Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
Click on the questions below.
Contact us if you have any other questions or concerns.
Deciding on a Program
Financial Aid
On-Site Support
Refund Policy
Travel and Visitors
Health and Safety
DECIDING ON A PROGRAM
Will my son/daughter get full college course credit for studying abroad?/How will credits be transferred?
Yes, your student will receive credit for courses taken on AHA programs. All of AHA International’s programs are sponsored in partnership with colleges and universities throughout the nation. AHA International has partnerships with the Midwest Consortium for Study Abroad (MCSA), the Northwest Council on Study abroad (NCSA), the Independent Liberal Arts College Association (ILACA), and Pennsylvania Colleges in Cologne (PCIC). Students currently attending any of the aforementioned consortium schools will receive home campus credit. All non-consortium students will be directed to an enrolling institution and credit will be transferred to their home campus. Transferring credits is a process that is handled through the enrolling institution.
What if my son/daughter wants to study abroad for more than one semester?
Students may choose to participate in a program for fall, winter, or spring term, or any combination of terms and program locations they wish. There are also internships available to students.
What if my son/daughter does not speak the native language of the place he or she wants to study?
It is not necessary to have any foreign language skills prior to studying abroad on some programs. Site directors speak English, as do many of the professors. Additionally, some programs are offered in English-speaking locations. Generally, most students studying abroad have taken some courses in the native language of the place they want to study.
Can AHA International provide special accommodations if my son/daughter has a disability and wants to participate in a study abroad program?
Yes. AHA International is pleased to have students from diverse backgrounds participating in our study abroad programs. With advance notice, we can make arrangements for most situations.
Does AHA offer internships abroad?
AHA International offers internship opportunities in Segovia, Spain and London, England. Students may have the opportunity to work in private-sector companies, governmental agencies, schools, social service programs, and nongovernmental organizations – many academic majors can be accommodated. International internships provide students with opportunities to enhance professional skills, perfect language proficiency, and gain cross-cultural experience.
How will study abroad better prepare my student for success in his/her field of work?
Studying abroad offers a variety of experiences that students tend to carry with them long after they have graduated from college. Studying abroad strengthens independence, increases cultural awareness, improves problem solving skills, and gives students a new global perspective. Statistics have shown that students tend to become more focused and engaged in the classroom after studying abroad. Studying abroad improves resumes, because many employers recognize international experience as a valuable asset.
When should my student apply?
Specific application deadlines are listed per program on our website. However, we recommend applying well before application deadlines. Many programs fill before the deadline so it is best to plan ahead. Your student can reserve a space in a program by submitting your application plus deposit. To check on program availability, or for more information, contact AHA.
Studying abroad seems more expensive than home campus tuition. What am I paying for?
Prices vary depending on the enrolling institution’s fees and the length of the semester or term. AHA International program fees include tuition, housing, course materials, program excursions, and some sites include meals, a pass for local transportation, medical insurance, and on-site orientation. This is very comparable to spending a semester or term studying in the United States. Studying abroad is a great investment when you consider the life skills your student will improve upon or develop and the career opportunities that will be available to him or her partly because of studying abroad.
Most forms of financial aid that a student is eligible for, such as grants and loans, can be applied toward the cost of a program. Students need to consult with a financial aid counselor on their home campus for more specific information.
Are there scholarships available for study abroad?
Yes, scholarships are available to students for study abroad. For more information, your son/daughter should contact his/her home campus study abroad office to inquire about the opportunities available.
My son/daughter currently has a job. Will my student be able to work while studying abroad?
AHA does not recommend that students work while participating in a study abroad program. Any person planning to work in another country must obtain a work visa, and the application process is very difficult and strict. It is best for students to be focused on their study abroad experience, and although work is not an option, students do have the opportunity to participate in local community activities or volunteer work.
What type of on-site support is available for my son/daughter?
All program locations have site directors who are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to answer any questions a student may have. The site directors have years of experience with studying abroad, as well as health and home stay issues, and have lived in the country for many years—making them an excellent resource for all students.
Who will be teaching classes during the program?
At most sites, a visiting US American university professor teaches one or two courses. Additional courses are taught by local faculty members who have been teaching AHA students for many years.
Where is my student going to live?
Living accommodations for students vary from site to site. Depending on the location, students could share an apartment with other students, live with a host family and have one to three meals per day provided, stay as a “paying guest” in a private home, or live in a boarding house or dormitory that includes three meals per day. A more detailed description of student accommodation is described on each site-specific page.
What if my son/daughter gets sick while overseas?
Our program site directors are on hand and accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If a student requires medical attention, our site directors are equipped to handle emergency situations. Students participating in AHA-sponsored programs are insured with a comprehensive health insurance policy through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). For specific coverage details, contact AHA.
What if my son/daughter gets homesick?
There is a good chance that at least once during the program, your son/daughter will feel homesick. No doubt, other students will be feeling the same way on occasion. That is just one of the reasons there are regularly scheduled meetings where students gather with their peers and site directors and have the opportunity to talk and share experiences. Students can ask questions about anything relating to their study abroad experiences. Students also have access to computers and telephones—they can contact family members and friends when they want to.
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REFUND POLICY
What if something happens and my son/daughter cannot study abroad as planned. Does AHA International give refunds?
AHA International understands that sometimes unavoidable events occur. Refunds are available, if your student cancels within the perimeters of the AHA cancellation policy. All cancellations must be sent by your student in writing to AHA International. For more information regarding a specific program cancellation policy, contact AHA.
