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All students participating on a Texas A&M International University sponsored program, including faculty-led and exchange study abroad programs, are required to be insured with Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). Additionally, all students are required to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) with U.S. Department of State. STEP benefits include: (1) Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans. (2) Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. (3) Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. Lastly, IE staff and TAMIU Safety and Risk Manager are receiving constant updates and alerts for all study abroad destinations. Should an alert arise, we will reach out to the student(s) immediately and make arrangements for their safe return if necessary.

Studying abroad presents students with a competitive edge and cross-cultural competency that introduce abundance of instantaneous personal and long-term professional opportunities. A meaningful international experience can help a student to: (1) Develop the global mindset needed to balance local and international challenges, (2) Understand different cultures and solve problems while operating in a different environment. (3) Open their eyes to other perspectives and ways of thinking about the world, (4) Enhance their proficiency in and practical application of another language, (5) Strengthen their adaptability, communication, and team-building skills, (6) Increase their confidence, personal responsibility, and independence, (7) Enhance their career opportunities (Berdan, Goodman, and Gertz 2015). Additionally, students who have studied abroad have been found to have: (1) Improved academic performance upon returning to their home campus; (2) Higher graduation rates; (3) Improved knowledge of cultural practices and context compared to students in control groups; and (4) Benefited in their academic performance if they were students identified as “at risk” (Berdan et al. 2015).

The prices for study abroad vary by program. All students will have the opportunity to fund their study abroad experience with the help of either Federal Pell Grants, study abroad scholarships, and/or student loans. There are scholarship opportunities specifically for students participating in abroad programs. If a student is unable to pay for their study abroad program in full prior to their departure, they may qualify for a promissory note with the Bursar's Office. For more information on scholarship opportunities, visit TAMIU Study Abroad Scholarships.

Accommodations vary by program. Faculty-led programs always include housing for the duration of the program in the program fee. While exchange programs do not have housing included in a program fee, the host institution will assist the student in securing accommodations. Housing types include hotels, apartments, student dormitories, or homestays. Locations are selected by affiliate providers or experienced study abroad faculty who are familiar with the abroad destination.

Where classes are held is also different by program. Students studying abroad through exchange or affiliate programs attend class at the foreign exchange institution. Students participating in faculty-led programs may attend class in a reserved space, such as a classroom in a foreign institution or a conference room.

While a student may choose to study abroad to learn a foreign language, this is not always the case. There are study abroad opportunities for all majors. Students have the opportunity to study business, social science, humanities, and biology in other countries. Most study abroad programs offered to students are with English instruction. Should a student wish to take courses in a foreign language, the student will need to display proof of language proficiency.