A Parent's Guide to Study Abroad
Congratulations! Your daughter/son has made the decision to study abroad. This will be an excellent opportunity for your child to grow personally, inter-culturally, academically and professionally. Your support and interest will help immensely to his/her success. This guide will help answer some of the questions that you might have in mind.
BEFORE DEPARTURE Upon acceptance to the chosen University or program, students receive a packet of information regarding what to expect, along with a pre-departure checklist. This will aid students in answering many of the questions they might have. We encourage our participants to share this information with their parents/significant others. The Study Abroad Handbook has lots of information about passports, visas, ISIC (International Student Identity Card), health (insurance and immunizations, etc.), and advice on handling money overseas. Passport is the most essential document everyone needs in order to enter a foreign country (except Canada and Mexico, as a tourist). If your daughter or son already has a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after his/her return date. Normally new passports take approximately 4-6 weeks for processing. It is advisable to apply early to avoid delays. You may wish to check out the web site of the State Department (http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html) for general information on obtaining a passport. The passport must be submitted in person to a U.S. Post Office authorized to accept passport applications. Along with the application, you will need a birth certificate, another piece of I.D. (e.g. driver’s license), 2 passport photos, and a check for $60 for a ten-year passport plus $10 for a first-time application fee.) For an emergency purpose only, passports may be obtained in a two-day time period at the area Passport Agency (Chicago, IL); there is an additional fee of $35 for this “rush” service. It is strongly advised to make several copies of both the passport (and visa) and to store them at a place different from the original documents. Parents should keep a copy while the student is abroad, just in case. Visa is an entry/residency permit and official permission granted by the authorities (embassies, consulates) of countries where your daughter or son will study. There are different types of visas (tourist, business, work, study, etc.) and not everyone needs a visa to study abroad. Whether or not a visa is necessary depends on the country and the length of stay. The Study Abroad Center advises students in regards to visa requirements and provides students contact information of Embassies and Consulates from where visas should be obtained. The following links contain entry requirements and visa information. Please note: In most cases, the original passport must be sent along the visa application form and other required documentation. Visas are usually stamped or stapled into the passport. ISIC International Student Identity Card is issued by Council Travel. It offers a variety of discounts (low airfares, hundreds of attractions and activities world-wide and in the U.S.), a toll-free 24-hour help line for medical, legal, and financial emergencies abroad, and basic accident and sickness insurance for travel outside of the U.S. This card is mandatory on most programs administered by the Office of International Programs. The ISIC can be obtained at the Study Abroad Office or directly from Council Travel. More information is available at the Council Travel web site, http://www.counciltravel.com. Insurance and Immunizations. Make sure that your student has updated immunizations regardless where he or she is going. Depending on the destination, students may need to begin taking medications or injections to prevent malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases not common in the U.S. It is a good idea to check with the UNI Student Health Center or with a personal physician regarding the immunization one needs. If your child is taking prescription medication, it is a good idea to purchase a supply enough to last the entire trip. Make sure the prescriptions remain in the original containers that are clearly labeled to avoid problems with customs. Bring a copy of the prescription just in case of an emergency. Medical insurance is a necessity. The Study Abroad Center requires that all students going abroad have proof of health insurance before they go abroad. Check the current insurance policy to see whether your daughter or son has coverage outside the U.S. If not, see if such coverage is available on a short-term basis. If your carrier does not provide coverage outside the U.S. and it does not have a supplemental policy, there are other resources to consider. Check with the company that provides your auto or renter/homeowner insurance to see whether they have a policy that meets your needs. Check with the Study Abroad Center. Brochures are available from several companies that offer health insurance on a short-term basis to student studying abroad. Be aware, however, that most of these companies only offer basic coverage for accidents and health emergencies and that you will have to pay the doctor’s or hospital’s bill and then submit a claim and wait to be reimbursed. Money. It is important for the student to be able to budget intelligently and to know what to do in case of an emergency. Students are provided with an estimated budget for their particular