Parent Portal

Students who put more thought and care into choosing their top program abroad locations will take away greater personal and professional development from the experience, as well as be better able to explain these choices during program abroad interviews. 

Application timelines vary by program, so interested students should check our website for their program of interest frequently. 

Our office will be in contact with your student about next steps, which include:

• Completing any required passport and VISA applications
• Receiving course advising and registeringfor classes
• Attending a pre-departure orientation

See Parent Pre-Departure Resources to the right for documents helpful specifically to parents during this exciting time. 

Any students wait-listed for a program will be notified via email with next steps if a spot opens up.

All previous in-person information sessions have been hosted for students only. However, our office is currently discussing and planning virtual webinars, to which parents are more than welcome to attend with their students. 

Costs vary by program. Stay tuned for updates answering this question. For IEP specifically, find here the 2019-2020 estimated costs by school.

Student spending and need for access to cash or ability to use a credit card while abroad vary greatly depending on your child's destination. Here are just a few tips:

• We recommend discussing a budget with your child in advance of their trip - how much can they spend on travel and entertainment?
• We also recommend researching the host city's local currency customs - is cash or credit card used more often? This will help you and your child create a plan for minimizing credit card and debit card usage charges while abroad.
• Any ATM will give your child cash with a full checking account and debit card, but it will cost money every time your child uses it. Research cards with reimbursable ATM fees and no international charges.
• Remember to put a travel notice on any credit or debit cards your child chooses to take with them. 

USC does not limit personal travel while abroad. 

Requirements for car rentals vary country to country. Research your student's placement location for local driving laws and car rental policies. 

Lodging and public transportation are generally safe abroad, as long as students book housing from reputable vendors and maintain awareness of their surroundings on public transportation.

ASU has a great resource on housing abroad available here.  Find public transportation safety tips here.  

Students are encouraged to carefully consider the safety risks and relevant precautions involved in traveling and living in a foreign country.  Issues of safety are covered in the mandatory pre-departure orientation.  When students arrive at their study abroad sites, they usually receive more specific information on safety issues.  Students should carefully read and consider all materials issued by the program sponsor that relate to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural, and religious conditions in their host country. For more information, see USC Dornsife's tips on security and safety abroad. 

Students experiencing a security or safety emergency should follow the safety protocols as designated by their host institution to get to safety as quickly as possible. Our exchange partners will notify Marshall Undergraduate International Programs, at which point our staff will follow up with students and parents if appropriate.

When there is a known significant increase in the level of potential danger to USC students in a city or region where they study abroad, University officials meet to determine what steps to take to maximize student safety.  U.S. Department of State Travel Alerts and Advisories, embassies' and consulates' Public Announcements, the travel advice of other governments, news sources, the resident directors and international student offices at the study abroad sites, and other information sources are all instrumental in informing University decisions and communication with students about potential dangers.

Parents should follow Marshall Undergraduate International Programs on Twitter to receive immediate updates and alerts about any disruptive events occurring in study abroad locations. Any occurrences abroad considered an emergency will be communicated to parents via email or phone call.

When there is a known significant increase in the level of potential danger to USC students in a city or region where they study abroad, University officials meet to determine what steps to take to maximize student safety.  U.S. Department of State Travel Alerts and Advisories, embassies' and consulates' Public Announcements, the travel advice of other governments, news sources, the resident directors and international student offices at the study abroad sites, and other information sources are all instrumental in informing University decisions.