Parental Support

There are many ways parents can support their student during the study abroad process. Below are some of IAU's recommendations!

• Before departure, we recommend obtaining a copy of important documents to be kept at home. If these items are lost or stolen, this will make the replacement process much easier. 
  Passport
  Plane tickets
  Credit and debit cards
  Indentification
  Insurance information
  IAU College acceptance letter
  Prescriptions
• Create a communication plan. Schedule a time after arrival when communication should be made. Please keep in mind that students may not have access to the internet or a cell phone for the first few days upon arrival. 
• Learn about your student's host country. Educate youself on the time, currency and season differences, etc. This will allow you to better relate to your child while they are abroad.
• Have an emergency money plan in place. In an emergency, please reference IAU's Emergency website.
• Before departure, help your student make their bank aware of where they will be traveling so that they don't suspect fraud or theft. It may also be helpful to have the name of someone staying in the U.S. on each account, one who would be able to make authorized changes in case an issues arise that need to be solved in country.
• Ensure that someone in your family has a valid passport, in the event that it is necessary to travel overseas in an emergency.
• Confirm that you're aware of any travel plans before and after you student's official program start and end dates.
• Recognize the expected cultural adjustment your student will experience while they are abroad and when they return.