For Families
Supporting Your Student Abroad
Penn strives to provide every student with a meaningful global experience during their time at Penn, and we work with students to identify opportunities that fit their academic, professional, and personal goals. We hope you will support them while they explore new cultures, languages, academic perspectives, career opportunities, and ways of life.
Penn Abroad works directly with students before, during, and after their time abroad, and we encourage students to share information about their global program with their families. The best way for you to be involved is to empower your student to engage in all phases of their global experience, including the application process, preparation, and travel.
We understand that this may be a new experience for you and your student. We invite you to browse the Penn Abroad website, which is full of information that will help navigate the process of pursuing a global program at Penn. Penn Abroad complies with all Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations and may not be able to disclose information without explicit permission from your student.
The following questions are great starting points for parents, guardians, and family members as they begin to research the opportunities abroad at Penn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What programs are offered?
- Study Abroad (semester or year-long study abroad for academic credit)
- Global Research & Internship Program (8-to-12 week research or internship placements during the summer)
- Penn Global Research Institutes (PGRI): 2 to 8 week hands-on research program
- Penn Global Seminars (Course embedded short-term travel during winter break, spring break, or May)
What is FERPA?
Federal law, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), protects the privacy of student “education” records — which generally includes information maintained by Penn that identifies a student. Penn Abroad is limited to what we can disclose to families under FERPA regulations and will verify permissions at point of contact.
What is PASSPORT?
PASSPORT is a searchable database of global opportunities offered by Penn Abroad. PASSPORT can be searched by program name, term, or location. The “Advanced Search” option also allows students to find opportunities by program type, the language of instruction, credit type, or field of interest (for GRIP opportunities only). Students are encouraged to attend drop-in advising or contact Penn Abroad to learn more about navigating the PASSPORT database.
How much does a Penn Abroad program cost? Are scholarships available?
Our Money Matters web page details funding information by program type, as well as how to access additional funding through Outside Scholarship opportunities.
How can my student receive health, safety, and security assistance abroad?
Every student on a Penn Abroad program receives travel medical insurance and security assistance through International SOS. International SOS can also provide pre-travel health and security consultations to any student considering a Penn Abroad program.
How can I contact Penn Abroad?
We encourage students to reach out to the Penn Abroad office directly. If you still have additional questions, please refer to the Contact Us page.