It was happenstance more than anything that drew 19-year-old Alena Nicholson to study at Bath Spa University in Bath, England.

She first saw the campus during her junior year of high school on a trip to visit her stepbrother who was studying there. Although she’d never considered studying in Europe, she quickly fell in love with the school’s architecture and small class sizes as well as the town. She applied, flew back for an interview and was eventually accepted into the school’s three-year bachelor’s program.

“It’s the best of all worlds, literally and figuratively,” Nicholson said through email. “I’m ahead of the game by a year, I’ll be applicable internationally, and now I have friends for life in far places.”

Nicholson, who is studying photography, is one of the relatively few American students earning a bachelor’s degree abroad. At least 46,500 U.S. students pursued degrees abroad in 2011-2012, with undergraduate students making up about 42 percent of that total, according to the most recent data reported to the Institute of International Education. The United Kingdom was the top destination for these young globe-trotters, followed by Canada, France and Germany .

Understand [how to calculate the cost of an overseas degree.]

In the U.S. — a country where studying on a different coast often feels like a big adjustment — it takes a rare student to venture overseas for an undergraduate degree. Those who embark on the adventure can gain tremendous advantages from the experience, experts say. Before students hop on a plane with their passport in hand, however, experts suggest they consider both the positives and the potential drawbacks.

Having a study abroad experience can have many personal benefits, including giving students the chance to explore the world and meet people who broaden their perspective. Nicholson was able to take a quick flight to Iceland for a school trip, for example — an experience she says wouldn’t have been possible if she’d been in the States.

But earning a bachelor’s in Europe can also have more practical advantages, like saving students and their families money and time. Many programs in the U.K. and Continental Europe award bachelor’s degrees after three years, and charge tuition that is lower than at many private U.S. institutions and at some flagship public schools for out-of-state students, says Bill Durden, dean of Bath Spa University’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship. The school is set to open in fall 2015.

Nicholson said crunching the numbers made her even more convinced going to school in the U.K. was the right move. “I’m saving so much money — it’s about 9,000 pounds for my program per year, and it’s three years as well,” she says.

While education in Europe is often a bargain, that doesn’t mean quality is compromised, experts say.

“You have excellent universities in Europe and England,” says Bernd Huber, president of the University of Munich. “In many respects the education in Europe is at least as good as the education at many U.S. colleges and universities.”

Those who do attend Europe’s top programs are likely to impress employers, says Allan Goodman, president and CEO of the Institute of International Education.

“The marketplace for talent is global and it means that our next generation is going to be looking to work in a lot of countries, not just the United States,” Goodman says. When U.S. companies are hiring, he says they are looking for students who speak other languages and who have spent time living in another country.

While earning a degree abroad has its perks, it’s not without its challenges.

Check out [tips to convince your parents you should study overseas.]

Most European universities, with the exception of those in the U.K. and the Netherlands, offer undergraduate instruction mainly in their native language, Hannamaija Helander, communications manager for Finland’s University of Helsinki, said through email. Other options exist in countries such as Germany and Norway — neither of which charge tuition — though students will have to do their research to find those programs. In general, English instruction is more common at the master’s level.

Many European schools tend to have a more hands-off approach than American universities, where there’s an expectation that school officials will guide students through their college experience, experts say.

“You have to be a bit independent and you have to be patient,” says Richard Harvey, academic director of admissions at University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. It might take students a few more days to get their identification cards than they might expect, for example, and students need to roll with the punches, he says.

In Nicholson’s case, that meant living off campus her first year and navigating public transportation so she could head to the grocery store and cook for herself. “I feel like I’ve grown up a lot,” she says.

If students enroll in schools with little experience dealing with Americans, it’s possible they might have difficulty leaving with a transcript that easily translates to U.S. graduate schools, Harvey says.

“You are going to have more hassle at an institution that doesn’t understand Americans,” Harvey says. “The first question you should ask is how many other Americans are at this institution and if the answer is under 50, you need to think about whether they are ready for you.”

See the complete rankings of the Best Global Universities.

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