We’re about halfway through the semester and things here in the office of Study Away Programs are starting to heat up. Our first-year students are starting to find their way into our office thanks to their GEP classes (a class specifically designed for freshmen to help them adjust to college) that send them on assignments to gather information about different offices on campus. Many of which, when they stop by to learn more information decide to go ahead and schedule an advising appointment. This way, we can talk to them individually on how they specifically can study away. For many students, going abroad greatly aids in developing independency, right behind the transition into college. Now, what role do parents play in their child’s study away decision-making process? How can they best help their student in this process? Let’s dive in.  

Where can my student go and is it safe? Safety is our number one priority here at Study Away Programs. As a general rule, students can go to any country that the U.S. permits its citizens to travel to. However, we also take additional steps and take into account travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State. Countries where a level four advisory of “Do Not Travel” has been issued are not available to our students. Every student who participates in a study away program will also be enrolled in international health insurance that covers basic office visits, procedures, and up to emergency evacuations. Additionally, every student going abroad has the option to enroll in AlertTraveler. This is a free safety management system to provide real-time updates for students regarding events occurring within their country of study.

How much will a Study Away cost me? A general misconception about studying away is that it always costs more compared to studying at MSU’s Springfield campus. In reality, many programs going abroad are either the same price or even cheaper than the cost of attendance at Missouri State University. Some of our cheapest semester long programs hover around the price tag of $3,500. Which includes full time tuition, housing, meals, and laundry services. This price at Missouri State is just the cost of tuition. With exchange programs, students have dozens of countries to choose from and will only pay the cost of tuition and housing of Missouri State while abroad. So, no matter whether a student on an exchange program is in Sydney, Australia or Paris, France, it’ll be as if the student never left Missouri State’s campus in regards to cost.  

How can I best support my student? We understand that this can be an emotional time for parents. This might be your child’s first time traveling alone, or this might even be their first time leaving the country. For students, studying abroad is an excellent way to give back to their parents. Showing off that you have given them the hard and soft skills to navigate a foreign country, new culture, and thrive in a new international setting. With all this being said, let them take charge in this adventure. Be there if they need any help but encourage them to step outside of their comfort zone, because that is when life truly begins.  

We just listed off a few of the more frequent questions that we receive from family members in regard to their students and our programs. If you have any more questions, feel free to reach out to us via email at studyaway@missouristate.edu or phone at 417.836.6368.  We’ll be more than happy to go into more detail about all of the programs that we offer which include but are not limited to: internships, service learning, mission based programs, and short term programs led by faculty members. Hope to hear from you soon!