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What difference does it make?


 Direct effects of participation in study abroad on linguistic proficiency have been notoriously difficult to differentiate from
 mere participant, time and study effects. This study examines English proficiency gains among 136 advanced-level German university
 students who applied for an ERASMUS exchange and either studied at a British university or continued to study at home.
 Participants completed C-tests of English language proficiency and comprehensive questionnaires at baseline, after three and nine
 months. After the first three months, those studying abroad had made significantly higher proficiency gains than the ERASMUS
 applicants who continued to study at home. During the subsequent six months, linguistic progress among the study abroad
 participants slowed and between-group differences were no longer significant. The results further substantiate hypotheses on
 significant linguistic benefits of participation in study abroad for advanced L2 learners, while also highlighting the need to
 facilitate sustained linguistic progress among exchange students, particularly during more extended stays.