Top Five Tips for Study Abroad For Students and Parents

1. Start Early

A successful study abroad experience requires coordinating application and admission to a program, pre-approval of course credits at a student's home institution, securing financing and preparing logistics for the time a student will be abroad.

All of these activities are much easier to handle when a student has given themselves enough time to prepare for their study abroad experience.

Though students can apply to our programs as late as two months before the application date, we recommend that students start preparing for a study abroad program 6-12 months in advance.  This allows for applications and necessary approvals to proceed at a relaxed and comfortable pace and maximizes a student's chance to be accepted to a program.

Furthermore, some home institutions have internal deadlines for approving study abroad for their students.

The most common internal deadlines are October 15 for Spring programs and March 15 for Summer and Fall programs. Deadlines vary widely, however (some are very early, others very late), so it is important for students to familiarize themselves with their home institution's policies.

If your son or daughter is considering study abroad, please encourage them start the process today!

2. Find the right program for you!

Not every program is appropriate for every student and students should make sure they have asked the necessary questions to select a program that is right for them.

Some common program design dimensions that a student should consider when selecting a program include:

• Are the courses taught in English or in a foreign language? Is the primary objective of the program to improve language skills or subject matter expertise? If the courses are not taught in English, does the student have the necessary language capabilities to be successful in the program?
  
  
• Will the student be able to earn academic credit for their program? Does the student want an academic experience or simply a travel or volunteer experience? Are the courses taught on the program fully articulated courses at an accredited host institution?
  
  
• How does the coursework in the program fit in with the academic path of the student? Is this study abroad experience an opportunity to deepen a student's expertise in their major of interest or an opportunity to broaden their perspective into other subject matter areas? 
  
  
• What is the right length of time for a student to study abroad? While a semester is ideal for most students, a summer session can be more appropriate for students on an aggressive academic schedule or with more limited financing options.
  
  
• How is housing handled on the program? Will student have more independent living arrangements such as a dormitory or apartment or will they be staying with host families? If the students are staying with host families, how are the host families screened and selected and what are the special requirements or restrictions that students will face when living with the host family? If the students are staying in apartments or dormitories, what standard of quality should students expect?
  
  
• What are the health and safety practices of the study abroad program provider? What special measures are taken to ensure student safety? Does the study abroad provider provide local staff and support?
  
  
• How integrated is a program into the host country? Will students have the opportunity to interact with local students and residents or is it an isolated "island" program with just American students?
  
  
• What student support services does the program offer to students? Examples could include: pre-registration, orientation, local support, pre-arranged housing, meals, local cellphones, excursions, insurance and US-based support.. How much of an effort does the program provider make to ensure that students make the most of their experience?
  
  
• Does the student have special medical or learning issues? How well can they be addressed in the host institution or host city?
  
  
• What items are included in program fees? What extra charges exist for students? Are there financing or scholarship opportunities available for students?

Being diligent about researching a study abroad program can avoid unexpected surprises and disappointment and can help a student select the right program for them. We welcome and encourage detailed questions about our programs!

3. Communicate between students and parents

We find the the most successful families communicate heavily during the preparation process for study abroad.

While the student should be the primary driver and decision-maker about any study abroad experience, we always encourage students to share information early and often with their parents about programs that they are considering.

We are happy to provide copies for parents of any catalogs or orientation materials that we send to students. Please have your son or daughter request them from us.


You should also discuss with your son or daughter who should be designated as an emergency contact and under what circumstances the student will authorize the program provider to release information to parents or guardians. (Student privacy regulations require that students authorize information releases.)

4. Prepare for the trip

Student preparation is a critical part of the study abroad experience as well.

Part of the challenge and the learning of living in a different country is the experience of living within different cultural values and expectations. Some (or many) aspects of day-to-day life will be different than in the United States and a large part of student growth and experience comes from taking a learning, rather than judgemental, attitude toward them.

Without question, the most successful students on our programs have spent time reading about and researching their host country and come with a set of questions and activities that they would like to participate in. We cherish these students and find they are able to structure an extraordinary set of experiences for themselves.

5. Enjoy!

Study abroad should be an experience of a lifetime for a student and a source of pride for a parent.

While initial apprehension and caution is healthy and can lead to better preparation, there is no reason for a properly researched and prepared for study abroad experience to be more stressful than a semester away at college in the United States.

A properly prepared student on a well-run program should quickly fall into the rhythms of the host country and have a fantastic experience!