program, however, it is also a good idea to sit down and talk about other expenditures. A careful and realistic budget can help a student manage financially. Students planning to travel before, during or after their studies should purchase one of these budget guidebooks: Let’s Go! Or Lonely Planet Guide. We recommend travelers to bring the equivalent of $100 in the currency – obtainable ahead of time from most banks – of the target country before entry. It is extremely wise for students to bring a credit card for emergency purpose only. Most students who have traveled abroad have found that credit cards and ATM cards offer the best exchange rates and are convenient to use. Make sure to call ahead and tell the credit card company/bank that your child is planning on studying abroad to avoid deactivation of card for irregular use. Traveler’s checks are a good option too but it is difficult sometimes to exchange them for cash when is needed. For currency conversion tables, consult the Universal Currency Converter at http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic. WHILE ABROAD While Abroad. Your child will be going through some life-changing experiences. Generally, when students land in foreign soil, they experience a phenomenon called “Culture Shock.” They may feel disorientated or experience discomfort in trying to adjust to another culture. Don’t be alarmed if you receive a phone call after 24 hours of his/ her arrival. The best thing to do is to remain calm and be positive. Culture Shock does not affect everyone the same, some students have it longer than others, some not at all. This difficult time in your child’s life will be temporary however; the reward of studying abroad will outweigh the initial discomfort that the student might feel. Communication. Staying in touch will be important. It is usually not a good idea to encourage your son or daughter to call home every day or every week. (It will save both of you money) A good suggestion is to call at regular intervals, planned in advanced to avoid missed phone calls and confusion. (E.g. Sunday nights at 10:00 Central time). Realize that there is probably a significant amount of time difference and it might be bedtime where your son or daughter is staying when you call from the U.S. It may be wise to check out options with your phone company about international long distance plan added to your phone service. While students are abroad, they have the option using the ISI Connect card they purchase in the U.S. or buy local phone cards to call home. In home-stay situations, discourage students to call from the host family’s phone. The family is usually charged for each minute, even if it is a local call. E-mail is another great and inexpensive option to keep in touch. Safety Is a primary concern. It is impossible to guarantee absolute safety of your daughter or son while he or she is miles away. The Study Abroad Center takes steps to provide a safe environment while the student is abroad. It is the student’s responsibility to use common sense to avoid possible issues. Students are required to read country-specific pre-departure information (including the applicable Consular Information Sheet) and be familiar with the customs and culture of the country to be visited. Women are strongly cautioned about traveling alone in certain countries. It is a good idea for students to leave a travel itinerary with contact information for parents and for host university personnel, just in case. RE-ENTRY Re-entry Is the time your daughter or son comes home from studying abroad. It is quite possible that he/she will be suffering from jet-leg and or reverse culture shock. Reverse culture shock can be a real problem for some- especially those who have spent an academic year abroad. Your help will be of great assistance during this time of confusion and disorientation. Students have grown accustomed to the culture of the host country, they might be bored to be back home or feel a lack of direction. During the period of re-adjustment students will try to get back into the normal routine and find it difficult due to experiences and things they have learned. It is important to remember that students are normally excited about coming back and being on their native turf. They want to tell you all about the exciting experiences they had. When you ask ” So how was your trip?”, do not expect a 15-word sentence to describe their entire journey. It is important to remember that your child has changed in many ways, personally, culturally, academically, and professionally. Your child has matured, in many ways, to a new individual. It is important that you take time to listen to his/her stories and experiences and look at his/her pictures. Please take an interest in your child’s experience abroad and be understanding to their needs. Post-Travel Health Recommendations. In case your son or daughter feels ill within 12 months after a trip abroad, he/she should mention to the physician the countries he/she has visited. The Study Abroad Center advises students to avoid unprotected and unsafe sexual encounters while abroad. Upon return, it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider to have a complete physical. CONTACT INFORMATION Please do not hesitate to contact the Study Abroad Center if you have any questions. 59 Baker Hall
For more detailed information regarding what to expect, we recommend that you consider purchasing the Study Abroad: A Parent’s Guide by William W. Hoffa. |