Helping Your Student - Before Departure

There are a number of ways in which you can help your student prepare for the study abroad experience:

• Download a copy of the Parent Handbook for a quick reference on study abroad issues.
  This document will assist you in understanding the study abroad experience, what to expect of it, and how to help your child in their time away from home.
• Help your student prepare to be self-sufficient and responsible.
  While supporting your student through the process is very important, it is also necessary to understand that your student is enrolling in an immersion study abroad program. This is a more independent type of study abroad experience. One of the best ways you can help your student is by encouraging the student to take responsibility from the beginning in preparing for study abroad.
• Print, review and work through the Preparing to Go Checklist.
• Review the materials in your student's placement packet together.
  The Institutional Information Sheet (IIS) and Student Handbook contain important information on preparing for life at the host institution. An online version of the Student Handbook is also available. Students should also receive a packet at their home address from the host institution before departure.
• Student Visas
  Verify that your student knows how to obtain a student visa and begins the application process as soon as possible. Visa information can be found in the online country handbooks. It is the responsibility of the student, not ISEP or the home or host university, to ensure that a visa is obtained in time for study abroad.
• Health and Safety Problems Overseas
  Before your student departs on an ISEP program, discuss all of the health and safety information he or she has received in the Student and Country Handbooks, and what precautions should be taken while abroad and when traveling on weekends and during academic breaks.
  
  A student's behavior and decisions are more likely to affect his or her health and safety than any general conditions in the host country. A students who doesn't prepare themself, ignores advice provided by the home and host coordinator, ISEP, and locals, or behaves as if he or she are invulnerable, may run into difficulties.
  
  "Your daughter or son is considerably less likely to be the victim of a natural catastrophe, of social violence, of disease, or of program negligence than of being victimized by her or his own poor judgment, exercised in unfamiliar surroundings." (Advice for Parents: Frequently Asked Questions, by William Hoffa, SAFETI On-line Newsletter)
  
  The ISEP Guidelines for Student Health and Safety Abroad are available in PDF. The guidelines outline the responsibilities of the ISEP Central Office, the Home Institution, the Host Institution, ISEP Participants, and Parents/Guardians/Family for student health and safety abroad. These guidelines are based on NAFSA's (Association of International Educators) Health and Safety Guidelines.
• The ISEP Student Health Insurance Program
  All ISEP participants are required to enroll in the ISEP Health Insurance Program*. This requirement guarantees that all ISEP participants have sufficient insurance, including major medical, evacuation, repatriation, and 24-hour emergency assistance. Please review the insurance policy brochure and coverage with the participant. For further information on the ISEP Health Insurance program, please visit the health insurance section of the ISEP Web site.
  
  *ISEP participants going on programs to sites in certain countries are required to purchase the national insurance to obtain a student visa and enroll in the host university. Therefore, ISEP will waive these participants from its requirement to enroll in the ISEP health insurance program. However, we recommend that these participants evaluate their personal insurance coverage along with the national policy benefits to determine whether they have adequate coverage while abroad. Please see the following document for further information: Health Insurance - Who Must Enroll.
• Keeping in Touch
  Before an ISEP participant departs, set up a communication plan including emergency numbers. Set up e-mail accounts and learn about the telephone and postal systems of the host country. Find out what your long distance carrier's rate is for that particular country. Once the student is on site, be flexible. Give the students several days to contact you after arrival. It may take them a couple of days to settle in and figure things out. Consider setting up a weekly or bi-weekly time for phone calls.
• Packing & Travel Plans
  Help your student research airfares and plan their journey. Remind the student to pack light; he or she needs to be able to lug their baggage around by themselves and may not have much storage space.
• Prepare for the Student's Return
  What will they need to do to arrange for financial aid, pre-registration for courses, and housing? Making these arrangement before departure will help the student have less stress abroad, and help them smoothly re-integrate into the home institution after the program.