Supporting Your Student

A Message from the Director of Study Abroad

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Mentors,

I am delighted that your student is thinking about study abroad or has already decided to participate! Studying abroad is often one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences a student will have during their college years. The Texas Tech Study Abroad team is here to assist and support your student throughout the entire study abroad process, but we recognize that parents, family members and guardians are critical partners in supporting student success. While Texas Tech Study Abroad urges students to undertake all of the necessary steps to prepare for their experience on their own, I hope our website will provide you as loved ones with answers to your questions and confidence that your student is in great hands with my office.

Sincerely,

Whitney Longnecker

Director of Study Abroad

Student Confidentiality

Texas Tech University respects the privacy of students and abides by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). FERPA protects the privacy of student education records, including personally identifiable information derived from student conduct records. Schools like Texas Tech must have written permission from a student in order to release any information from a student's education record. This means the TTU Study Abroad is prohibited from providing student information to anyone other than the student (unless a parents, guardian or other individual is listed on their FERPA form).

The FERPA form must be completed by the student and is available on the student dashboard. TTU Study Abroad staff will respect the student's wishes by abiding by the information provided on their FERPA form. More information about FERPA at Texas Tech can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Meetings with Students and Parents, Guardians and/or Mentors

To ensure students continue to be active participants in the study abroad process, we request that students be included in all conversations. Therefore, parents, guardians and/or mentors, if you have questions about your student's study abroad, please request a meeting at a time that works for your student to attend and participate in the conversation. Details of the study abroad process, the student's chosen program, and more will not be shared by phone unless the student is also present in the conversation. This helps TTU ensure student's maintain responsibility and their position in the "drivers seat" for their study abroad experience.

Understanding the Process

Your student will meet with a Study Abroad Counselor or Engineering Program Manager to explore the study abroad process. Resources throughout the study abroad website will help you follow along.

College-Based Resources