| Who can participate? |
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| Anyone who is eligible to take a community college class is eligible to participate in any of our study abroad programs. Study abroad is not only for students! Many faculty and community members, including retirees, have participated in our programs, too. It’s a great way to experience a country in depth for a reasonable cost. |
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| Do I have to be a LBCC student to participate? |
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| Anyone can participate in our programs. The only requirement is that you register for the specific program and at least one of the classes offered while you are participating in the program. |
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| I missed the fall orientation meeting. Can I still go? |
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| Yes! Just contact the faculty member in charge of the program that you’re interested in, or the coordinator of the study abroad program (you can find their email and telephone number in the “faculty directory” link), and let them know you’re interested in the program. |
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| I missed the December 15th deadline to turn in my deposit and registration. Can I still go? |
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| Yes! Just contact the faculty member in charge of the program that you’re interested in, or the coordinator of the study abroad program (you can find their email and telephone number in the “faculty directory” link), to find out if there’s still room in the program and to let them know you’re interested in participating. |
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| Can I use my financial aid to pay for the program? |
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| Yes! You can use financial aid to pay for part of the program, but keep in mind that there is no separate allotment of financial aid for the summer. What you use will come out of your annual allocation. In other words, you will have less money for the school year. |
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| Are there scholarships available? |
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| Yes! LBCC offers scholarships for study abroad to its regularly enrolled students. In addition, there are other scholarships available to any student. Check our “important links” for links to scholarships. |
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| Will I receive units for the classes that I take? |
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| Yes! All of our classes are for credit. If you pass them, you receive credit. For the most part, our offerings meet the general education requirement and are fully transferable to the Cal State or UC system. There are two grading options available: letter grade or credit/no credit. |
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| Can I extend my stay in the country? |
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| Yes! For a modest charge (which is negotiated with the travel provider, not LBCC) you can extend your stay either before or after the program or both. You are responsible for all of your expenses during that time. |
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| Can I buy my own plane ticket? |
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| Yes! Furthermore, every provider offers a discount if you choose to obtain your own transportation to and/or from the country. Often participants have frequent flyer miles or travel vouchers. Normally, there is a deadline by which you have to inform the travel provider that you will arrange your own transportation. |
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| Do you offer discounts? |
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| Most providers offer multiple discounts including early payment, cash or check payment, and transportation discounts if you get your own plane ticket. We do not offer a discount if you go with a friend or family member. |
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| Does LBCC make money off of these trips? |
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| No, LBCC receives no money from these trips apart from your class fees, just as if you were taking the class on one of the LBCC campuses. LBCC and its providers are committed to making these trips as affordable as possible by keeping the costs to a minimum. |
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| Can I choose my roommate? |
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| Yes! The providers do everything possible to accommodate roommate requests. |
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| Can I change my roommate? |
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| It is much harder to change a roommate than to request one. Under certain circumstances, it is possible to change roommates, although this is not encouraged. |
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| Do I have to have a roommate? |
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| No! You can stay by yourself in your own room on any program. All you need to do is tell the provider when you register that you want to have a single/individual room and pay the single supplement, a charge determined by the provider to cover the added cost. |
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| Can I take my kids? |
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| You can go with any family member or friend who is eligible to enroll in a community college class. You cannot take family members who are not enrolled in the program. |
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| What if I get sick? |
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| You are required to purchase international health insurance in order to participate in the program. If you need medical attention and/or immediate hospitalization in the country, the provider’s local liaison will make the necessary arrangements. If you need urgent medical attention in the United States, your international medical insurance will pay for repatriation. Fortunately, no one on any LBCC study abroad program has needed this service to date, but that is why we require that you purchase international health insurance. |
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| How do I contact my family while I’m abroad? |
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| Almost every program offers free internet access to participants, so email is the best way to stay in touch. You can also send letters and postcards. We don’t recommend making phone calls because that tends to cause homesickness. Especially if you leave a boyfriend or girlfriend behind, don’t talk with them regularly on the phone. Remember, you are in a new country to experience all that it has to offer. Your family and friends will still be in the United States when you return, ready to resume their relationship with you and hear all about your fantastic experiences. Don’t let homesickness interfere with your study abroad experience! Obviously, in the case of an emergency, your family can contact you through multiple sources including your cell phone, if you have obtained one in the country, or by contacting anyone at LBCC. You will be given a list of phone numbers for people in the U.S. to call in the case of an emergency. |
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