My university has a study abroad program - you don't need to sign up with anything, the university has arranged everything with all the other universities, teachers, etc. All you do is apply and you get housing, meal plans, classes, work opportunities, etc. Our university sometimes makes study abroad a mandatory part of courses (depending on the study programme you have) and it costs the exact same amount as it does to have a normal semester, so almost everyone inevitably goes abroad here. As a result, though, I know absolutely nothing about studying abroad in any other format except "go to uni website, put down name, pick classes and pack", so thus: utter ignorance.

Yay! ^____^ Take your time, but still: yay! Know that you have an eager audience.