In an emergency abroad or at home, parents/guardians may be able to contact their student directly, depending on their circumstances. 

All students on Swarthmore Global Travel will be registered with International SOS, our 24/7 Travel Assistance Plan.  In the event of an emergency, parents can call International SOS who can assist in accessing after-hours support from the Swarthmore’s Global Engagement Office.

They may also be able to get in touch with their student through their study abroad program. Before their student leaves, they should compile a list of phone numbers and email addresses for important contacts at the student's program.

We recommend that at least one parent or guardian have a valid passport so that in the case of an emergency, they would be prepared to travel to the abroad site.

At Swarthmore, “study abroad” means participation in an overseas program for a semester or year. Study abroad is an opportunity for students to expand their academic and cultural horizons beyond Swarthmore.  Approximately 40% of all Swarthmore students participate in a study abroad program. Most students study abroad as juniors;  however, it is possible to study abroad as early as a second-semester sophomore, or as late as the first-semester senior. Details about the process, policies, and resources can found on our Study Abroad website.

Swarthmore-approved programs span more than 60 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Students of every major can find programs relevant to their academic interests. Students are advised to research options following guidelines on our Explore Programs page. It may be useful for parents to talk with their student about locations and programs of interest!

Students are encouraged to begin planning as early as possible and must do so at least two semesters before their intended term abroad. Information for students new to the process can be found on our Where to Start page.

As the first step, students must attend a Study Abroad 101 session, which covers eligibility requirements, choosing programs, applying for Swarthmore Approval to Study Abroad, and more. After attending a 101 session, students are assigned a GEO Advisor who specializes in their program(s) of interest. All students must meet one-on-one with their GEO Advisor to discuss their study abroad interests and the application process. Once students have applied to programs, they attend a group Post-Application Meeting that covers pre-departure instructions and complete an online “Know Before You Go” course that covers budgeting while abroad, global safety, and other practical matters. Outside these mandatory sessions, GEO is always available to discuss individual questions and concerns via email, phone, and Zoom. We also host events such as a Pre-Departure Gathering to meet other study abroad students and a Welcome Back Lunch for returned students.

Study abroad students can take courses not offered at Swarthmore that align with their particular academic interests and give them a global perspective on their studies. While abroad, students remain enrolled at Swarthmore and earn credit that counts toward their Swarthmore degree. Details on academics abroad can be found on our Coursework and Credits page.

Before going abroad, students must request credit pre-approval for their planned courses from appropriate academic departments at Swarthmore through an online system called the Abroad Credit Evaluation System (ACES). If students take courses pre-approved for at least 4 total credits and pass all courses with grades equivalent to C or higher, they are guaranteed 4 credits for their semester abroad. Study abroad courses and grades are added to students’ Swarthmore transcripts after they have returned to campus and submitted coursework to departments in order to get final credit approval.

With planning, students can often take classes that count toward major, minor, and certain other graduation requirements. However, fulfillment of a specific requirement (beyond total credits needed to graduate) is not guaranteed and depends on both department-specific credit policies and the student’s individual situation. Students will find out which requirements they can expect to fulfill when their courses are reviewed in ACES. They can also contact academic departments with any questions about fitting study abroad into their academic plans.

For their semester abroad, students will be charged regular Swarthmore tuition, housing, and food fees, and any awarded financial aid is applied to their bill as usual. Thus, there is little difference in billed charges whether a student studies abroad or lives on campus (the only difference is that the Student Activity Fee is not billed for a semester abroad). Our Finances page covers details about study abroad costs and financial support that Swarthmore provides.

While abroad, students continue to be billed by Swarthmore because they remain enrolled at the College and earn credit toward their degree (which is evaluated by Swarthmore’s academic departments). The fees that Swarthmore charges are comprehensive of many costs related to study abroad, including program tuition, housing and food abroad, airfare, local transportation, travel medical insurance, visa fees, textbooks, advising, administration, and more. This billing model allows an equitable approach to study abroad (since financial aid from Swarthmore is not impacted by study abroad costs).

Swarthmore covers all required fees charged by the study abroad programs that our students attend.

If a program does not directly cover meals and/or local transportation to classes, Swarthmore will provide students with a "study abroad stipend."  Stipends are calculated based on the cost of living in the host city and the length of the study abroad program.  Several weeks before their program start date, students receive a GEO Stipend Letter that contains details about whether they will receive a stipend and the amount of funding (if applicable). Stipends are then deposited to the bank account indicated by the student.

Swarthmore makes direct payments for students’ round-trip flight to their host city (up to a “fare threshold” set for their location) and travel medical insurance. Swarthmore can reimburse other fees, such as certain visa expenses, ground transportation to and from the airport, and textbooks.  As reimbursements can only be processed with receipts, students are advised to save receipts for all eligible program-related expenses.

