Parents

Hello Parents! This page is designed to answer some of the most common questions our office receives from parents and families of study abroad students. Please explore the rest of our website to find more answers or contact our office.

How will the Office of International Education (OIE) prepare my student to study abroad?

Prior to a studentï¿½s acceptance to study abroad the OIE provides optional pre-application advising in the form of info sessions, fairs and one-on-one meetings.
After a student is accepted to study abroad the OIE continues to provide advising and support. Students are required to attend the general pre-departure orientation and site-specific orientations. See a checklist of what is expected from study abroad students the semester prior to their departure. During the orientation students are given details related to their program including arrival, housing, course registration, pre-planned excursions, on-site staff, and immigration/visa matters. If you are interested in finding out these kind of details, please ask your student to share them with you.

A Study Abroad Handbook is distributed to all students and is available online. This handbook should be read by students and parents alike. You will find out what is expected and what your student will be encountering along the way. We feel it is an important part of the study abroad experience for the students to learn how to research their destination and host-culture on their own. The office provides the student with research topics and a what-you-need-to-know list. Additionally, cultural learning skills are introduced to the students so that they can start to think about what it will mean for them to step into a new culture as a visitor, student, and U.S. American.

What is the cost of study abroad at Willamette University?

In general Willamette Sponsored Programs cost the same as on-campus. Please see special notes in the Program Fee section and Information on Approved by Willamette programs.

Willamette Tuition

Students may use all of your Willamette, federal, state, and local financial aid for all Willamette programs.

Program Fee

The program fee includes housing, board, some excursions and on-site support. This fee is equivalent to WU's Room and Board Plan B. (Some Willamette Sponsored programs do not include this fee; you pay for room and board directly to your program provider or host university. Please see the individual program descriptions for more information.)

Additional Costs

Additional costs to students include airfare/travel to and from study site, visa costs when applicable and typical student-related costs like books and course materials. Generally students spend more money while they are abroad than they spend during a typical semester at Willamette. These costs are generally associated with cost of living differences, extra travel, eating and drinking out, and purchasing gifts and souvenirs.

What credits can my student earn abroad?

If your student participates in a Willamette program, he/she earn Willamette credits, his/her grades appear on the WU transcript, and those grades can be counted towards his/her G.P.A. Students receive general Willamette credit unless credits taken abroad are approved by their academic advisor and/or department chair to count towards a major or minor. One MOI credit can be taken abroad, per semester. The Office of the Registrar approves MOI equivalents. Credit arrangements should be make prior to study abroad when possible.

Information on Approved by Willamette or Leave of Absence for Foreign Study programs

How can I help my student prepare to study abroad?

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 embarking on a personal experience. One of the best ways you can help your student is by encouraging him/her to take responsibility from the beginning in preparing for study abroad.

Review all pre-departure materials and any placement packet material your student receives.

Although we welcome questions about your studentï¿½s program, it is important that you and your student are sharing information so that it is clear to the student that you care, that you know they have the information they need, and so you can monitor your own studentï¿½s understanding of their responsibility in the entire study abroad experience.

Read the Student Handbook.

This handbook is written with the goal of educating students as broadly as possible about their upcoming experience and giving them specific details about how to go about the business of getting there and having a positive experience. Although it wonï¿½t answer every question, youï¿½ll better understand the responsibilities your student has agreed to undertake. You have a stake in their success. The best bet for making that happen is to encourage and support your student rather than taking those responsibilities on their behalf. The more informed and involved your student is in the ENTIRE PROCESS, the more s/he will ultimately get out of it. Country specific travel guides such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guide and Letï¿½s Go are also helpful.

Does my student need a visa?

Verify that your student knows how to obtain a student visa and begins the application process at least 3-4 months before the departure date. To do this, student should contact the host country consulate. Although WU or the host information may provide some of the required elements of a visa application, it is the responsibility of the student, not W.U. or the host university, to ensure that a visa is obtained in time for study abroad. Sometimes the Office of International Education can give you information on how a consulate typically handles visas but we do not have any special influence over the process and the best source of information is the host country consulate directly. Each country approaches the visa process differently and it can change at any time without our knowledge.

How do I contact my student while he/she is abroad?

Although you can make arrangements before your student leaves about how he/she will be in contact with you and how often, some sites will not have the accessibility that your student and you are used to and you may have to modify your expectations once they arrive. Be aware that, although it is comforting to hear from your student as soon as they arrive at their destination, it is not always possible for them to contact you right away. It may take them several hours (or overnight) to be able to contact you. If you know that your student was being met by staff or other official representatives, be reassured that they would contact you or the home university immediately if your student does not show up when expected. The key is to plan ahead. Before departure your student is your best source of information: what time they will arrive at his/her destination and a phone/address of where their first stop will be.

