Parents
Congratulations to your son or daughter for choosing to study abroad!
Gaining international experience is not only an essential component of educational and professional development, it is also one of the most rewarding personal experiences in a person's life. You can aid greatly in your student's ability to maximize the study abroad experience at each step along the way.
We invite you to review thoroughly all of the information available on this website, in order to understand the selection and preparation experience. To help you assist your son or daughter engage in this important experience, we offer some answers to many of the questions most frequently asked by parents.
How does the process of choosing the right study abroad program begin?
The first step is understanding that the most rewarding study abroad experiences start with a self-managed research process. Your student has a wide variety of program offerings to choose from, and they must determine what type of program best suits his/her academic program and personality. Encourage your student to seek the answers to questions on their own. If you do too much of the legwork up front, your son/daughter will not be able to take full ownership of the final program choice. If you have questions, ask them first of your student, so that they may benefit from seeking out the answers for both of you.My son/daughter has a disability, can they study abroad?
Cal Poly Humboldt makes every effort to assure that students with disabilities can participate successfully in study abroad programs. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee that facilities and/or support services will be available at each location abroad in the same range and quality as on campus. We cannot alter architecture, transportation, or laws in other countries. We can, however, encourage students with disabilities to meet with staff to discuss accommodation needs and identify appropriate sites overseas. We can work with each student in order to identify support system needs and discuss the availability of accommodations abroad.Is it easier to study abroad in an English-speaking country?
Students and parents frequently assume that because the official language of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand is English, that there will be little or no adjustment phase to studying abroad in these countries. This is not the case. These are distinctive cultures, each with its own educational tradition, and are different from American culture in ways both subtle and substantial. If students make the faulty assumption that there will be no adjustment period, s/he can end up experiencing it more acutely than those who enter into their study abroad experience with the appropriate expectations.How do students apply to study abroad? When does my student find out whether they are admitted?
Once a program has been selected, Humboldt's electronic application system will point the way in completing the application process. Please note that some programs are managed and operated by Humboldt while others are offered in partnership with study abroad organizations and/or foreign institutions of higher education. Admission for these other programs is a two-step process, and students are actually admitted by the partnering institution or organization. As a result, the admission can take from three to eight weeks from the time of receipt of the completed application.It is also important to note that some programs admit students on a rolling basis, while others will consider a pool of applications received after a deadline. Cal Poly Humboldt and CSUIP programs will typically consider the pool of applicants after the deadline has passed while 3rd party and other programs will admit on a rolling basis. It is important to understand the parameters for the program for which your student has applied, and set expectations accordingly.
While the study abroad office staff is more than willing to speak with you regarding your concerns, we are limited by the same confidentiality restrictions that apply to students while they are on campus. Therefore, there may be some questions, particularly those of an academic nature, that we will not be able to answer for you.