Students are encouraged to create a budget for their abroad experience based on estimated out-of-pocket expenses. It can be helpful for parents/guardians to talk with their student about the stipend from GEO, any additional costs, how these expenses will be met, and how much pocket money can be spent on discretionary expenses. Some common expenses include vaccinations and other medicine, clothing and toiletries, local cell phone or SIM card, adapters and other technology, independent travel, entertainment, and souvenirs. 

A student’s housing and food arrangements will depend on their program. In general, students often have a more independent living situation while abroad than on campus. For example, students on many programs need to commute to classes on public transportation and/or prepare some or all of their own meals.

Each Swarthmore-approved program offers one or more of the following housing options: homestays, shared apartments, or dormitories. Students are encouraged to reflect on which housing options are the best fit for their lifestyles and choose programs that offer these options. Please note that students are required to live in program-arranged housing and may not live in independent housing while abroad.

Policies for student meals vary by program and housing type. Homestay families provide some if not all meals for students, and some apartments and dormitories include a full or partial meal plan. In many cases, however, some or all meals are not provided by the program and need to be prepared by the student.

GEO provides students with stipends for meals not provided by their programs. These stipends are calculated based on the cost of self-catered meals in the host city (as opposed to eating out). Therefore, we recommend that students prepare most of their own meals to stay within budget.

Many programs are equipped to support various medical needs, but available medical care and medications depend on the location. As early as possible, it is essential that students ensure that their medical needs can be met on-site and that they understand the safety guidelines for their location.

Useful details can be found on our page on Health and Wellness.  As common U.S. medications may be illegal in other countries, we have shared guidance relating to “Medications Abroad.”

Students also have access to specialized advice through our partnership with International SOS. For additional medical advice, students can also consult Swarthmore’s Student Health and Wellness Team.

Available types of medical assistance vary based on the host country and the study abroad program. If a student anticipates that they will need medical care while abroad, they should contact their program and International SOS as early as possible to make arrangements. Some programs offer certain on-site medical support (e.g., English-speaking mental health professionals on their staff). In other cases, students will be directed to make appointments with local healthcare providers (they should make sure their insurance can cover this care in advance). All programs offer orientations that cover how to access medical services if needed and whom to call in an emergency.

Students traveling to some countries will need immunizations before they study abroad. Prior to departure, Student Health and Wellness will share guidance with each student on what immunizations, if any, are needed for their location. Information about vaccines for travel to specific countries is also available on the CDC’s website. Swarthmore does not cover the cost of vaccines, so students should review whether their health insurance plan can cover any of these immunizations. Students should be aware of the number of weeks needed to administer required vaccines and make appointments that allow sufficient time for these immunizations before their program start dates. If a vaccine is not available through the Student Health and Wellness Center, the student will be directed to a facility that does offer that immunization. 

The Global Engagement Offices enrolls every student approved for Swarthmore Global Travel  in travel medical insurance that is coordinated through International SOS. Students should carefully review the policy to familiarize themselves with exclusions pertaining to certain high risk activities, as well as specific coverage limits regarding charges due to pre-existing conditions.

Even though insured while abroad, this is a travel medical insurance policy that does not replace comprehensive coverage. Students are expected to remain on the insurance plan they would have if they are in their home country and/or at Swarthmore.

Safety guidelines depend on the student’s location. GEO covers general safety issues with all students in required online forms and our “Know Before You Go” Moodle course.  On our website, GEO has also compiled some helpful information on Crime and Personal Property abroad.

All students will be emailed a customized destination guide compiled by International SOS that covers important safety information for their study abroad site.  Another source of guidance is the US State Department’s country-specific guidelines. For students studying abroad, their programs will also typically share further safety information specific to their locations, which students should carefully review.

To travel outside of the United States, students must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after their intended date of return from overseas. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for a passport or renewal. They are told to do so as far in advance of their term abroad as possible. Information from GEO on applying for US passports and renewals can be found on our Passport guidance page.

Depending on the student’s host country and citizenship, they may also need to apply for a visa to travel to their destination. If applicable, the visa process will take place after your student has committed to their program/activity.  Programs typically share country-specific instructions to apply for a visa. It is the student’s responsibility to follow the program’s instructions carefully and promptly. General visa guidance from GEO can be found on this Visa guidance page.  On the study abroad website, there is specific guidance on Flights and Visas for study abroad. 

For details on topics such as packing, communications, and managing money abroad, please review information on our page relating to Practical Matters. 

Parents and guardians may wonder what their student's transition into a new culture will be like. Will they have a hard time adjusting? Will they encounter any challenges related to their identities (e.g., race and ethnicity, LQBTQ, religion, FLI, disability)? We invite parents to read our Cultural Adjustment and Identities Abroad pages, which include practical information from GEO, as well as external resources to explore.  We suggest that parents encourage their student to learn as much as possible about their destination country and to engage them in conversation.