Resources
As you should expect, the web is a wonderful source of material and this is very much true of study abroad. Below you will see that we have scoured through and hand-picked over a hundred links that are of great use in your preparation and research.
Safety Abroad
- Country-specific advice & warnings (State Dept.)
- Safety tips for American travelers (State Dept.)
- Safety for Study Abroad participants (State Dept.)
- Students Abroad
- Travel Tips for Students
- Study Abroad Safety Handbook
- Overseas Citizens Services (OCS)
Health Abroad - Center For Disease Control (CDC) Travel Info
- World Health Organization
- Medical tips for American travelers (State Dept.)
Emergencies Abroad - General emergency info
- If you have been a victim of crime
- If you have lost your passport
- US Embassies, Consulates & Diplomatic Missions
US Passport Services
If you are going abroad in the next year and do not have a passport, apply immediately. Be sure it will be valid for as long as you need it, or apply for renewal immediately. Having a passport, or having proof that you have applied for one, is a condition for acceptance to study abroad.
Getting A Visa
Global Chicago This site lists all consulates in Chicago. Please check with your host institution or this the consulate of your host country to learn if you need a visa and the process for getting one. The Study Abroad Office will help you with anything that you need to complete the application process.
Documentation needed to visit other countries (NOTE: Check with embassies of each country for most specific, up-to-date info).
Airline Tickets
Traveling While Abroad
Travel Advice & Guidebooks
- State Dept. "Students Abroad" page
- Lonely Planet Guides
- Rick Steves' Europe
- Rough Guides
- Let’s Go Guides
- Moon Guides
- Fodor’s Guides
- Frommer's Guides
- CultureCrossing.net
- Culture Grams
- Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Reading Room
- Library of Congress Asian Reading Room
- Library of Congress European Reading Room
- Library of Congress Hispanic Reading Room
- National Geographic’s “Ultimate Travel Library”
- National Geographic’s “Around the World in 80 Books”
Travel Regulations
- US Customs rules on what you can bring home
- Documentation needed to visit other countries (NOTE: Check with embassies of each country for most specific, up-to-date info).
Lodging Abroad
Funding & Financing
- StudyAbroadFunding.org
- IEFA - for US and international students
- Foundation Center
- FastWeb
- FinAid
- StudyAbroad.com - Study Abroad Scholarships
- StudyAbroad Loans
Money & Banking Abroad
Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Travelers' Concerns
- Rainbow Group of NAFSA (Assn. of International Educators)
- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
- International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)
- Gay and Lesbian Travel Resource Guide
- Queer Resource Directory
Multicultural Travelers' Concerns
- IIT Center for Diversity and Inclusion
- Diversity Abroad
- All Abroad
- Student Experiences with Diversity Abroad
- What About Discrimination?
Women Travelers' Concerns
- IIT Women’s Services
- Journey Woman Travel Magazine
- Issues for Women Abroad
- Transitions Abroad Article
Travelers With Disabilities
- IIT Center for Disability Resources
- US Dept of State - Traveling with Disabilities
- Travel Resources for Those with Disabilities
- Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
- Mobility International USA
Information For Military Personnel (Active/Reserve/Guard/ROTC/Veteran)
- Culture Matters : Preparing to Study Abroad
- Glimpse Abroad Travel Magazine written by study abroad students
- Word 2 Word free online language courses
- Amadeus.net - a great source of travel info, including printable subway maps from all over the world
- World Citizen's Guide
- Magellan's travel products
- Time Zone converter
- Metric Conversion Calculator
- Phone Cards
- It's Your World
- General guides and articles
- Guide to going abroad
- Reading lists
- National Geographic’s travel quizzes (scroll to the bottom of the page for a full list of quizzes)
- Glimpse Foundation’s Travel Tips from Study Abroad Alums
- Abroad View’s Cultural Training section
- Condé Nast Traveler website on tipping internationally
- Condé Nast Traveler website on international dress codes
- My Travel Bug