Why Going Abroad Matters
Broaden Their Perspectives
Studying abroad broadens horizons and builds confidence. Your support helps them embrace new cultures and ideas, preparing them for life beyond campus with adaptability and global awareness.
Enable Real-World Learning Opportunities
Internships, research, and volunteer programs abroad turn classroom lessons into practical skills. These experiences make students more competitive and culturally fluent—qualities employers value.
Invest in Their Future Success
Education Abroad experiences builds independence, resilience, and problem-solving skills—qualities employers seek. By supporting this experience, you help your student gain confidence and adaptability that set them apart in competitive academic and professional environments.
Making Education Abroad Affordable
Cost is often the biggest concern for families considering Education Abroad—but it doesn’t have to be. Texas A&M awards $1.5 million annually in scholarships for these programs, and many financial aid options apply. Our advisors can help your student find affordable opportunities and funding resources.
Learn About FundingSupporting Independence While Respecting Privacy
Education Abroad at Texas A&M University must abide by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This means that we cannot divulge student academic, financial or enrollment information to parents unless explicit permission has been provided by the student. Find out more information about student educational privacy rights.
Independence is critical for a successful abroad experience, therefore we believe that students should always contact the Education Abroad directly with questions or concerns. We highly encourage you to shift responsibility for all aspects of Education Abroad participation to your student. This is an amazing opportunity for exploration and growth.
Health & Safety
Student health and safety is the No. 1 priority for all of our programs. We work continuously to ensure we assess the various factors of risks that may be involved with international travel. The student, however, must also take responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing. To assist with this, we provide health and safety resources to students during two phases: Pre-Departure and While Abroad.
All students participating in an Education Abroad program are required to attend health and safety orientation sessions** prior to their experience. These sessions cover checklist items to take care of before departure as well as advice on how to stay safe while abroad.
Prior to departure, you can help your student prepare for a safe trip by considering the following:
- Completing a wellness checkup, vaccinations, and immunizations
- Researching cultural norms, local laws, and health and safety risks of the destination
- Registering any needs for special accommodations to Disability Services
- Consider purchasing additional international health insurance coverage
- Make copies of important documents, such as passport, debit/credit card information, and emergency contact information for host country (911 equivalent, US Embassy or Consulate, emergency services, etc.)
All students should follow health and safety precautions specific to their destination as well as those discussed during the pre-departure and on-site health and safety sessions.
Each program will also have a program leader, support staff, and/or faculty member on-site to assist with any health and safety concerns that may arise.
Communicating While Abroad
Fortunately, we live in a time in which an abundance of technology makes global communication fairly easy. There are a variety of free apps you and your student can utilize to stay connected such as WhatsApp or Skype. Keep in mind, however, that because of time differences and other factors you may not be able to communicate as often as you would like. And that’s ok! In reality, this will help your student become more independent and make the experience even more transformational. Consider developing a communication plan before your student leaves that outlines when and how often you plan to check-in with each other.