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顶级国产视频
Office of
Study Abroad

Returned Students

So, you鈥檙e back from abroad. Now what?

All students handle their return from abroad or away in a different manner. For some, it鈥檚 a pre-professional stepping stone. For others, it鈥檚 a reflective and personal experience. For many, it鈥檚 both. We are here to help you articulate these experiences for both your personal and professional growth. Come talk to us and read below for what you can expect.

After your program ends, your transcript may not arrive right away. You may receive emails stating your financial aid won鈥檛 be applied until your grades are posted. Don鈥檛 worry. Grades don鈥檛 get submitted from abroad as quickly as they do when you鈥檙e at 顶级国产视频.

The Study Abroad and Away Office will receive, translate and record your grades, and then forward them to the Registrar鈥檚 Office. Please contact your Student Accounts Counselor to discuss payment arrangements prior to the due date. That way you鈥檒l be set whether your grades are posted prior to the bill due date or not.

For general inquiries, please contact the Student Accounts Office at:

1-508-421-3801
saccounts@clarku.edu

In the meantime, your aid packages will still be processed providing you have submitted all the required documents. However, you will NOT be able to view your award on the CUWeb, nor will you receive an official letter from the Financial Aid Office until your grades are in. Student Accounts will have access to your estimated award package and will be able to provide an estimated account balance as needed.

Financial Aid Counselor

Pearl Smith- Aidoo, Study Abroad Counselor for Financial Aid聽辫蝉尘颈迟丑补颈诲辞辞蔼肠濒补谤办耻.别诲耻听

Please contact聽finaid@clarku.edu or call 1-508-793-7478 should you have additional questions about your aid package.

You may continue to receive emails until grades are posted.聽 Please do not worry.聽 There is no need to contact anyone, as we will process your transcripts as soon as we receive them.聽 The only other reason that you may not receive grades is if you have not completed your coursework or you have outstanding bills with your host program. If this is the case, please be sure to take care of these matters as soon as possible.

Be prepared to experience聽challenges with your mental health, including聽some degree of reverse culture shock,聽upon returning home. Some researchers say that this stage of cultural development can be even more intense than the original cultural shock abroad. In some cases, you may even experience a period of depression or longing to return abroad. Some students may need to talk a lot. Others may seem withdrawn or unwilling to communicate about their experiences. Again, these feelings are not unusual, but they do require monitoring. Below are some resources that can help ease the transition.

Consider the resources offered by the聽顶级国产视频 Center for Personal Growth聽

Explore other resources about mental health and reverse culture shock

  • for Dealing with Reverse Culture Shock
  • from USAC (University Study Abroad Consortium)
  • with Reverse Culture Shock
  • for When You鈥檙e Feeling Depressed After Study Abroad
  • Read through the 顶级国产视频 Study聽Abroad鈥檚聽Returnee Guide: 鈥淲hat if I Hate聽Coming Back to 顶级国产视频?鈥�

Even if you are not experiencing mental health challenges upon returning from abroad, it will take time to adjust to life back home.聽It鈥檚 important to process and reflect on your journey, as many aspects of your life have likely been changed by your time abroad.聽Consider your relationships, career plans, and worldview, which all may be influenced during and after study abroad.

  • Struggling with how to talk about your experience?聽Read about feeling聽鈥渦nfulfilled鈥澛燽y your study abroad experience.
  • This is a website dedicated to resources about culture, with sections for before and after studying abroad.
  • This article considers how your relationships and way of thinking might have changed during your study abroad experience.
  • Check out from IES Abroad聽for information about the stages of transition and re-entry challenges that you might be experiencing.

聽to become a Study Abroad Student Ambassador! Ambassadors are peer leaders and help lead events, workshops and informal gatherings, and connect returned students.聽Your program may also offer an ambassador program.

Know that you don’t have to have had the “perfect” study abroad experience to be an Ambassador.聽 Students want to hear what it was really like: the good, the bad and the ugly.聽 Don’t be shy and let us help you articulate the challenges you had.

Study Abroad is always willing to work with聽students who wish to get involved, including tabling, handing out fliers, speaking at info sessions or simply submitting your contact information to be given to prospective students.

Now that you have returned home, you may feel pressure to get 鈥渂ack to normal,鈥澛爓hether that鈥檚 with your classes, friends,聽or聽family.聽However, you have just had a life-altering experience, and it鈥檚 perfectly normal to want to share your stories and reminisce. Check聽out these suggestions for how to stay connected to your experience and share your story.

  • Social Media
    • Connect with the聽顶级国产视频ies Abroad community on Facebook and Instagram (@clarkiesabroad)
    • Join Facebook groups that center around travel, such as聽Girls LOVE Travel聽for female identifying聽travelers聽or Re-Entry Roadmap group, to stay connected to other experienced travelers.
  • Apply聽to聽become a Study Abroad Student Ambassador!
    • Ambassadors are peer leaders聽who聽help lead events, workshops and informal gatherings, and connect returned students. Your program may also offer an ambassador program. Know that you don鈥檛 have to have had the 鈥減erfect鈥� study abroad experience to be an Ambassador.聽 Students want to hear what it was really like: the good, the bad and the ugly.聽Don鈥檛 be shy and let us help you articulate the challenges you had. Study Abroad is always willing to work with students who wish to get involved, including tabling, handing out fliers, speaking at info sessions,聽or simply submitting your contact information to be given to prospective students.
  • Attend an Event
    • Study Abroad regularly hosts events where you can connect with other returned students and share your experience with prospective study abroad students. Keep an eye on our social media聽for聽upcoming opportunities!
    • The Lessons聽From聽Abroad Re-Entry Conference is held annually in New England. Conference highlights include:
      • Meeting other recent study abroad returnees from all over New England
      • Hearing from dynamic and motivating keynote speakers
      • Learning how to talk about your newly acquired global skills in a job interview
      • Discovering how you can work or study abroad after graduation
      • Networking with professionals working in聽internationally focused聽jobs
      • Staying connected to and sharing stories about your study abroad experience
  • Fill out a Program Evaluation: Want to share your experience with others? Submit a聽program evaluation聽and share it with us. Your comments provide an important resource for prospective study abroad students as they search for a program.
  • Continue learning the language of your study abroad location聽with a local group,聽online class, or app like聽Duolingo.
  • Get Crafty with your Photos and聽Souvenirs
    • Now that you鈥檝e returned from abroad, you don鈥檛 have to tuck all your photos into a shoe box and move on, you can display them proudly to remind you of your experience. Here鈥檚聽10 Creative Ways to Use Your Study Abroad Photos.聽Check out Pinterest for other ways to display your photos!
  • Make an appointment with the Office of Prestigious Scholarships & Fellowships
  • Check out programs that offer placements to teach or work abroad, such as or
  • Consider
  • Attend graduate school in another country
  • Study abroad again in a new place and expand your skills and knowledge even further!
  • Utilize a to find new opportunities to work abroad