Before You Go

Yale Summer Session and the course's sponsoring department will do their best to offer you a quality program and fulfilling experience. That being said, remember that it is ultimately you, the student, who decides how much to get out of your program abroad. To make the most of your experience in this other culture, take the time to prepare for your journey. Don't be a passive participant!

Think seriously about what you hope to gain from this experience. Perhaps your primary reason for taking the course is to fulfill a requirement at Yale. That's O.K. But you can just as easily fulfill a requirement in New Haven. Before the program orientation, you should be able to articulate to yourself and others some goals for studying abroad.

Read the Yale Summer Session Study Abroad Handbook. It is your responsibility to read the handbook before you go. The handbook contains important information about health and safety, culture, travel documents, Yale policies, etc. You will receive a printed copy of this when accepted to the program, but you can also find it online.

Research the country. You should have a general understanding of the country's culture, history, politics, cuisines, etc., before you go. Not only is this part of being a responsible traveler, it will also help you to decide what to take advantage of while in the local environment. An easy way to begin is by going on line to access local newspapers and radio stations. You can also ask the course instructor about local culture and for suggestions about things to do.

Research the host city and environs. Specifically, do your homework about what is happening around town, not only year round but exclusively during the summer. Find out about local festivals, museum exhibitions, or concerts going on while you are there. Remember that any one of these experiences may offer an opportunity to meet locals or glean insight into the culture.

Talk to others. Speak with friends who have studied abroad to find out what their experience was like and what advice they might offer. You can also ask the YSS office to put you in touch with previous participants in the program you plan to attend.

Link the course to other Yale opportunities. Ask yourself whether your time abroad can inform your senior thesis or can lead you to another abroad experience through Yale, either immediately or during the academic year. Consider staying longer at the host site to do research or to take advantage of an internship possibility. Talk to your adviser, the course instructor, or Career Services about these options.

Make sure your passport/visa is in order. Consult the host country's consular Web site to find out about its entry requirements. You may need to renew your passport or obtain a visa.

Find out if you need to get vaccinations for any of the countries/regions you will visit. Call or make an appointment with the Yale Health Travel Clinic at least 8 weeks before your departure.

Make two copies of your visa/passport. Keep one copy of your passport with you and leave one with parents/guardians back home. Having a copy at hand will aid in the process of replacing a lost or stolen passport. In your day-to-day living in the host city, it is best not to keep a passport on your person.

Be a savvy student traveler. While you are not expected know everything about your host site before you go—after all, a big part of the abroad experience is learning about the local culture—you should have a general understanding about where you will be studying. Most students return from a study abroad experience thinking they did not take full advantage of their time in the host country. This happens in part because the student does not know just what to take advantage of from the local environment.

Generally speaking, the more you know before you go, the more questions you'll have, the more curious you'll be, and the more you'll be motivated to plan and explore while abroad. In addition, the more prepared you are, the more you can reduce the risk of putting yourself in uncomfortable or dangerous situations. Below are questions that should give some food for thought.