Soon, your son or daughter will be embarking upon what is frequently a life-changing academic, social, and cultural experience with one of the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad. This is an exciting time for her/him and for you. The information included on these pages is to help you better understand the philosophy of our programs as well as the emotions and challenges you can anticipate your student will encounter.
Briefly, in addition to and as a complement to language and cultural learning, the Middlebury Schools Abroad stress independence, self-reliance, and immersion by encouraging students to take responsibility for their time abroad, beginning with the application process and continuing through the transfer of credit back to the student's home institution. This approach does not preclude you, the parent, from helping in any way; in fact, involved parents help students adjust more smoothly before, during, and after the study abroad experience. But students who begin the study abroad process in an independent manner i.e. researching the different sites available, filling out their own paperwork, getting their own visa, making their own travel arrangements, arranging their own housing, etc., transition more easily into the host culture.
As parents, your support is an integral part of your student's success. By listening and offering sound advice, you provide the pillars of a successful study abroad experience for your student. But, ultimately, the more students do for themselves before going abroad, the better they will be prepared for the independent nature of our programs when they arrive on-site in the host culture. Please feel free to contact us at International Programs and Off-Campus Study with any questions or concerns.
Topics of Interest to Parents may be downloaded here.
CO2 Offsets Program may be downloaded here.
Prior to Your Son or Daughter's Departure
When Your Son or Daughter is Abroad
When Your Son or Daughter Returns Home
Program Goals
The Language Pledge
Acceptance Policies
Financial FAQs
Health
Safety Abroad
Student Health Insurance
Learning More
Pointers for Parents
Prior to Your Son or Daughter's Departure
Familiarize yourself with the philosophy of the program on which they are about to embark
Talk about their goals and expectations in studying abroad
Talk about any fears or apprehensions they may have
Ensure them that they have your support
While offering limited assistance, encourage them to take responsibility for predeparture logistics and paperwork
Read the General and School-specific handbooks you will receive prior to their departure
Help organize their finances while abroad
Make sure that they have adequate health insurance coverage
Confirm as soon as possible that their passport is valid and extends at least six months beyond the end of the program
Check in periodically with them to confirm that they are gathering the necessary paperwork to secure a visa, if required
Investigate the possibility of securing a power of attorney on their behalf so that the processing of documents in their absence will be easy When Your Son or Daughter is Abroad
Encourage independence and self-reliance
Do not accompany them to the host country at the start of the program
Understand that all students will experience culture shock and that this may have a significant impact on what they are communicating to you about the experience
Allow them the time and space to develop a support network abroad rather than relying totally on the one back home
Avoid too frequent e-mail or phone communication, which can interfere both with language learning and with integration into the host culture
Avoid visiting while the academic program is in session When Your Son or Daughter Returns Home
Recognize that they have had a life-changing experience and that, while you may have remained more or less the same, they are probably not the same person they were before going abroad
Let them share the experience with you as much as they want
Understand that they may experience re-entry culture shock and that this can be even more intense than the original culture shock on arrival abroad
Gather information for yourself and them regarding the re-entry experience. www.sit.edu/studyabroad/1045.htm is an excellent starting point. Program Goals
Offer advanced language study and cultural immersion in the host country
Expand intellectual horizons by gaining perspective on one's own society and culture and begin the process of understanding how other people live
Expose students to different approaches to learning and studying in host country
Enhance cross-cultural understanding in preparation for an adult life abroad or in the U.S. and provide essential and early preparation and skills (especially tolerance of difference, adaptability, and flexibility) for careers that increasingly require international experience
Foster students' self-awareness and development at a critically important age and, thus, contribute towards making them more global citizens. The Language Pledge
Your students will sign a Language Pledge, committing themselves to speak only the language of the host country while abroad. The Language Pledge is used in Middlebury's summer Language Schools, and is widely regarded as a primary factor in the progress students make in developing fluency over the summer sessions. To take full advantage of the time abroad, we strongly encourage each student and their family to embrace the spirit of the Language Pledge, even though we recognize there will be times when they will want or need to speak English. Pledging to speak only the target language is an essential part of the language-learning process as well as serving as a symbol of commitment. For this reason, we encourage that contact with home be kept to a minimum.
Acceptance Policies
Students are usually given an admission decision no later than three weeks after a complete application is received. Admitted students pay a $400 non-refundable deposit within two weeks of admission, which is applied to the program cost. During the course of the semester prior to going abroad, students submit a variety of forms, some of which may require your signature. Middlebury College students also attend a predeparture meeting. Please ask your student to share with you what they've learned from the pre-departure meetings.
