Overview
While studying abroad can be one of the most exciting parts of a student's college experience, it can also be a time filled with navigating uncertain visa processes, questions about logistics, and concerns about safety while abroad. We hope that we can provide resources to make your student's preparation for their study abroad experience a little easier - and we welcome your questions about the process. The Center for Global Engagement is committed to student safety and well-being, and we invite parents and families to be our partners in supporting international education.
Be Prepared
- Explore country guides offered by ISEP, The U.S. Department of State, or other resources.
- Since each student is automatically enrolled in CISI health insurance prior to studying abroad, familiarize yourself with the insurance policies and procedures.
- Check on local policies and customs for your student's destination.
- Research visa requirements and look into either getting or renewing a passport.
Stay Informed
- Plan a way to keep in touch with your student. Consider getting an international phone plan, or downloading free apps that allow for international phone calls while connected to wifi.
- Check to see if your student's program has a social media page you can follow for group updates.
- Sign up to receive travel advisories and country alerts through the U.S. Department of State's STEP program.
Feel Supported
Questions? Concerns?
Contact the Study Abroad Staff if you have any questions at anytime.
Visiting Students on Programs
If your student is studying abroad (and you're feeling envious of their upcoming adventure!), you've probably thought about visiting them while they're on site. We recommend that any visits take place before or after the official program dates to ensure that students are able to get the most out of their experience and take full advantage of the cirriculum and schedule as planned by the professors on the program. If you have questions about your student's program's dates, locations, or itineraries, we invite you to get that information from your student.
For students participating on a semester-long program, we still encourage families and guests to visit before or after the program. However, due to the program's length, visiting during the program may be an option. Please keep in mind that students are only excused from the program on free weekends and students will not recieve excused absenses from classes or planned activities. Additionally, guests are not permitted on any planned activities or excursions that are part of the program itinerary.
If you have questions that you student is unable to answer, please email studyabroad@jmu.edu. We thank you for your partnership in encouraging your student make the most out of their time abroad!
A note about privacy:
Because the Center for Global Engagement is a student-centered office, all of our communication will be with the student themselves - and we encourage students to keep their parents and families abreast with any information. Furthermore, we are bound by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which means we cannot share information about student academic, financial or enrollment data to parents and families. While we know this can be occasionally frustrating, it can also be a great opportunity for student growth and development to take the lead in navigating the study abroad process.
MSC 5731
100 East Grace Street
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
