What To Know Before Planning Your Child's Gap Year Summer Abroad
Many graduating seniors look forward to high school gap year study abroad or semester at sea programs. These options can be held in Europe or in various parts of the world. If you are planning on your child's gap year summer abroad program, there are a few things you need to know before you start planning.
Type of Program
There are several types of programs to choose from when you are considering a high school gap year study abroad for your student. These programs can be tourism-based or academic-based. There are also programs that only run for a few weeks while others run for the entire summer. Another option to consider are programs that are held as at sea. Before you begin planning the program, payments, and scheduling, you will need to decide which of these programs is best suited for your high school student and their academic goals.
Location
The location of the study abroad program is vital to choosing the right program for your student. If your child plans on majoring in history, then you may want to look to specific areas such as a region or country that your child is interested in. If your child wants to major in marine biology, then a ssemester at sea may be more ideal. Ensure that the location matches your student's academic goals as well as their interests. Keep in mind that you can also do mini sessions that would allow them to go to various different areas of the world depending on your budget and the organization you are using.
Immunizations and Health
Keep in mind that, depending on where your child is going for their semester abroad or gap year abroad study, there are different immunizations required. You will need to check not only with the organization but also with the Department of Health to ensure that your child gets the proper immunizations at the proper time. Some immunizations must be given at a specific amount of time before the child goes to a different country. The Department of Health can give you more insight into which immunizations and health records are needed.
These are just a few of the considerations before planning your high school student's gap year study abroad or semester at sea program. If you have any questions, contact the organization you plan on using and discuss the options. They can answer most questions or direct you to someone who can answer the questions for you.
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