Santa Clara University

For Parents

Helping your student plan for a successful study abroad experience is as crucial as the actual experience. For a majority of our students, the decision to study abroad signals a deep desire for independence, maturity, growing up, and intellectual challenge. Their ability to make informed decisions is very important. Parents are great resources in this maturing process by listening, asking questions, supporting their decisions as well as knowing how to welcome the students back from their abroad experiences.

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• Study Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation: Find out the program overview, schedule of events, workshop descriptions, and parent session.
  
• Going Is Not Enough: A Self-Assessment Guide... This guide makes students aware of some of the questions they need to think about before even setting out to apply to a study abroad program.
  
  
• Budget Planning Worksheet: Useful worksheet to determine the affordability of a study abroad program.
• Cost & Aid: Find out exactly what Santa Clara will bill your student’s ecampus account for their chosen study abroad program. It also lists some available financial aid available for students in international education.
  
  
• Billing Procedures: Study abroad students are billed the same time as all other students studying on campus. Find out how to pay online via the Bursar's office website.
  
• Health & Safety Information: International travels today involves a fair understanding of the health & safety issues.
  
  
• Study Abroad Pre-Departure Handbook: Download a copy of the handbook that students are given during the mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation. It contains helpful information about billing procedure, cost & aid, registration, cultural reflections, etc.
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• FERPA/privacy regulations: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The University cannot release any information about a student to a third party without authorized written permission from the student. We encourage study abroad students to consider signing the FERPA waiver at the Bursar's and Registrar's offices (Walsh Administration Bldg) if they want their parents to have access to financial records & information. Please familiarize yourself with FERPA.
• Welcoming Your Daughter / Son Home from Studying Abroad: A letter to parents of returning study abroad students containing some helpful tips, resources, contact information, and suggested reading.
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• Twelve Tips for Welcoming Returnees Home: More helpful reading for parents of returning study abroad students (pdf format).
  
• Parents Re-entry Handbook: A suggested reading on how to help returning study abroad students in their re-entry process (pdf format).
  

Please feel free to browse these areas, as well as the rest of this site, and do encourage your student to come in and visit us!