What Are High School Summer Abroad Pre-Departure Tasks?

As the parent or guardian of a teen traveling on a high school summer abroad program, you are crucial in helping your teen prepare for their trip, and that’s where pre-departure tasks come in.  

Pre-departure tasks are designed to ensure a seamless transition into the experience that lies ahead. They must be completed by your teen or both you and your teen.  

Continue reading for an overview of these essential tasks.

What Are the Pre-Departure Tasks? 

Pre-Departure Tasks include the submission of information and/or documents that will assist with high school summer abroad travel arrangements and help with the organization of your teen’s specific summer program.  

All pre-departure tasks can be found by accessing your Parent Portal. 

Here is a quick list of the general pre-departure tasks that must be completed for all programs:

• Passport Information – All participants traveling on a high school summer abroad program will need a passport prior to departing to a foreign country. CIEE needs to gather information about your teen’s passport. 
• Flight Booking – There are a lot of participants traveling on high school summer abroad programs. The sooner you book your teen’s flight (following our instructions), the better CIEE can plan for travel day support. For more information about flight booking, read our When Can My Teen Book Their Flight? blog post. 
• Health Forms and Information About Accommodations and Physical Abilities – CIEE’s U.S.-based team and local CIEE Staff need this information to ensure that your teen can be fully supported on program. 
• Full Tuition Balance – To ensure your student gets to travel on program, their final program balance should be paid by deadline. 
• Pre-Departure Orientation – Right before the start of your teen’s program, you and your teen will need to attend a virtual orientation hosted by local CIEE staff (from your teen’s host country). During this orientation, you’ll connect with the people who’ll support your teen on program (including CIEE Program Leaders) as well as other program participants and review important information before your teen’s flight. 

Are There Other Pre-Departure Tasks? 

Depending on your teen’s program, there may be a few other tasks that you will need to complete. For example, Language & Culture programs, which include tasks related to college credit and STAMP (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency). 

When Should Pre-Departure Tasks Be Completed? 

You should make sure that pre-departure tasks are completed by their deadline stated on the task (typically, in April and May). If your teen is accepted into the program after pre-departure task deadlines, the tasks should be completed as soon as possible. 

What Happens After All Pre-Departure Tasks Are Complete? 

After you and your teen complete all pre-departure tasks, you must make sure there are no other incomplete tasks in your account. Once all tasks are complete, you can start preparing for travel day! 

Learn more about travel day and what to expect as a parent or guardian of a CIEE Global Navigator.