There are two types of programs that students could complete while abroad – short term and semester-long.

Short Term: Most short-term programs are led by St. Cloud State University faculty. This means a faculty member has designed the program to fit to the course the student will take. Faculty also travel with the group throughout the duration of the program. Other short term programs could be run through a provider at a university abroad.

Semester-long: Most semester-long programs are set up where students will go to another institution abroad by enrolling into one of our partner universities. Students will still be considered a St. Cloud State student but they take classes at the institution abroad. At these universities, there is an international student office that will conduct an orientation after arrival and will continue to be of assistance to SCSU students as well as other international students.

Some semester long programs could have a faculty director who would teach some, if not all, of the courses on the program. One of those programs would be the St. Cloud State at Alnwick program at the Alnwick Castle in England. 

Need to know: Students need to work with their advisor(s) before enrolling in a study abroad program.

Credits taken abroad will be applied to the students academic record as either a major, minor, elective, or general education requirement. Prior to departure, students will fill out an Academic Approval Form with their advisor(s) and the Education Abroad Office. This form will let students know how credits and which courses will transfer back to St. Cloud State. If well-planned in advance, students should be able to use a majority of their credits earned abroad towards graduation. Courses come back as pass/fail. While this will not affect their GPA, it will affect their credit completion rate which does affect graduation. 

St. Cloud State offers both language and non-language based programs. If the student participates on a program where English is not the native language, most programs will have an introductory language course as part of the program requirement or an elective course that are strongly suggested that the student take while abroad. 

Need to know: Financial aid begins in the Fall semester and the final term is summer. Funding for summer abroad programs can often be difficult.

Students are encouraged to check in with the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible for financial availability for a study abroad program. The problem of lack of funding is especially true for summer programs. In many cases the student does not have eligibility for the summer because the student has used the entire federal financial aid awarded for the prior fall and spring. 

If your student is currently receiving any scholarships, help them to see if there are any restrictions in using them for a study abroad program. Studying abroad will earn them academic credit at St. Cloud State so students have not had many issues in the past with using already awarded scholarships. Students have access to apply for scholarships to help offset costs for studying abroad. The Huskies Scholarship platform is available at St. Cloud State for them apply through and they can also find more on our website. 

The entire program needs to be paid prior to departure. This means that your student needs to have accepted their financial aid award through e-services prior to departure or have paid their balance online. If the student does not have enough financial aid to cover the entire cost of the program (including tuition), the student will need to pay for the remaining costs prior to leaving on the program in other ways. 

Need to know: Students are required to have health insurance while abroad and often double covered depending on the program.

GeoBlue Worldwide Insurance
Students are required to have medical insurance through GeoBlue Worldwide which is processed through the Education Abroad Office and is included in the program fee. Travel insurance is not part of this required insurance but if the student is interested in travel insurance to cover lost baggage or flight cancellations the student can research additional coverage such as InsureMyTrip. The medical insurance covers the student throughout the program no matter where they are. If you would like to learn more about this insurance you can learn more on the health and insurance planning page.

Country Mandated Insurance
Most semester long programs will also require health insurance from the country the student is studying in. This requirement is mandated by the abroad countries' government and what is required will change depending on where the student is studying abroad. This insurance only covers the student when they are in that country. If the student travels during breaks to nearby countries, their GeoBlue will cover them. Students should connect with the program manager in the Education Abroad Office to learn more. 

Home Owner's Insurance
We advise checking with your Home Owner's Policy for item coverage for stolen or lost items. 

SCSU and CIS considers the health and safety of their education abroad participants to be a top priority. We make every effort to stay up-to-date with the changing situations throughout our world, especially with regard to health.

The Center for International Studies enrolls all students in the Smart Travel Enrollment Program (STEP). This service, run by the U.S. Department of State, sends students notifications while traveling if there are any warnings or issues while abroad in the location that they are registered for. 

Should the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issue travel warnings we will keep our students well informed and make sure they are prepared in their location.

If there is an emergency while abroad:

1. Call the SCSU Public Safety Switchboard: (320) 308-3333
2. Identify yourself as the family member of a St. Cloud State student learning abroad; give them the name of your student and the program they are participating in.
3. Give the operator your contact information.
4. Tell the operator what is wrong and who else has been contacted.
5. Respond to any questions and listen carefully to any instructions.

The St. Cloud State Center for International Studies (CIS) staff members always welcome calls from parents and students about health, security, and safety issues abroad. Public Safety on campus has the CIS team's direct contact and will notify us 24/7 of an emergency.

Feeling connected to your student half-way around the world can feel challenging at times. Have a conversation with your student about the best way to stay connected while they are abroad. Once students are abroad, they will have a better sense of how they can communicate back home too. Students have used these tools and technologies to stay connected while abroad:

• Phone Apps
  • Whatsapp: commonly used free app that allows for messaging, group chats, voice calls, and video calls as long as both recipients are connected to wireless internet.
  • WeChat: students traveling to China can reach out to family most easily via, another free app for messaging, voice and video calls by connecting to wi-fi.
  • Skype
• Zoom
• Social Media
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
• Google Hangouts: Both parties must have a Gmail account.
• Texting
  • T-mobile has free international data and calling
  • iPhones can work to text through imessage while connected to Wi-Fi

Families in the past have gone to visit their student while they are on a semester program. When it comes to visiting, the best advice we can give is to wait until after your student has arrived abroad and can personally tell you when it would be best to visit. Once they have confirmed their class schedule and know their school breaks, they will be better equipped to help you plan. Other considerations:

• Save the surprises. Students have assignments and projects at random times during the semester and pulling them away from their studies could have an effect on them doing well in the course. Most programs also have an excursion built into the program cost and they are not refundable. 
• Where to stay while visiting: Housing options for visitors depend on the program your student is on.
  • St. Cloud State at Alnwick (England) – Stay in the castle for a small fee per night dependent on the room availability is an option. Work with your student to coordinate the stay. There are also hotels and bed and breakfasts in the area.
  • Other semester programs – Ask your student to check on where to stay. There may be hostels or hotels nearby.

Returning home can be difficult. It is common and can happen in different ways. Students find that after spending a semester abroad, different aspects of their life changes. Here are some tips on how to help your student transition back home:

• When asking about their experience, often it will be long-winded and it is important to hear them through. Your student will most likely want to share stories all at once. Be patient and help them to understand that you are interested in hearing about their stories but that they spent a whole semester abroad so their stories will come out when they do.
• It is common to want your student to pick up life where they left off. Students are often a different person in subtle ways after their international experience. Talk with your student to understand the differences, and understand that it can take months for them to understand the differences in their selves. They may not like the same things they used to and may have different interests. Be open to hearing "that's not what they do in..."
• Encourage your student to talk with the Education Abroad, Career Center, and other campus offices on how to use the international experience to its fullest potential.