Students:

It's important that your support system is on the same page as you. At CGIS we make every effort to foster independence in our students, and we encourage you to take responsibility for your global study experience. We expect you to act as your own agent and advocate as you prepare to study abroad and to work with us directly in solving problems you may encounter along the way. This is an important step in developing the critically engaged global citizens we want you to become.

Parents, families, friends, etc. provide valuable support and other resources, and we encourage you to communicate openly with your family about your plans and experiences. In the end, however, we ask that parents do not make decisions or attempt to fix problems for you. Instead, we ask that they help you think through the issues and arrive at resolutions on your own. 

Remember - This is your experience! Make the most of it and every opportunity for self-growth it offers you.

Family:

Thank you for supporting an academic endeavor that many students in the College of LSA rank among the most significant and rewarding experiences of their time at the University of Michigan.

Study abroad is an opportunity to experience other cultures, languages, lifestyles, and ways of looking at the world. It is a chance for students to earn academic credit and make progress toward their major, distinguish their resumes, build meaningful connections with people around the world, and learn about themselves in different and potentially challenging contexts.

CGIS staff here at the University and our on-site partners around the globe are professionals in the field of international education who care deeply about your student and work tirelessly to address their individual needs and concerns before, during, and after their learning abroad experience. Whatever program your student has chosen, we hope the information on this site helps you understand their experience and helps you provide the support they need to succeed in this experience.

If you or your student have questions about our programs, please feel free to contact us at cgis@umich.edu.

CGIS Advising Philosophy

At CGIS we make every effort to foster independence in our students and encourage them to take responsibility for their global education experience. To this end we expect our students to be their own agents and advocates when it comes to preparing to study abroad and to work with us directly to solve any problems that might arise. This is an important step in developing the critically engaged global citizens we want our students to become.

Parents and families are of course a valuable resource, and we encourage students to communicate openly with their families about their experiences. In the end, however, we ask that parents do not make decisions or attempt to fix problems for students. We ask you to help them think through issues and arrive at solutions on their own.

Privacy of Educational Records

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student records. According to the University of Michigan’s Office of the Registrar, “once a student reaches the age of 18 or attends an institution of postsecondary education, the parents have no rights under FERPA. Only the student can give permission for the parents to have access to their records.”

CGIS will disclose protected information without the student’s express written permission only in the event of an emergency, such as when the student is hospitalized or poses a threat to themselves or others. This pertains to all information in the student’s file, whether academic, medical, or personal in nature.

The only information CGIS may disclose without permission is “directory information,” defined as “name, permanent and local address and telephone number, school or college, class level, major field, dates of attendance, degree received and date awarded, honors and awards received, participation in recognized activities, previous schools attended, and height and weight of members of intercollegiate athletic teams.” Source: Registrar's Office, University of Michigan