Study Abroad 101: Family Orientation

Transcript

1. Study Abroad 101: Family Orientation Edition Study Abroad - Global Education Office - Summer 2019
2. Overview • Study Abroad in Numbers • Program Types • Affordability • Health and Safety • International Emergency Insurance
3. Study Abroad in Numbers
4. Study abroad participation mirrors the diverse George Mason student population.
6. 200+ Number of programs. Includes short-term summer, winter break, and spring break programs, semester-long and year-long options, and global internship placements.
7. 60+ Mason works with about 60 partner institutions in over 60 different countries. Partners include institutions of higher education and global internship providers.
8. $500,000 Amount available in GEO scholarships. Includes travel grants and Global Discovery grants.
9. Program Types
10. Mason-led Programs are led by Mason faculty. Most are offered during winter break or summer. Semester options are available at Oxford University and in Florence. Students earn Mason credit, which will affect their GPA.
11. Partner School Enroll in a partner institution and select from an existing course catalog. Study for one year, one semester, or one summer. Credits transfer to Mason but will not affect the GPA.
12. Internship Global internship opportunities are available in more than 20 destinations around the globe. Most offered during summer. Some semester-long internships are available.
13. Gateway First-year experience programs are offered in the Global Gateway program (and, prior to coming to Mason, in the Summer STEM Academy).
14. Affordability
15. Affordability • Eligible for financial aid. • Cost of program depends on type, length, location. • Mason-led programs offer a quality experience at an affordable price. • Some semester programs are equal or less than a semester at Mason. ◦ Exchanges are cost-effective for in-state tuition payers. ◦ Out-of-state? Consider the direct enrollment option. • Housing for a semester can be less than at Mason.
16. Scholarships • GEO scholarships: various amounts, for all semesters. • Also available: travel and passport grants. • George Mason University scholarships • External fellowships and grants • Country-specific scholarships
17. Health and Safety
18. What does GEO do? • Connects foreseeable travel risks to students at the mandatory pre-departure orientation. • Operates 24/7 emergency response phone for travelers abroad • Provides access to alert messaging app that dispenses relevant alerts directly to student travelers based on GPS location. • Daily monitoring of international events in consultation with resources from the US Dept of State, CDC, and private risk management firms. • Manages robust international emergency insurance policy.
19. Mandatory Pre-departure Orientation • Students attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation on campus. ◦ Led by GEO’s full-time Int’l Health and Safety Specialist • Students meet other program participants and their Academic Director or Program Administrator. • Briefing on health, safety, and security abroad, insurance resources, emergency response, AlertTraveler system, and program-specific information.
20. AlertTraveler • Student travelers have access to the alert messaging app, AlertTraveler • Pushes relevant alerts based on current location • Informs students of site-specific risks through City/Country intelligence data • Easy access to contact numbers for local emergency responders and consular services • User-friendly “Check-in” safety feature for use in emergencies
21. GEO Emergency Phone • 24/7, 365 • Staffed by GEO Int’l Health & Safety Specialist. • Students should exhaust all local emergency resources prior to calling this number. +1 (703) 993-7500
22. International Emergency Insurance
23. How does Mason’s international insurance work? • Student participants are automatically enrolled • Covers nearly all medical & mental health related expenses up to $500,000 ◦ Pre-existing conditions are treated as any other condition ◦ 0% Co-pay ◦ Does not cover routine check-ups or preventative medicine • Reimbursement system, but direct payment can sometimes be arranged if assistance provider is looped-in ASAP
24. Contact Information #MasonAbroad • Global Education Office • Johnson Center, Room 235 • GoAbroad@gmu.edu • StudyAbroad.gmu.edu • FB /masonstudyabroad • IG /masonstudyabroad • TW @masonglobal