Congratulations! Your son or daughter has decided to study
abroad. Study Abroad is an opportunity for your child to grow personally,
interculturally, academically and professionally. Your interest and support
may help immensely . This guide is designed to help answer any questions
you may have about the study abroad experience. If you have any questions,
please feel free to contact our office at any time.
Culture Shock
It is helpful to be familiar with
culture
shock and the effect it may have on your child. Time abroad often begins
with a honeymoon phase. During this period, students are generally excited
to finally be at their program site. After facing the reality of unfamiliar
university procedure, living in a different culture, the daunting task of
living in a country where a different language is spoken, and living with
new roommates or a local family, culture shock may set in. You may
hear tales of frustration as well as delight. In most cases, your son
or daughter won't want you to solve the problems, just to listen and be a
sympathetic audience.
As a parent, it is difficult to maintain a level of emotional distance to
your childs ups and downs. However, part of the experience of study abroad
it is overcoming the challenges associated with living in a foreign country.
Most students rise to new levels of independence. It is important
for parents to avoid the temptation to become too involved.
It is also helpful to be familiar with reverse culture shock. Most
students experience some degree of reverse culture shock and need some time
to readjust to coming home. In some cases, students may experience a
period of depression or a longing to return abroad. If you suspect that your
child needs assistance in managing the transition home, UNLV students can
access services from
Student Counseling
& Psychological Services. Students from other schools should
research similar options available at their home school. Your support,
interest and understanding can be very helpful during this phase. It is important
to remember than study abroad can be a life-altering experience and negative
feelings usually last for a very short period of time. Most study abroad
students that the time they spent on a study abroad program was the best
part of their college years and it still effects their perspective on life
many years later. Students longing to return abroad should consider the myriad
of other programs UNLV offers. UNLV has many opportunities for returning
study abroad participants.
Student's Right to Privacy
Rights of Privacy Act of 1974: The Federal Family Educations
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 affords persons who are currently, or who were
formerly, in attendance at the university as registered students a right of
access to their "education records," which contain information directly related
to such persons and the right to challenge the accuracy of their records.
The act also restricts to whom the university may disclose a student's educational
records without the student's written permission. The university's policy
is to comply fully with all procisions of the act, and a detailed statementconcerning
the rights afforded current and former students is availabe, at no cost,
in Student Enrollment Services. (UNLV Undergraduate Catalog, Fall 2004 -
Spring 2006).
While are happy to answer any questions about our programs, the type and
amount of information we can release regarding your child's participation
in our program is limited. If you would like detailed information regarding
your child's payment account, academic status, grades, financial aid, etc...
your child will need to provide a copy of a completed "Power of Attorney"
authorizing your to act on his/her behalf while he/she is out of the country.
Power of Attorney forms can be obtained at most office supply stores,
through on-line services or from an attorney.
Study Abroad Handbook - The
UNLV
Study Abroad Handbook contains information about passports, visas, budgeting,
financial aid, accessing your money overseas and many other topics.
UNLV Programs
Graduate Research, Independent Study, Independent Research, and International
Student Teaching are all programs sponsored independently by UNLV. In
these programs, students will receive information from the UNLV Office of
International Programs and may receive additional information from the
academic department cooperating in their study abroad experience.
USAC Programs
Students attending programs offered by UNLV in cooperation with the University
Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) will receive information from both UNLV and
USAC. Information will be given on where to return documents. Or all
information can be returned to UNLV.
Non-UNLV Students - Students
who are not already students at UNLV may receive credit for USAC programs
through UNLV. Most students who access USAC programs via UNLV are entered
into our system as "non-admitted" students. Non-admitted students can
still obtain transcripts and credit from UNLV. Non-admitted students are not
eligible to receive financial aid from UNLV. Students need to apply for financial
aid through UNLV need to apply for admission to UNLV. Students needing
to become admitted will apply as regular transfer students and supply all
of the required documentation listed for UNLV Admissions. Not submitting
all of the required documentation to UNLV will result in admission being denied.
Student who fail to become admiited to UNLV are not eligible to receive financial
aid from UNLV.
All Students
It is the student's responsibility to complete and return all required documents
in a timely manner. Failure to do so may result in being administratively
withdrawn from the program, not receiving credit for the program, and/or being
denied financial aid/and or scholarships. Any required documents must
be returned to the appropriate UNLV department at least 30 days in advance
(or there may be earlier deadlines for specific forms).
Parent(s) Role
It can be difficult to balance your desire to make sure your child is prepared
to study abroad and your desire to let them be independent. Some things
that parents can do to help:
Contact Planning
Each student is given contact information for themselves while they are
at the program site. You should keep a copy of the contact information,
including the phone number and email address of the on-site program director.
Many student purchase pre-paid cellular phones or prepaid calling cards
at their program site. Many parents check with their long distance phone
service carrier to determine the best rate plan for calling the country(ies)
the student is planning to visit. Students can contact a student who
has previous attended the program through UNLV's Peer
Counselor list or by contacting USAC for a list toll free 1-866-404-USAC.
