Students with Disabilities

Guidelines for Students with Disabilities Studying Abroad:

• Disclose your disability-related accommodation needs to program staff soon after you have been accepted into a program so appropriate arrangements can be addressed in advance.
• Remember that other cultures may provide disability access in a different way.  Learn about what types of accommodations are provided in your host country, and be open to different ways of accommodating your disability.
• Be flexible with your country or program selections due to the potential lack of accommodation services.  Have some backup programs in mind.
• Find out as much as you can in advance about your host culture and how they view disability by reading and talking to other students.  The more you know, the better prepared you will be to interact in the new environment.
• Think about how you will answer questions about your disability in the language of the host country.  Look up key vocabulary words ahead of time.

Resources for Study Abroad Students with Disabilities:
Mobility International USA: http://www.miusa.org
Access Abroad: http://umabroad.umn.edu/access