A Parent's Guide...

... of Prospective Students

Applications may be downloaded from our website and should be turned into our office along with a $200 deposit and a copy of the participant's U.S. university transcript.

ISA Direct encourages participants to work with their university's study abroad office when deciding on a program. The U.S. university may be able to provide resources for scholarship opportunities and/or have a distinct approval process for students to follow before participating in an off-campus program.

Students considering an ISA Direct program should be aware of the program's Final Forms and Payment due dates, which may be found in the program section of the website.

... of Accepted ISA Students

Students preparing to go on their program should receive their host family contact information along with an orientation handbook 2-3 weeks prior to the program start date. The orientation handbook is very helpful when deciding what to pack, how much money to take, and what to expect while abroad. Students must meet the forms and payment deadlines in order to receive their pre-departure information from ISA Direct. Parents will not receive forms or reminders from ISA Direct; all program information will be mailed directly to the student.

... of Students Currently Abroad

The easiest way for parents to stay in touch with students currently on an ISA program is via email. All ISA Direct students should have access to the internet. Please keep in mind that emails and letters are a great way to help participants with any culture shock they may be going through. Some students purchase cell phones once they are abroad, and others rely on pre-paid phone cards which may also be purchased abroad.

... of Returned Study Abroad Students

Keep in mind that regardless of the length of time spent abroad, students often experience some discomfort with family, friends and surroundings upon their return. Life at home has moved on while they were away and they may feel a little out of place while trying to readjust. The student has grown and changed in a way that is different from his or her peers, and can find that change difficult to explain and understand. This is called "reverse culture shock" and parents are encouraged to be aware of these re-entry feelings. Students can contact ISA or their university study abroad office to learn about ways to handle re-entry issues, to stay involved in study abroad, or to share their experiences with other students. These are great ways to integrate the experience and readjust to life at home.