Previous participants can advise new students on the easiest and cheapest
ways to stay in contact from that particular program site. Students
will also obtain information done during the orienation provided when they
reach the program site. Parents should not be alarmed if their child
does not call them the day they arrive at the program site. Jet lag,
time differences, unfamiliar phone systems, the excitement of arriving, and
many other things interfer with a student remembering to call home. In
our experience, no news is almost always good news. If you are concerned,
please contact UNLV International Programs and we will verify that your son/daughter
has arrived at the program site.
Emergencies
UNLV requires that all students who study abroad are at least 18 years of
age, and therefore, adults. In the event of an emergency, we can only contact
you if you are designated as his or her emergency contact. Discuss
how you will handle any families emergencies that may arise while your son
or daughter is out of the country. It is best to have a plan in place
on how you can contact your son or daughter and how they can contact you
in the event of an emergency. Remind your child that if there is any
type of emergency in a country they visit, you want them to call home immediately.
Finances
If you will be providing financial support for your, you should discuss
how much support you can provide, and the when, where and how of providing
money to your child.
Food
If your child is a vegetarian
or has other specific dietary requirements, it is important to realize
that it is easier to maintain special dietary requirements in some countries
than others. www.happycow.net is a good resource
for vegetarian travelers. It is helpful to research the country the student
will be visiting to find out specific information regarding typical food
and availability of specialty foods. In general, when traveling, flexibility
is the key to happiness. When flexibility is not an option, research
is a good idea.
Health
All students should have a general physical, gynecological (women) and dental
exam prior to departure. All necessary or routine medical and dental
care should be completed prior to departure. If the student has any
special medical needs, have him/her consult with the UNLV Office of International
Programs. Our Study
Abroad Handbook contains information on health issues, and documentation
of perscription medications, as well as Health
& Safety Issues while abroad.
Immunizations
If you or your child
would like to explore recommended immunizations for their destination(s),
information can be found at www.cdc.gov/travel.
The UNLV International Programs staff will not offer medical advice. Decisions
regarding immunizations should be made in cooperation with a appropriate
medical provider.
Insurance
International Medical Insurance is required for every student who attends
a UNLV sponsored study abroad program. Students participating in USAC
programs are covered automatically by USAC as a part of their program. Students
not on USAC programs should contact UNLV International Programs for information
on UNLV's
Mandatory International Medical Insurance. Students cannot substitute
private medical insurance for the mandatory USAC or UNLV medical insurance.
Packing
It is helpful to be familiar with the baggage regulations for your child's
specific airline. UNLV encourages all students to pack lightly and
within the airline's baggage limits. If your child cannot carry all of their
luggage, all by him/her-self, all at the same time, he/she needs to lighten
the load. Information on preparation
and packing and a Pre-Departure
Checklist can be found in the UNLV Study Abroad Handbook. Additional
information on security measures can be found at www.tsa.gov/public.
Program Policies
Make sure your child understands the policies that will apply to him/her
while abroad. Students need to understand policies regarding earning
credit, enrollment status, financial aid, fee payment, refund policies, housing,
student conduct, etc...
Register
UNLV recommends that all students register with the U.S. Department of State
prior to departure. Students can register on-line at www.travel.state.gov.
Time Zones
When contacting your child or on-site program
staff, it is helpful to be mindful of time difference. To see international
time zones http://time_zone.tripod.com
and to see time and date information www.timeanddate.com/Worldclock/personal.
Travel Documents
Your son/daughter must have a valid passport. If a visa is required, students
must obtain the visa prior to departure. You should also have a valid
passport in case of an emergency that would require you to travel abroad to be with your son or daughter. A passport is is official identification
issued by the government of the country where you are a citizen. UNLV
requires all students attending UNLV sponsored programs to have a valid passport.
A visa is official permission from the country(ies) a student is visiting
to be in that country for a specific purpose (tourist or student) for a specific
length of time. Visa requirements vary by country. If the student is
on a USAC program and a U.S. citizen, visa information is included in Update
#2. All other students should contact UNLV International Programs for
more information.
Travel Planning
You and/or your child should research travel costs. Many USAC programs
offer group flights. Students are not required to take group flights. Independent
UNLV programs do not offer group flights. Depending on the program, students
on groups flights may be picked up at the airport. Arrival instructions
will be included in the USAC materials if there will be an airport pickup.
Students traveling independently need to make arrangements to get from the
airport to the program site. Airport and airline information can be
found at www.insideairports.com.
Helpful Info
It could be helpful for you to have some of the following information:
contact information for
your student (if housing has been assigned)
on-site Resident Director
home office of the program provider (UNLV International Programs 702-895-3896
- we check our messages daily when the office is closed and/or USAC 1-866-404-USAC
or 1-775-784-6569, USAC has a 24 hour emergency number. You can be routed
to it via the main number if you call outside of business hours)
study abroad office at the home school (if participant isn't a regular UNLV
student)
doctors who have treated your son/daughter in the past
citizen assistance section of the embassy or consulate nearest your student's
program
U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Citizen Services
insurance policy numbers and how to submit a clain
your child's credit card numbers and phone numbers to call if cards are
lost or stolen
your child's passport number
information on how to replace a lost passport while abroad
program calendar
While your child is abroad, it may also be helpful
to
remind your child
request an absentee ballot if they plan to vote. Federal
Voting Assistance Program www.fvap.gov
filing income taxes
pay monthly credit card bills
prepare for the next semester at their home school including:
register for classes
arrange for housing
prepare forms to continue financial aid