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Family & Friends

Welcome to the Office for Education Abroad's webpage for family and friends!
Whether you are currently researching study abroad options or your son/daughter has just returned home, we hope that you will find useful information on this site for every stage in the process. 

For a comprehensive resource, please access our 2011-2012 Student Handbook.  The Student Handbook covers the major policies and practices, along with helpful resources, for studying abroad with CSB|SJU. Many of your questions may be answered in this document.

We greatly appreciate the support you are providing for international education.  We trust this will be a significant experience in your loved one's life. Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing abroad@csbsju.edu.

Starting the Search

How does one choose a program with so many options available ?

There are a million reasons why someone might choose to study abroad in a particular location. Every study abroad program offers its own culture and design. The most important thing for students to consider is how a particular program will contribute to their own goals and desired outcomes.  It is important for students to be deliberate in selecting the right program.  CSB|SJU challenges its students to choose a program that matches their academic, personal, and professional goals. 

By choosing the best learning experience possible, students will learn about the world, magnify the value of their major or minor, improve their resume, and further their career. College is the ideal time for students to pursue this experience, as it is one of the easiest times in their lives to spend an extended period of time abroad.  Once students enter the "real world", it will become much more difficult, if not impossible, to spend this much time immersed in an international culture. 

All CSB/SJU students are encouraged to attend a Study Abroad 101 session to begin gathering information about international options.

Because our 17 semester-long and dozens of short-term study abroad programs are coordinated and sponsored by CSB|SJU, students will easily transfer credits back to their on-campus degree program. However, in order to pick a suitable program, we encourage you and your son/daughter to ask the following questions: 

  1. Can my son/daughter study abroad and still graduate in four years?
    Yes! Some majors with extensive requirements or sequential classes may take more careful planning than others. It may be that a semester-long study abroad program does not fit into the four-year plan, but a short-term program is always a great alternative.
  2.  My son/daughter would like to study abroad more than once. Is this possible?
    Certainly! Students should meet with their academic advisors early in their academic career at CSB|SJU to map out a plan to ensure they utilize all of the opportunities available to them, while still graduating on time. With the flexibility of our short-term study abroad opportunities, students often opt to complete a semester-long study abroad and visit other countries during a short-term study abroad trip.

  3. Can our family afford a study abroad experience?
    Study Abroad does cost more than a semester at CSB|SJU because there are added costs like international airfare and the increased cost of living at many of our sites (i.e. it is more expensive for your daily necessities in London than in St. Joseph or Collegeville, MN).  However, it is always important to look at the big picture.  Many of our programs have minimal on-site costs, whether due to decreased cost of living (i.e. China, Guatemala, and India) or the fact that students meals are all covered in homestay experiences (Chile, Guatemala, India, and Spain). CSB|SJU provides several resources to help families plan for the financial obligations of study abroad.  We encourage your family to plan early.

While Students are On-Site

Students abroad experience a wide array of emotions.  You may be their outlet during a particularly stressful time, or you may not hear from them for weeks because they are busy experiencing their host country.  Both of these scenarios can be very challenging for family and friends back home.  It is important to establish a communication plan with your loved one and discuss how frequently you will call, skype, or email.  Please remember, we encourage students to fully engage in their host communities, and that may mean that you hear from them less often than you would during a standard semester on campus at CSB|SJU. This does not mean they care about you less, but simply that they are truly experiencing their semester abroad. If you notice significant changes in the behavior of your son or daughter or have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact OEA.

Parents of students abroad often wish to visit their sons and daughters. It is a wonderful opportunity for the entire family, but keep in mind that students are truly studying abroad, with required class hours and study time.  Be sure to have your son or daughter talk to the program director to find the best time for you to visit. Select a time when he/she would not be otherwise engaged in program courses or excursions and activities.  We suggest you consider visiting during a program break or before or after the program. If you do visit at a time when they are expected to be in class, please understand that your student won’t be able to devote their entire time to family activities. Visits from family and friends are not reasons for excused absences.

Upon Return: Welcoming Your Loved-One Home

When your son or daughter comes home, they will have many exciting stories and experiences they will want to share with you. We encourage you to support your loved ones as they process all that they experienced during their semester abroad.

Students returning home from a study abroad program will sometimes experience difficulty in readjusting back to life in the US (we call this reverse culture shock). The Office for Education Abroad, along with faculty directors, will meet with students upon return and serve as a resource for the return adjustment process. If you notice your son or daughter particularly struggling with reverse culture shock, please do not hesitate to contact us.