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TRAVEL AND VISITORS
Can my student visit other areas while abroad?
Excursions to exciting cultural and historical sites in and around the program locations are an integral part of the coursework and are carefully planned to take advantage of the unique experiences found in each locale. Excursions are included in the total cost of each program and are a great way to become immersed in different cultures. Personal travel is encouraged before or after the program or during program breaks. Your student should not plan travel that will interfere with the program schedule.
Can I visit my student while he or she is studying abroad?
Students have academic study related excursions that are built into the program on the weekends, which leaves very little free time for hosting guests. Visits from family or friends are welcome; however, we recommend that you plan your trip before the program starts or after it ends.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
If there is a problem when my student is on-site, what are the emergency and safety procedures?
Nearly all AHA programs involve three oversight bodies: a consortium of participating universities, on-site international staff members, and a central administrative office. Our objective is to utilize the collective wisdom and resources of multiple universities to develop a secure environment for international study, while ensuring site directors’ ability to respond rapidly to crisis situations.
Consortium Structure
AHA programs are characterized by the active involvement of university representatives who meet regularly. To the extent possible, these study abroad programs represent extensions of participating campus policies, procedures, and standards. Major decisions are based on majority votes or consensus. Behind each AHA program, therefore, there is a body of international education professionals and the institutional resources they represent. Virtually everyone involved is a member of various professional international education associations. Moreover, a visiting faculty member from a member campus is chosen to accompany nearly every group of students going abroad. Everyone’s chief objective overseas, just as on campus, is to promote academic learning within a desirably protective environment.
Site Directors
Each AHA program has a designated site director who is accountable for implementing the expectations of AHA and participating universities. Site directors attend consortium meetings for face-to-face discussions with university representatives regarding operational matters. Issues involving student safety, conduct, and development are always high priorities in these meetings.
Site directors subscribe to U.S. State Department announcements, they work closely with local authorities, and coordinate activities with U.S. consular officials. Many participate in local associations that represent virtually all American academic programs in their countries, involving in some cases tens of thousands of American students. In emergency situations, site directors’ first responsibility is to protect the welfare of students; their second responsibility is to communicate with the home office and relevant campus personnel.
AHA International
AHA was established in 1957. Since then, more than 50,000 students have participated in international experiences administered by AHA. AHA currently operates study abroad programs at fourteen sites in eleven countries. Its office, in Portland, Oregon, facilitates communications between campuses, students, parents, overseas staffs, and other constituents.
AHA enjoys a good reputation among its university associates for the balance it achieves between a reasonable degree of standardization applied to all activities versus the need for individual site directors to take decisive action on their own. This is supported by a unified “culture” of responsiveness to student problems.
Crisis Management History
Each year, AHA staff members deal with a predictable frequency of medical emergencies and accidents. In all such incidents, the individual’s immediate welfare is assured first; then, campus and AHA personnel, along with parents, determine the best course of subsequent action.
On one occasion, due to a bomb hoax originating in another American program, AHA staff members were prepared to move students to a new, safe location in another city within less than twenty-four hours. In another instance when an earthquake struck near Macerata, Italy, the site director confirmed and secured the safety of students, contacted all parents within two hours, conducted an engineering inspection of apartments and classrooms, and was prepared to move everyone to the security of another district before nightfall.
AHA cannot make specific claims about its ability to meet any particular crisis. Nevertheless, it is confident in the ability of its personnel to take appropriate, effective action, supported by shared professional experience available through its consortium networks.
War, Terrorism, and Student Security
In line with the above, acts of global violence are evaluated by university consortium representatives and AHA. Above all, the overall welfare of students is considered and decisions to protect them are made collectively. In the event that students are at risk where they are, they may be moved to another city or even country where there are resources to provide for their safety. All such plans will be coordinated with local authorities, the U.S. State Department, and consular officials. In the event of crisis, AHA will provide for student welfare until students are able to return home safely.
AHA programs rely on local families, professors, employees, and institutions. AHA believes students are most safe when integrated into the local community. This was particularly evident after September 11 when police, university presidents, even mayors, personally went out of their way to assure our students’ well being. Before removing students from such protective community environments, AHA and its associates must be assured that moving them is the best course of action.
The greatest threats are not global; they are individual. Site directors, through orientations, intercultural coursework, and constant exhortations, encourage students to avoid flaunting their American identity or engaging in activities that call undue attention to themselves. Students are expected to behave prudently, just as everyone else involved stands ready to deal with emergencies. For more information, browse these web sites:
U.S. Department of State
NAFSA Health and Safety
National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
StudyAbroad.com
In the event that there is a major global conflict or crisis that could put students at risk when traveling overseas, what is AHA’s refund policy?
AHA does not want students or their parents to be unduly anxious; money should not be a factor on which students should base their decision to withdraw. During both the Gulf War and in the wake of September 11, AHA offered full refunds to students who made a reasonable case of being worried about going abroad. In the event that a program has already commenced and events precipitate global anxiety, AHA will refund program fees on a prorated basis for returning students without a cancellation penalty. Students on financial aid may, however, be subject to federal or campus repayment requirements. For more detailed information regarding your student’s health and safety, visit the Health and Safety Abroad page.
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Research shows that study abroad will provide your student with more opportunities by:
improving academics
opening career opportunities
developing language skills
building intercultural competency
enhancing life skills
