Sending your loved one across seas and international borders will most certainly be a defining period in your son or daughter's educational experience.
The NAFSA Association of International Educators offers the following recommendations to parents/guardians/families:
"In study abroad, as in other settings, parents, guardians, and families can play an important role in the health and safety of participants by helping them make decisions and by influencing their behavior overseas."
To counteract anxieties and help you better understand your role in this process, here are some FAQs and tips you may find helpful. Parents/guardians/families should:
- Be informed about and involved in the decision of the participant to enroll in a particular program.
- Obtain and carefully evaluate participant program materials, as well as related health, safety, and security information.
- Discuss with the participant any of his/her travel plans and activities that may be independent of the study abroad program.
- Engage the participant in a thorough discussion of safety and behavior issues, insurance needs, and emergency procedures related to living abroad.
- Be responsive to requests from the program sponsor for information regarding the participant.
- Keep in touch with the participant.
- Be aware that the participant rather than the program may most appropriately provide some information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note the SUNY Potsdam International Education staff CANNOT discuss information from a student's records unless we have received a completed Agreement/Release Form from the student.
You can find program information, including fees by viewing the Programs & Places to Study website.
You can finds some of the materials under Study Abroad & Exchange Forms.
Financial aid will come through the student's home campus in the US. For more information, please contact the Financial Aid office of your student's home campus.
Yes. You may either verify the student's current health insurance provider will provide coverage outside of the U.S. and includes medical evacuation and repatriation or purchase the SUNY international health insurance for the duration of the student's program of study overseas.
This varies by country. The International Education and Programs office can provide support during the visa process, but ultimately visa requirements are dictated by the host country's government.
The International Education & Programs office conducts a pre-departure orientation which parents may attend. The date, time and location will be emailed to your student. Please contact your student for the details.
A. The International Education & Programs office distributes a Study Abroad Guidebook at the orientation. Please contact your student to obtain the hardcopy paper version, alternatively you may download and review the SA Guidebook.
Health and safety advice is available online and was included in the Study Abroad Guidebook given to your student during the orientation. Please ask your student to share the SA Guidebook with you or you may download and review the SA Guidebook.
It is strongly recommended that a parent/guardian obtain a valid passport in case of an emergency. Since passports take some time to receive, you should begin the passport application process early.