The Study Abroad Programs Office provides pre-departure orientation for Texas A&M students participating in an international education experience.  There are two types of pre-departure orientations: (1) general, and (2) program-specific.  You will be required to attend either a general orientation, called Travel Wise, OR program-specific orientations, based on the type of program in which you will be participating. Information on each type of orientation can be found below:

1.    1. General Orientations—Travel Wise: Travel Tips for Study Abroad

These orientation sessions are facilitated by the Study Abroad Programs Office staff and aim to provide you with general information regarding travel abroad.  The information presented during Travel Wise includes, but is not limited to, tips for maintaining health and safety while overseas, available emergency resources, practical information for living in another country, and ways for you to share your experiences with your peers upon return to the United States.  It also includes a Q&A session with a panel of study abroad alumni.

Only students participating in one of the following program types are required to attend a Travel Wise session prior to departure:  

·         Field Trip

·         Transfer Credit Study Abroad Program

·         International Conference

·       Limited Service Faculty-Led (i.e. faculty-led programs coordinated by Mays School of Business or Dwight Look College of Engineering)

·         Research/Intern/Volunteer Experience Abroad

 

Travel Wise: Tips for Study Abroad

Fall 2009 Schedule

 

Date                                          Time                   Location

October 22 (Thursday)                 4:00pm                  401 Rudder

November 3 (Tuesday)                4:30pm                   301 Rudder

          December 8 (Tuesday)                4:00pm                   501 Rudder

 

Instructions for registering for Travel Wise:

To be eligible to attend Travel Wise, students must have registered their international experience with the Study Abroad Programs Office.  If you do not have a program application on file, please follow the instructions at: http://studyabroad.tamu.edu/how_to_apply.asp to create one. 

 

Select ONE Travel Wise session from the list above to attend, and complete registration as instructed.

 

NOTE: Due to limited seating, students will not be admitted to a Travel Wise session unless they have signed-up in advance. Should there be any changes to the date, time, and/or location of the session that you registered for, you will be notified via email.

 

If you have further questions regarding Travel Wise please contact Amy Schulze(aschulze@tamu.edu), Irene Scott(isscott@ipomail.tamu.edu) in the Study Abroad Programs Office by email or by phone at (979) 845-0544.  

1.   2. Program-Specific Orientations—For Faculty-led & Reciprocal Exchange Programs

Program-specific orientations are facilitated by your designated Study Abroad Advisor and/or program faculty leader. These orientations will cover much of the same information as the general orientations.  However, program-specific orientations also include information relative to the country(ies) in which a particular program will take place.  The number of program-specific orientations you are required to attend will vary depending on the type of program in which you are participating.  However, you can expect to attend a minimum of two program-specific orientations. 

If you are participating in one of the following program types, you will be required to attend program-specific orientations.  Thus, you do NOT need to attend a general orientation (Travel Wise).

 

·         Full Service Faculty-Led

·         Basic Service Faculty-Led

·         University-Wide REEP

·         Departmental REEP*

*Excludes REEPs coordinated by Mays School of Business

 

Some faculty-led programs require a weekly meeting throughout the semester prior to studying abroad and are credit bearing, while other programs may meet only a few times throughout the semester prior to the program’s departure.  More information regarding the orientation scheduled for your particular program will be given to you by your Study Abroad Advisor and/or program faculty leader.