Pre-Departure Orientation
At your pre-departure orientations, you will:- Address expectations for your upcoming experience
- Hear from study abroad alumni and international students about their experiences with the culture of your host region
- Meet other students who are studying abroad in your host region or on your program
- Learn how to prepare for your upcoming experience
Additional pre-departure events
Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Meeting
All students must attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation meeting. There are no exceptions. For some programs, the session will be held in-person and others will be held virtually on Zoom. Please review your orientation schedule and location closely and follow up with your EA advisor if you have any questions. Click on your program type below to see orientation information:- Maryland-Led Short-term Programs
- Maryland Semester Programs (i.e. Maryland-in)
- Exchange, Affiliate, and Other Approved Programs
Mandatory Orientation Information
Maryland-Led Short-term Programs
Students participating in Maryland Short-term programs are required to attend a program-specific meeting with their program director. Your program director will give you the details about the time and date of your meeting.Maryland Semester Programs (i.e. Maryland-in)
Students participating in a Maryland Semester program will attend a program-specific orientation.Summer, Fall 2024 Programs | Date | Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Arts & Humanities in London | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Clark-in-Madrid & ENGR Exchanges in Madrid | Tuesday, April 9, 2024 | 5-8pm | IRB 1207 |
Maryland-in-Barcelona | Tuesday, April 9, 2024 | 4-6pm | TBD |
Maryland-in-Copenhagen & Stockholm | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Maryland-in-Florence (including ARCH and PHYS) |
Thursday, April 11, 2024 | 4-6pm | TBD |
Maryland-in-Nice | Tuesday, April 16, 2024 | 4:30-6:30pm | HJP 1102 |
Maryland-in-Perugia | Thursday, April 11, 2024 | 4-6pm | TBD |
Maryland-in-Rome | Monday, April 8, 2024 | 4-6pm | HJP 1102 |
Maryland-in-Sevilla | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Exchange, Affiliate, and Other Approved Programs
Students participating in UMD exchanges, affiliate, or approved programs are required to attend a pre-departure orientation.There are different sessions and time blocks for different regions and/or countries. You should attend the session for the location of your study abroad program.
Exchange, Affiliate, and Other Approved orientation sessions will occur in mid to late April, by term below:
Term | Date | Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Summer 2024 | To be confirmed: April 16, 2024 4-6pm Location TBD |
Term | Date | Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Fall/Academic Year 2024-2025 | To be confirmed: April 17, 2024 4-6pm Location TBD |
Additional Pre-Departure Events
Community Coffee Hours
Education Abroad is hosting the Community Coffee Hour event series to create a more inclusive space for students to build community around study abroad planning and experiences. We are inviting prospective, admitted, and returned study abroad students for an afternoon of snacks, beverages, activities, resources, and panel discussion facilitated by Education Abroad staff tailored to our LGBTQIA+ Terps and our Terps of Color.
Students of Color Study Abroad Community Coffee Hour
March 12, 2024 2:30 - 4:30 PM
HJ Patterson Hall Global Crossroads (outside the Education Abroad office in 1118 HJ Patterson Hall)
LGBTQIA+ Study Abroad Community Coffee Hour
April 2, 2024 2:30 - 4:30 PM
HJ Patterson Hall Global Crossroads (outside of the Education Abroad office in 1118 H.J Patterson Hall)
Supported by Dream of Coffee student organization.
Communicating Across Cultures
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Education Abroad will host an interactive event for students studying abroad next term. You should sign up if you:
- Want to make friends abroad and successfully build your global network
- Gain skills that will help you adapt to new environments;
- Enhance skills that are highly desired by employers such as communication and intercultural competence;
- Connect with other study abroad students!
*Online sign up required - stay tuned.
This event is optional, but encouraged.
Wellness & Study Abroad
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Could you recognize the signs of stress when you're in a new environment far from home and you want to take advantage of your experience? Have you thought about how to maintain your wellness while abroad? Join Dr. Petersen from the University Counseling Center and Education Abroad in a virtual setting to learn how to recognize signs of stress and effective coping strategies, hear questions from other students going abroad, and get your own questions answered for how to maintain your wellness abroad!