It is a good idea to lose six months to study abroad?

When it comes down to it, the college experience isn't about getting a degree or job training. College is about learning new things, broadening your horizons, and figuring out how to live the best life you can. Studying abroad is one of the most important things you can do while you're in school. You may not have the opportunity to study abroad once you leave college and start a career, so take the opportunity while you can! As for studying abroad vs. interning abroad, I think I would study abroad. It gives you some time to decide whether or not that's a place you would want to live in before taking the big plunge. People live differently in other countries, and while most of them will be great to visit for a while, you may want to come home and live in a culture you're more comfortable in. That may be harder if you're making good career progress abroad. And of course, if you want to continue your career in that country, you could always have your internship there too.

Normally, a student should study abroad within their term of study.  Engineering students, however are an exception to this.  As an engineering student, your program of study is very rigid and does not allow you to meet degree requirements and go abroad without adding to your time in university.  This means that most students in your field do not study abroad and that your experience will help you stand out from other graduates when you apply for jobs.  The work you will do will mean that you have international suppliers, customers and colleagues, so international experience will be truly valuable. Your field of study means that you are likely to get a reasonably well-paying job after graduation, so that taking out additional loans to stay in school an extra semester won't be likely to lead you into debt you can't afford. Ultimately, in the U.S. you have little chance to do a gap year, and time spent abroad after graduation is more likely to be viewed as wasted time.  (If you are from elsewhere, this is viewed differently.)  It is basically now or never.  Take the chance to go abroad while in school, as you may be tied down to other obligations and never have the chance again.

Do it. You won't regret it.

If you don't take this opportunity now you WILL regret it later. You won't lose six months. You will win six months of experiences. six months of people you would otherwise never have met. Six months of seeds planted in your brain that never would have been put there on campus.