Transcripts
Each global study student will receive a transcript from their program. Students will receive these transcripts anywhere from 2- 12 weeks after the conclusion of their program. Most programs will send one copy of the transcript to the student and one copy directly to the Center for Global Education. You are welcome to contact our office to see if your transcript has been received; however, keep in mind that it may be several weeks until your transcript is received. Transcripts can also be held if you have any outstanding bills due to your program provider. Please make sure to pay all bills, and sign any necessary “transcript release” forms from your program before you return to the US. Also, check to make sure you have completed and submitted all academic assignments prior to your departure. This will expedite the processing of your transcript.
Return Flight Arrangements
In the vast majority of cases, students will have purchased a round-trip ticket for their global study semester prior to departing. Whether you have a round-trip ticket, or you need to purchase a ticket to return home, the best advice is to plan ahead. Most programs will give a specific departure date and a recommended airport to depart from. Please note, depending on your program, you may depart from a different airport than you arrived. If you are planning to stay in your host country or travel following the conclusion of your program, be sure to check that you are not staying beyond when your visa permits. If you did not purchase a round-trip ticket, buy your return ticket as soon as you can once you have reached your host country. Flights fill up very quickly, and if you wait to make your reservation, you may get stuck with a date that does not suit your plans.
It is important that you know everything you can about your plane ticket prior to your departure, so if you need to make changes closer to your departure date, you are able to do so. Be sure to check your online confirmation number periodically to ensure your flight is still on schedule. You can also set up alerts to contact your phone or send an e-mail if your flight is changed for any reason. Be sure to check any luggage restrictions, weight restrictions, and customs restrictions for what can be brought back in your luggage.
Saying Goodbye
It is very important that you take the time to say goodbye. This may seem ridiculous, but many students return to the United States feeling as if they did not take the time to recognize that they were leaving a very special place. Say good-bye to your friends, teachers, favorite shop keepers, etc. Have that last “favorite food” and visit the places that have become special to you. Take pictures—especially of some of the places where you spent the most time, such as your dorm room or host family’s home, your classrooms, your favorite study spots. Sometimes students come home realizing that they’ve only photographed the most dramatic moments of their semester; not the places where they spent the most time. Even if you don’t regularly journal, write some thoughts in a journal. You will be thankful later to have a record of how you felt in that place at that time.