A few months prior to departure, International Programs and Off-Campus Study will ask students to forward an email to their parent/guardian that provides you with links to a School-specific handbook and a General Handbook, which students also receive. Please consult these handbooks as a reference and guide. It is our expectation that students will read, understand, and follow-up on all the information. All policies, rules, logistics, and adjustment issues are covered in these handbooks. If you did not receive a email from us from your student, please contact International Programs and Off-Campus Study and we would be happy to email this information to you.
How much will I pay to Middlebury?
Study abroad students pay the fee of their program plus any additional costs that they incur while abroad. They are not charged regular Middlebury full room and board for on-campus studies in Vermont.
Please visit the website of the School Abroad (and specific country if applicable) and click the "Fees," link on the right sidebar for a complete breakdown of the fixed and variable costs for study abroad in that country.
Middlebury College students are also charged a study abroad administrative fee. In 2009-10, this fee will be $1,100.
When will I be billed, when is it due and whom do I pay?
When students pay their $400 non-refundable enrollment deposit (credited to their account) they are asked to include their billing address. Fall semester bills are mailed July 15th; spring semester bills are mailed November 15th. Bills are payable August 15th and January 15th, respectively. School in Germany students will also receive a separate bill each semester for dorm rent. All payments should be made in U.S. dollars to Middlebury College. For questions relating to billing, you may contact the Cashier's Office at 802-443-5375.
What other expenses can I expect to incur?
Depending on the program, students may be responsible for a range of items including: rent, food, airfare, books, local transportation, and visa. Please visit the website of the specific School Abroad for estimated figures or call International Programs to speak to a study abroad adviser.
How will my student get money while abroad?
We suggest that students plan several ways of obtaining money (American Express travelers cheques, credit and debit cards). Please check with your bank to ensure that ATM and credit cards will work abroad; and specifically, that the PIN will be acceptable. Most students keep their American bank account active and have a parent deposit money into it so that they can draw local currency from it in their host country using an ATM card.
How does study abroad affect financial aid?
Middlebury students: If your son or daughter receives financial aid, the award will be applied first to the tuition bill. If the award covers more than tuition, the excess will be sent to your son or daughter abroad, after the semester begins. However, we recommend that students arrange through Student Accounts to have any excess money forwarded to someone in the U.S. who can deposit the check in a U.S. bank account from which they can draw money with an ATM card while abroad.
For further questions regarding financial aid, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 802-443-5158.
Students from other colleges and universities: Students from other institutions are generally able to transfer federal aid. The Middlebury College Office of Financial Aid is able to complete consortium agreements for students wishing to transfer federal aid. Your son or daughter should contact his or her home financial aid and/or study abroad office to find out whether they are also eligible to receive state or institutional financial aid.
Health
The Schools Abroad have no vaccination requirements. We suggest that families consult their medical provider and refer to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control.
Safety Abroad
Safety is our first concern. Our Resident Directors and staff abroad have been fully initiated into Middlebury's emergency procedures. All students are given contact numbers for the staff who can be reached 24-hours a day in a true emergency. In addition, emergency contact procedures are available upon arrival and are tested during orientation.
Student Health Insurance
Students studying on a Middlebury School Abroad are automatically enrolled in a study abroad health insurance plan for the duration of the program. Students in China are enrolled through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI); students on all other programs are enrolled through HTH Worldwide. The insurance providers will issue insurance cards and proof of insurance letters (required to process stu¬dent visas for some countries).
These insurance plans provide up to $100,000 medical coverage (accident/sickness) with zero deductible. There is also medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. Each student will be given a full explanation of benefits and an insurance card prior to departure.
In addition to the benefits listed above, these insurance plans provide emergency service with a 24-hour, worldwide, telephone assistance. This service can aid students in a variety of emergency situations, such as providing help in obtaining physician and hospital referrals. Coverage will begin on the first day of your program abroad and will end on the last, with the option to purchase additional months of coverage by contacting the insurance provider directly.
Learning More
You may wish to purchase What Parent's Need to Know! Before, During, and After Education Abroad by Janet Hulstrand, available through NAFSA. This is a comprehensive guide for parents which leads you through your student's study abroad experience by providing advice, suggestions, and practical knowledge from the planning process through the re-entry shock of coming home.
The U.S. State Department also provides consular information on every country as well as travel warnings and advisories.
The Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) publishes a guide for parents that contains valuable predeparture information.
You are also welcome to call our office to express any concern or ask any questions that you might have. We can be reached Monday through Friday EST 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by calling (802) 443-5745 or e-mailing schoolsabroad@middlebury.edu