Return

Contact your academic advisor to ensure that your academic record and course registration are accurate. Your academic advisor can also assist you by advising on holds on your record, if any.

Stay aware of the university’s academic calendars so that you can make appropriate travel arrangements and not miss your first day of class.

If you need to live on campus when you return, be sure to apply for on-campus housing by the housing application due date and submit the housing deposit.

If you are a Gilman Scholarship winner, notify [email protected] of the date you have ended your study abroad and returned to the United States, so that we can confirm the completion of your program on your Gilman record.

Confirm with your host university/study abroad program provider that your study abroad transcripts have been issued to The New School’s Registrar’s Office. If you studied with a New School exchange partner institution, your transcripts will be issued automatically.

All transcripts and any transfer credit evaluations must be received by the Registrar’s Office by the end of the semester following your study abroad. Review the Transfer Credit procedures for further details, and contact your study abroad advisor if you have any questions. If you are trying to confirm receipt of a transcript by the Registrar’s Office, contact the registrar.

Check in with the Office of Financial Aid to update your financial aid information if necessary. Also be sure to update your health insurance information with Student Health Services if you need to re-enroll in the New School Student Health Insurance Plan or submit a waiver request if you have eligible alternative coverage.

International students should inform the International Student and Scholar Services office if there have been any changes to their passport information or their F or J visa.

To share the benefits of your study abroad experience with your fellow students, consider applying to be a Global Peer Ambassador. You may also be interested in pursuing further international endeavors and are encouraged to explore additional global opportunities.

Reflect on the positive gains from your study abroad and be aware of reverse culture shock as you complete your transition back to life in the United States. See below for more details.

Reverse Culture Shock
Returning home from studying abroad can be a challenging time, but it can also be a time when students learn the most from their intercultural experience. Some study abroad returnees re-acclimate with ease, but most experience some degree of stress upon returning home. In fact, for many students the process of adapting to life at home after studying abroad is more difficult than adjusting to the host culture.

Personal Growth and Change
Students may have experienced challenges to their beliefs, convictions, values, and worldview while immersed in a different culture. They also may have experienced more academic freedom and personal independence while abroad, contributing to more self-confidence. Most will undoubtedly have changed in numerous ways. One of the significant challenges of re-entry is having to adjust your new self to your old context. A feeling of disorientation is a common experience for returnees during this time.

New Knowledge and Skills
Just as your attitudes changed while you were abroad, you probably developed new knowledge, skills, and behavior patterns. For example, you developed competencies that helped you survive everyday life overseas — such as learning to navigate new cities and environments, to act in a culturally appropriate manner, and to converse about new subjects — and, of course, foreign language skills. Other new competencies may include insights into and knowledge about your academic interests, your professional goals, and new research methods and enhanced problem-solving skills. Some returnees are frustrated if these skills are less useful once they are home.

Relationships with Family and Friends
Some study abroad returnees indicate that the most complicated issue to deal with upon return is relationships with family and friends. It is important to realize that others might have changed as well while you were abroad. Many returnees describe feelings of incongruity, and some feel pressure from family and friends to return to being the person they were before studying abroad. Perhaps the most difficult and most common aspect of this issue is describing your overseas experience to others. Beyond general inquiries and questions, friends and family may not appear interested in understanding your experiences and their impact.

Remember that the symptoms of reverse culture shock are normal, and not all students experience reverse culture shock in the same way. If you're struggling with being back in your home country, consider meeting with a counselor at Student Health Services. You might also find the resources in the Abroad Worldwide Handbook to be helpful.