Pre-Departure Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation is mandatory for all Education Abroad participants not only because we go over essential information for travel and safety on the program, but also because we fill out paperwork needed to start other processes such as the visa process, financial aid process, registration, etc.
Materials and More Information:
If you need to recap the information please see the D2L site. You will need to request permission for access by emailing educationabroad@stcloudstate.edu.
Another great resource is our Student Education Abroad Handbook which is located here. This handbook covers a variety of topics dealing with the entire education abroad experience.
This is perhaps one of the most important days of preparation prior to leaving on your program. This is a mandatory session by the University. The reason this is mandatory is because we need to ensure that all students receive the information necessary to be safe, healthy and secure on their program as well as to fill out the necessary paperwork which is more efficient in a large group.
Please invite your parents so that they hear the same information as you.
The morning consists of a combined session for all groups departing the following semester. The afternoon consists of meeting with your individual group and the faculty director, if there is one, as well as students who have gone on the program previously. During this afternoon session, you will have to opportunity to speak with them and have all of your questions answered.
This year's Pre-Departure Orientation sessions will be:
For those studying abroad during Spring semester: October 22, 2011
For those studying abroad during Summer session: February 18, 2012
For those studying abroad during Fall semester: March 17, 2012
All sessions will run from 9:00am - 2:00pm and will be held in the Wick Science Center (Subject to change - please keep up with your email to be notified)
Reminders
- Be sure about your finances. Schedule an appointment to meet with Financial Aid right after orientation.
- We start to schedule airline tickets, tour companies, etc as soon as the deadline passes. By the time Pre-Departure Orientation begins, you may be financially responsible for some program costs. Be sure that you understand the payment policies.
Planning for Education Abroad
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Academics and Registration:
Your Academic Approval form is important for determining course credit upon return from your program. Without this form, Records and Registration cannot award credit for your courses abroad.Registration is currently a manual process which is why you fill out a registration form. Please be sure you do not have a business hold. If the course needs special permission or is not a current course in the course catalog, you will need to fill out an Approval Form – Individual Study, located on the Records and Registration website. You will need the professor, department chair, and the Dean’s signatures on this form. This form then needs to be brought to the Education Abroad Office for processing of specific Education Abroad codes.
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Health, Safety and Security
This section discusses the importance of Health, Safety and Security while abroad. H1N1 Flu information and Emergency protocol is included. - Housing
We understand finding housing that meets your limited availability needs can be difficult. This section provides information on both on-campus and off-campus housing. -
Insurance
There are many different types of insurance to consider while abroad. Health insurance to cover you overseas is mandatory, and is currently covered by SCSU byy using the International Student Identity (ISIC) card. There are also other types of insurance to consider including further travel/safety insurance, medical, etc. This section will help you decide what additional insurance you may want to purchase. -
Staying Connected
How to stay connected to the St. Cloud State campus and to your family while abroad. -
Travel Information
Information about passports, visas, and travel discount information. - Our greatest resource is the Education Abroad Handbook. This handbook covers the in's and out's of Education Abroad. Please reference this handbook with any questions.
