study abroad norms. The ideal feature will both educate and entertain Abroad View readers, highlighting the experience of self discovery with a unique mix of surprise and inspiration. We will not accept stories that detail the entire journey of a student’s personal experience. Features like these should have a narrow focus with an overall applicable theme.
Department Submissions
Department stories should be no longer than 400 words and include at least two human sources, preferably an expert as well as a student. Keep tone in mind and adhere to the style of the department for which you are pitching. We look for pieces that are helpful to our readers, so stories that give tips, explain how to do something, or provide information that can be used—for instance, the five best European cell phone plans—will be well received.
SA 101: Contains stories about different programs and vehicles for abroad experiences. Also addresses concerns about substantive learning experiences in different cultures and the nuts and bolts of foreign education systems. From how to get credit for that wine-tasting course and negotiating grade transfers to extending your stay beyond a semester, this section details not only studies, but opportunities to volunteer and work while living in different countries.
Manners & Mishaps: Takes on the etiquette involved in adapting to a new country, from navigating a foreign dating scene and hook-up culture to how to behave at an English tea room.
The Loop: Serves up tips for keeping in touch with friends and family back home and as well as with friends abroad when you get back home.
Culture Shock: Attacks all issues related to integrating oneself into the customs, cuisine and language of a foreign land. Stories here include coverage about improving language skills in cultural contexts, where to get the best paella in Valencia, and which countries require which vaccinations.
Travelogue: Encompasses all things travel, from service pieces about packing to profiles of countries on and off the beaten path.
Exchange Rate: Covers how to market your experience to future employers, coming to terms with the reality of travel versus expectation in addition to all topics related to managing money abroad. How to live and have fun on a limited budget, leverage your experience in a job interview and compare your imagined romance of Paris with the nitty-gritty.
Multimedia
Abroad View strives to include interactive elements with all of its content. We encourage keeping multimedia accompaniments in mind when you submit a pitch. All media must be your own original work. Photographs and video must be captured in as high resolution as possible. We are interested in work which lends itself to a narrative arc, not grainy home movies or cell phone snapshots.