When you’re already trying to navigate college without the guidance of a parent or guardian who has been there, the idea of studying abroad on top of that may seem overwhelming. In addition to being the first in your family to attend college, you may also be the first in your family to travel internationally. Common concerns for First-Generation students include how to afford a study abroad experience, the logistics of travel (getting a passport, navigating an airport, etc.), and how to convince family that studying abroad is a valuable experience. Below, we address some of these concerns and share resources specifically for First-Generation students.

“How Do I Afford Study Abroad?”

In addition to consulting Student Financial Affairs about your financial aid eligibility, the UF International Center website has a plethora of study abroad scholarship information available. UFIC Scholarships and Private Scholarships are managed by the Study Abroad office, while the other opportunities listed are managed by various UF departments and national organizations. Regardless of the scholarships you’re interested in, our office offers both scholarship advising and regular workshops to help your applications be the best they can be. Additionally, on our Funding Your Program webpage you can download a Study Abroad Budget Worksheet. This worksheet allows you to map out all possible expenses associated with study abroad and compare them not only between programs, but also to a typical UF semester. In doing this, you may realize that your study abroad program is not much more expensive than a regular term.

“How Do I Get a Passport?”

UF Mail & Document Services offers Passport Services, allowing you to easily apply for a passport for the first time or renew an existing one. We recommend that you apply for a passport as early as possible in your study abroad journey, so as to avoid expedited fees and unnecessary stress later on. You do not need to have chosen a program or even a location yet in order to apply for a passport. For a list of documents you will need to apply for a U.S. passport, or to book an appointment with Passport Services, please see here.

“What Will My Family Think?”

Convincing your family to support you in your endeavor to study abroad may be one of the primary challenges you face as a First-Generation student. Explaining the benefits of study abroad to them, especially the positive impacts on one’s academic and professional career, may help them view this as a valuable experience rather than a frivolous one. A list outlining some of the benefits of study abroad can be found here. We have also created a brief Family Guide that we hope will be helpful; click here to download the English version, or here to download the Spanish version. Furthermore, if you have already chosen a program you would like to participate in, focus your conversation on why you’ve chosen that particular program and what you hope to gain from it. How does it connect to your major, your interests, and/or your intended career path? Why is it an investment worth making?

Your family may also be concerned about your health and safety while traveling. Make sure they know about UFIC’s emergency protocols and international health insurance coverage by directing them to this page of our website. More comprehensive information about our CISI health insurance plan can also be found in this document. An additional safety measure we strongly encourage (but do not require) students to take is registering with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Once registered, STEP will send you occasional health and safety alerts for the countries/regions in which you’re traveling. Potential alert topics include natural disasters, civil unrest, and terrorist attacks. By registering with the STEP program, you will not only stay informed but also alert the U.S. Embassy to your presence in that country.

If you have other concerns about studying abroad as a First-Generation student, we encourage you to get in touch with your Study Abroad Advisor and/or the Office of First-Generation Student Success. We also hope that some of the resources below, several of which were written by First-Generation study abroad students, will be helpful to you.