Quick Links:
- Stanford International Travel Policy
- What to do in an Emergency
- Stanford Funding for International Activities for Faculty
- Stanford Funding for International Activities for Students
- Overseas Resource Center
- ISIC cards
- Passport Photos
- Vaden Travel Clinic at Stanford
- Bing Overseas Study Program
- Applying for a Visa
- UK Visa Requirements for US Citizens
- US Dept of State Travel Page
updated 03/25/15
Stanford Students Going Abroad
STEP 2 EDUCATE
Before planning any travel abroad, please research the safety issues in the country of destination
- U.S. Department of State's Travel Warnings and Alerts page
- Safety and Security tips for Students Going Abroad
Research the culture of your destination
Not only is pre-departure research crucial to planning, it can be what makes the difference between an ordinary trip abroad and a life-changing experience. The culture into which you were born is just one way of living; seeing how other people live, not only exposes you to new ideas and ways of being, but teaches you a great deal about your own culture.
Culture in General
The first step is to learn a little bit about culture itself and how to put the "differences" you will encounter into perspective. Here are a few resources we recommend:
- What's Up With Culture? is a website focused on training students to go abroad. It has been used by over 2 million students globally and is highly regarded.
- Culture Matters is another excellent resource. It was designed to help Peace Corps volunteers acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to work successfully and respectfully in other cultures.
The Culture of your Host Country
- Culture Crossing: This site has a good one-page "Culture 101," provides some specific cultural information (you can select your host country from a drop-down menu), and includes a "Connect with the Community" feature as well as a place to ask specific questions.
- US citizens: The U.S. Department of State website provides country profiles. There is a great deal of general information (climate, religion, economy, etc.) as well as a section on U.S. and foreign relations.
- International students studying at Stanford should look on their country's government website, and see how the relationship with the host country is described.
Questions to consider:
- What dress is considered appropriate in the host country, both in hot and cold weather?
- Are gender roles different than at home?
- What is the host country's impression of people from your country?
- What things can you learn/bring/do to show respect for your hosts and a willingness to learn about the culture? For example, who are some of the well known authors from your host country? Consider reading some of their works before you go!
- To what extent do people believe they can influence their destiny or change their environment?
- To what degree do people "speak their mind"?
- To what degree do people value the use of technology?
- What is the degree of comfort with risk taking?
- What is the balance between the individual's and the group's concerns?
- How are ethnicity and race viewed/discussed (or not discussed)?
- How is class measured/viewed/discussed (or not discussed)?
- How is time treated (for an event at 6pm, should you show up at 6pm or 8pm?)
Other informative links:
For maps see:
For up-to-date information on any given country see:
- Library of Congress
- U.S. Department of State
- CIA
- British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Australian Travel Advisory and Consular Assistance Service
- Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
For more general tourist information see:
- Travel Independent Information
- Virtual Tourist
- Lonely Planet
- Let's Go
- Students Abroad
- Global Scholar U.S.
- Rough Guides
- Transitions Abroad
