Academic advisors are instrumental in the education abroad process for UT students.
Advisors help students decide when to go abroad, which programs match their career interests, and which courses are best suited for an international experience.
When a student indicates an interest in education abroad, there are many things you can do. Here are a few suggestions:
- Be an advocate for international education. It helps students to hear faculty and advisors say that education abroad is possible and worth pursuing.
- Inform students that the Programs Abroad office, located in Melrose Hall, welcomes students from 10 am – 4 pm Monday – Thursday, and 10 am – 2 pm on Fridays during the academic year. Encourage them to stop by for walk-in advising.
- When advising students, ask when they have plans to study abroad. This question is particularly important when advising students. The earlier students begin to plan for an education abroad experience, the easier it will be to find credits that will transfer in to meet general education, major, or minor requirements.
- Look at the student’s DARS (degree audit report) and outline the general education, major, and minor requirements they need to fulfill. These courses may become the framework for the program they choose. This information is critical to the student’s ability to use their education abroad experience to move them toward graduation in a timely manner.
- Help students to frame their preliminary questions. For example, ask: When do you plan to have an education abroad experience? When you do, would you be interested in studying, interning, or researching? What country or region of the world appeals to you the most? Thinking about these questions early will help students use their time efficiently once they get to the point of selecting a program.
Additional Resources
Fill out the form below to request a presentation about education abroad opportunities, funding & scholarships, diversity/identity related questions, etc. for your class, student organization, colleagues, and more!
Encourage students to visit these pages for additional tips and tools to help prepare for study abroad:
- Academics
- Start here: Advising
- Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Diversity Abroad
- Application Advising Form