What happens if there is an emergency?

In general, whether your student experiences a minor setback (a minor illness or an unwise purchase) or a more stressful event (large loss/theft, serious illness, etc.), remind your student that the on-site staff and/or program director are their most important contacts for dealing with the situation there. When students are in contact with on-site staff, the staff's first priority is to deal with the situation with the student's best interest in mind. Second, they will contact us for further instructions should they be needed or if the situation adversely affects a student's regular study or living situation. On-site staff are best equipped to know what the best course of action is and what is reasonable to expect from local healthcare providers, governmental entities, and legal systems.
If your student shares news with you that is unsettling, encourage them to report to and work with the on-site staff. It is very helpful if they also send an email note to the Study Abroad Advisor just so we know what is going on. If you have concerns, please let us know too so we can make contact with on-site staff as needed. Parents are often a studentï¿½s most important emotional contact and as a parent, you may hear, before we do, of a distressing event that your student has experienced. Be aware that the resolution may be different than what you could expect in the U.S. and that your student may have lingering feelings of distress. That is natural. Reassure them and encourage them to talk to the onsite staff or contact us as a way to get a new perspective.

Theft/loss of possessions is always a possibility just as it is on Willamette's campus. However, with careful attention, can drastically reduce the chances of such incidences by preparing themselves. Review with your student which items of value are necessary for their experience and which should be left home, review the safety tips found in the Student Handbook, and review your homeowner/renters insurance for info about how your studentï¿½s belongings will or will not be covered while abroad.

Emergency at home

Encourage your student to give you and/or other family members the local contact information for their residence shortly after the student receives this information on-site. Your students should also provide you with the contact information for the on-site program director, host universityï¿½s international office, or on-site contact number. The Office of International Education can also assist with contact.

Non-medical emergency abroad (civil unrest, natural disaster)

The OIE, our program providers, and host universities all monitor current conditions (political, natural, social) in areas where our students study. Should a crisis develop, we work with on-site staff and follow our emergency procedures to ensure students are as safe as possible. The primary concern is the immediate safety of students which means there may be a delay in knowing all details of an individual student's status. Part of the Office of International Educationsï¿½s emergency plan and the emergency plans of most program providers is to inform each studentï¿½s identified emergency contact of the studentï¿½s status as soon as possible. We collect emergency contact information from each student prior to departure.

The U.S. State Department international travel website contains valuable information about safety and health abroad.

Medical emergency abroad

Medical insurance is required for all Willamette Sponsored Programs. Some programs include insurance, some require the purchase of specific insurance, while others have no preference. Review your studentï¿½s medical coverage to make sure it covers your student while abroad. Also review how medical expenses will be handled while overseas. Many medical plans or overseas health providers, for example, require that expenses be paid up front. Then, the student would submit a claim to be reimbursed. The Willamette University Student Medical Plan processes overseas claims in this manner.

Should I visit my student while he/she is abroad?

Study abroad is an important opportunity for your student to gain new educational and life experience. Visiting your student while they are abroad can be an exciting and interesting role reversal, as your student becomes your guide and teacher. We do, however, discourage parents from taking the initial trip abroad with students. It is important that students travel and settle into their new environment and culture on their own. If you plan to travel before your student's program starts, be aware that it can complicate the visa processing time. If visiting your student while s/he is abroad is important to you, we encourage family and friends to visit students during academic breaks or after the end of the semester to minimize educational interruptions. Please note programs often have restrictions on guests participating in program excursions while some other programs have prescribed ï¿½parents and family weekends.ï¿½ Your student will have more information on any restrictions or opportunities.

How can I help my student have a worthwhile experience abroad?

The first step in helping your student is by understanding culture learning yourself, and encouraging him/her to research it as well. Reading through Maximizing Your Experience Abroad will help you understand what our office is trying to do to prepare your student for the transition and experience of study abroad. In Maximizing Your Experience Abroad we reference Whatï¿½s Up with Culture?, a website designed to help students navigate cultural learning. Their section for parents may be helpful to you.

My student is returning from study abroad. What should I expect? What can I do to ease the transition back home?

Your student may be excited, a little depressed, dress differently, have different habits, have changed expectations of home life, smell different (!), be talkative, be silent, or may seem very similar. Be available and acknowledge that things will likely not be the same. Review the parents section of Whatï¿½s Up with Culture? and read section 2.5.1 to see tips on welcoming students home from abroad. Reading Home from Abroad will help you understand what the OIE and Willamette University suggest and provide for your returning student. Please help us by encouraging your student to take advantage of these resources. The re-entry process is often the most overlooked portion of the study abroad experiences by students and study abroad professionals. The steps that a student, his/her family and educators take when students return from abroad can have a major impact on the studentï¿½s and communityï¿½s education.