
Student Resources
The following links contain important information whether you are considering your options, preparing for departure, currently abroad, or returning home.
Not sure how to get started? Review our Exploring Your Options pages!
General Travel Information
Passports
Need a passport? The WSU Study Abroad office can process applications for NEW passports (renewals are done online). Most Post Offices and even other businesses can also process passport applications. See the US State Department website for further information.
U.S. State Department Travel Information
Find out here whether you need a visa for your destination, learn more about your destination, and get tips for staying healthy and safe while away.
U.S. State Department Students Abroad
This web page provides a wealth of information for students with tips about how to plan, what to know before departure, and more.
TSA Travel Tips
Find out the latest information about airport screening by TSA.
The Ultimate Packing List
By Travelers for Travelers
Health and Safety
CDC - Centers for Disease Control
Information on which vaccinations are recommended for your destination, and advice about how to find medical care while abroad.
World Health Organization
Great tips for staying healthy while traveling.
Embassy and Consulate Finder
Find an embassy or consulate closest to where you are in the world.
Sexual Assault Support
WSU Sexual Violence Resources
Pathways to Safety
Identity and Study Away
Resources for Women Travelers
- Safety Tips & Advice for Women Traveling Abroad
- General Hotel/Lodging Safety Tips for Women
- Diversity Abroad: Guide for Women Abroad
- Travel Tips for Women
Resources for Students from Underrepresented Racial or Ethnic Backgrounds
- Diversity Abroad: Guide for Students from Racial and Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
- On Studying Abroad as a Person of Color: Don’t Believe Everything You Hear (HuffPost article)
- AllAbroad.us, including specific advice for:
- Scholarships for Underrepresented Students
Resources for LGBTI students
Resources for Students with Disabilities
- Diversity Abroad: Guide for Students with Disabilities
- Air Travel Tips for People with Disabilities
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Traveling with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
- Mobility International USA
- Funding for students with disabilities
Resources and Advice for Transgender Travelers
Transgender people may have specific questions and concerns about traveling on study away programs – both domestically and internationally. The following links provide helpful resources, information, and suggestions for travel-related policies, procedures, and expectations.
- Know Your Rights: Airport Security and Transgender People
- TSA: Transgender Passengers
- Understanding the New Passport Gender Change Policy
- US Department of State: Gender Designation Change on Passports
- National Center for Transgender Equality
- Transgender Law Center
Resources for First Generation College Students
Winona State University Links
WSU Laptop Information (PDF) - Use of laptop while away from WSU.
Financial Aid – Information on applying for and using financial aid for your experience abroad
Housing & Residence Life – Learn more about canceling housing for study abroad reasons without a penalty (see the ‘Can I break my housing agreement?’ information).
Going Abroad After Graduation
Interested in English teaching opportunities abroad?
The US Student Fulbright program offers English Teaching Assistantships in around 75 countries – and you may not need an education background or knowledge of the local language to apply!
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Austria: US Teaching Assistantships
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Chile: English Open Doors Program
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France: Teaching Assistant Program in France
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Georgia: Teach and Learn with Georgia
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Korea: English Program in Korea
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Spain: North American Language and Culture Assistants in Spain
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Thailand: Teach Thailand Corps
There are also organizations that will place you in another country to teach English, for a fee. Check out organizations like CIEE, or Princeton in Asia/Africa/Latin America.
Graduate study in other countries is possible, depending on your field.
- Tuition varies around the world - some countries are considerably cheaper than the US, while others may be the same or more.
- A master’s degree may take only 1 year in some places, a PhD may be only 3 years.
- Even in countries where another language is spoken, certain universities may teach classes in English.
There are several highly competitive scholarship programs that may be of interest.
- Fulbright: Options for study or research in over 140 countries around the world
- Boren: For studying languages & cultures of interest to US National Security
- DAAD: For study/internship/research in Germany
- Marshall: For advanced degree study at any public university in the UK or Rhodes: (specifically at Oxford)
- Schwarzman: For a master’s in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in China
- Yenching: For a master’s in China Studies at Peking University in China
Interested in volunteer or work abroad?
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The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals is a unique scholarship for study/work experience in Germany. It includes 2 months of language, 4 months of academic coursework in your field, and 5 months of internship in your field. Previous knowledge of German is not required.
- International Jobs
- Peace Corps