The decision to travel abroad as a first-generation college student may be new territory for you and your family or friends. There are many resources available to help prepare you to study, research or intern abroad!
Ask Yourself:
- Have you determined your own personal, academic and professional goals associated with your experience abroad?
- Do you know how your experience abroad will fit into your academic plan at UNL?
- What concerns and/or questions might your family or friends have about your international experience? What information might help them feel more comfortable?
- How can you explain to your family that an experience abroad contributes to your academic and career goals?
- What mentors, advisors, family and friends do you rely on while on campus and how can you maintain a similar support system abroad?
- How will you balance being abroad with other opportunities you may have on campus such as requirements for a scholarship or learning community?
Ask your Global Experiences Coordinator and other program staff:
- What are the application requirements for studying/interning/researching abroad?
- What support is available to students while abroad?
- How do students build plans to communicate with family and friends while abroad?
- Are there any resources to help me better describe experiences abroad to family and friends?
- What funding opportunities are available specific to experiences abroad?
Prepare and Research:
- Explore options and look into multiple programs that interest you. Speak with students that have studied or interned abroad in places that are of interest to you.
- Learn about your destination.
- Plan for how you will communicate with friends and family while you are abroad.
- Review the page for First Time Travelers on the Education Abroad website.
On-Campus Resources:
- Visit Student Money Management.
- Visit Husker Hub.
- Speak with an Academic Success Coach in the Center for Academic Success and Transition.
- Meet with a well-being Coach at Big Red Resilience & Well-being where you can talk about environmental and cultural well-being along with the other seven dimensions of well-being.
Additional Resources:
- IES Abroad: Student Voices - Being a First Generation Student Abroad
- Parents and Families page on the Education Abroad website.
- Go Abroad: Meaningful Travel Tips and Tales: First Generation Students Abroad
- If you are participating on an affiliate program, the affiliate organization likely has resources specifically for parents and families. (For example, here is link to the ISA page.)
- Diversity Abroad: First Generation Students Traveling Abroad
- University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center: First Generation Experience Abroad
If I have more questions, who should I contact?
- Katelyn Kunzman, Global Experiences Coordinator, kkunzman@unl.edu