So, Why Should Your Son/Daughter Study Abroad? Getting an education is more than getting a degree. It is knowing, understanding, and contributing to your world, a world of increasing complexity and interdependence. To succeed in this global interdependent world, it is critical that students gain an informed perspective about it. Few things can provide that perspective like a study abroad experience. Study abroad offers you the chance to live in and come to know another culture rather than just read about or visit it. In addition, study abroad provides you with the chance to understand, evaluate, and appreciate your own culture and values.

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	Employer Perspective
Companies today seek employees with international experience, foreign language capabilities and a global perspective. To stand out in the highly competitive job market of the 21st century, college graduates must demonstrate they have what it takes to succeed in this diverse environment. To become more marketable, A&M students are increasingly seeking opportunities like these that will enhance their skills and boost their resume. College students must start considering how to increase their marketability. International education experience is one of the very best ways to do that! Corporate hiring preferences show nearly universal agreement among personnel directors that their companies need managers and employers with greater international knowledge and experience abroad than the ones they are hiring now. (Source: Institute for International Education, RAND Studies, March 1999)

	Student Perspective
Students who come back from international study abroad consistently express feeling more prepared socially, culturally, and academically. These international opportunities allow students to step out of their familiar environment into an eye-opening experience that enhances them in so many ways. Not only do they get to travel and see parts of the world that few Americans ever do, they also get the opportunity to learn about the culture, the people, the language, the historical sites for that particular country and develop long lasting friendships. Students after their studying abroad experience express confidence in their ability to accomplish their goals and achieve their objectives in life and express that they feel more mature and independent. Some of the skills that students commonly report after going on a study abroad are: Gained independence Broader understanding of people More well-rounded interculturally Leadership skills More focused on academics More self-reliance and independence Enhanced cultural awareness Improved foreign language skills Confidence in accomplishing goals Increased self-awareness Better research skills More interest in history and geography

"To position our students to live and compete in a global society, Texas A&M University must produce graduates who are not only academically prepared, but who have the capacity to understand other cultures and to live and work outside their own cultural framework" (Vision 2020: Creating a Culture of Excellence). Our goal in Study Abroad is in line with this Vision 2020 goal. We hope to increase programs and opportunities here at Texas A&M so that every student will have access and opportunity to engage in international education.

 

The Next Step

 There are many opportunities for your son/daughter to participate and acquire international experience. Our most popular programs for undergraduate students are the faculty-led study abroad programs. However, there are other opportunities available through and outside of Texas A&M including, not just study abroad programs for credit, but also volunteer, work, intern, and research abroad. We recommend beginning with our Getting Started section to start researching program options.

	The ABC's of Studying Abroad
Once your son/daughter has decided to add an international experience to their education, we encourage both students and parents to visit our Step-By Step Process so that as parents, you too are aware of what each student must fulfill in order to participate in one of our programs.

If you would like to be placed on the Study Abroad Listserv, please complete our short form. This is a great way to get periodic emails providing updates on programs, scholarships, deadlines, new opportunities to work, research and study abroad, etc. To view previous postings to the listserv, go to our News & Events web site! We recommend that your son/daughter sign up on our Interest List for any of the programs for which they are interested. All of our program applications and other forms are also available for you to view through our Forms section of our web page.

 

Health/Safety and Security

The Study Abroad Program Office's #1 priority is the health and safety of your son/daughter during their study abroad experience. Our office staff is committed to student safety, and many precautions are taken to ensure that this happens. Our Health/Safety section outlines many of these precautions and may answer some of your questions that you might have concerning your son's/daughter's experience. Our staff are always available to answer any questions that you might have about the health/safety of your son/daughter. You can find a listing of our staff here

 

Funding the Program

Our staff understands that one main concern of parents is “How do I pay for my child's study abroad experience?” Generally, our programs are structured where the student pays tuition, fees, airfare (allowing you to use your frequent-flyer miles or search for cheaper rates), and personal expenses separately from the program cost.

Costs vary from program to program. Some of the variables that determine the cost of programs include lodging expenses, number of field trips, food expenses, inflation rate for host country, whether travel expenses are included, guest lecturers and speakers, lab and experimental equipment, vaccinations, etc. The cost also depends on the length of time your son/daughter will be staying. For example, a fall or spring semester term will be more expensive than a summer semester. More details and information can be found within the Financial Resources section.

Each year Texas A&M funds over $300,000 for students to study abroad, which includes the Study Abroad Fellowship and the International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS). We encourage all students who will be studying abroad to apply.

Many national scholarships are also available through Study Abroad, including the National Security Education Program, the Gilman International Scholarship, and the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship. Through the Honors Office, certain scholarship recipients receive an automatic $1,000 stipend toward any A&M program.

 

More Information

There many other resources that are accessible through our web page. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions section for many of general questions. Please also visit our Testimonies section for past participants personal testimonies regarding their experience.

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!