Perhaps your son or daughter recently mentioned his or her interest in taking classes in another country. This may have come in the form of a request for money. We know that for many students, making the decision to study abroad is one made in consultation with family members.
You might have a few questions and concerns about the process. As a parent, we want you to know that student safety is our top priority. All OU students studying abroad on an approved program are required to obtain comprehensive international health insurance that covers things like emergency evacuation. Our advisers work closely with students to help them make smart decisions while abroad that minimize risk and maximize success. You will find a lot of information on this website about our study abroad programs that we hope you will review. Our office also talks to a lot of parents on the phone.
If you want to meet with a study abroad adviser in person, the best way is to have your son or daughter make an appointment with one of us online. He or she does this by following the links from our Contact Us page on our website, linked to the left. When your son or daughter makes the appointment online to see an adviser, we just ask that he or she mentions that family members will be coming for the appointment so that we can make sure we have enough space available to accommodate you.
Students are given links to online orientation videos before they go abroad. These pre-departure orientation videos are publically available on our YouTube site. Look for the "PDO" chapters that appear on the right under "Education Abroad." Watching some of these videos may help answer some of your questions and alleviate some of your concerns.
There are tremendous benefits to study abroad. By studying abroad, your son or daughter is earning academic credit towards degree completion here at OU. He or she is also gaining a competitive edge in an increasingly global job market. And perhaps most importantly, your child will gain skills by studying abroad that will serve him or her for a lifetime. Increased maturity, improved self-confidence, enhanced problem solving abilities and cross-cultural communication skills are all good reasons to encourage study abroad. Employers know that students who go abroad have already performed successfully in a situation that demanded tolerance for ambiguity and a high level of independence. People who have lived abroad also make better managers.