What's Included

Students receive on-site spiritual support from a Veritas Mentor who helps them grow spiritually during their time abroad. Students meet weekly with a Veritas Mentor as a group for a time of fellowship, community, and support. The Veritas Mentor also helps students engage with the local community by connecting them with a local church and other ministry opportunities.

A team of helpful TEAN staff members is here to support you through the entire study abroad process, from finding the perfect program through re-entry. The Program Advisors will help you choose your program based on your unique objectives. Once you’ve selected your program, you will work with your Program Manager on the application process as well as pre-departure forms and finances. Your Program Manager will also assist with academics, housing, visas, and city-living/cultural guidance. 

In addition to individual advising, you will receive virtual resources to help prepare you for your time abroad. This includes the TEAN Student Portal, which houses your program application, pre-departure forms/resources, and the online orientation. The online orientation is a pre-cursor to the on-site orientations and offers city-specific resources about living in your host city, communication, packing, diversity abroad, how to be academically successful, and more.

Tuition and administrative fees at the host university are included in the program price. Classes are held at the host university and are taught by local and/or visiting faculty. Some classes will have additional fees that are not included in the program price.

 

Upon completion of the TEAN program, your host university will issue an official transcript with all coursework taken abroad. TEAN's Academic Records Department will process and forward the official transcript to the appropriate office at your home university, and a photocopy will be sent to your permanent home address for your records. TEAN will provide a cover letter to accompany the transcript with important academic information, including the host university's grading system and recommended U.S. letter grade equivalencies, translated course titles, and credit conversion recommendations.

Housing is guaranteed and included in the price of all TEAN programs, with the exception of Pacific programs, in which housing is offered at an additional cost. Accommodation options will vary according to program site and session. For more details about TEAN's housing options and applicable security deposits, please refer to the housing tab for your program of interest.

The possibility for included meals and/or laundry services vary per location and housing option. Meals and laundry services are provided with most homestays to a degree. For more details, please refer to the housing tab for your program of interest.

The Bridging Cultures Orientation will be delivered to you in the first few days of your time abroad. It is designed to prepare you for a successful, positive, and rewarding experience that will influence the rest of your life. This is accomplished through introducing you to your host city’s culture and infrastructure as well as through goal setting, intercultural awareness, diversity and professional development activities.

The full-time resident staff is available to assist you with all aspects of your experience abroad. The resident staff provides support during official course registration and arranges the Bridging Cultures Program orientation, excursions, weekly meetings, cultural activities, and much more. Staff members are trained to ensure the well-being of each program participant and are dedicated to facilitating a positive and meaningful study abroad experience.

Most program locations have an on-site TEAN office within the program city. The on-site offices provide you with an additional comfortable space in the city and serve as a common meeting place and resource center.

As an TEAN student, you will enjoy free internet access at TEAN on-site offices, computer labs at the host university, and/or your TEAN housing.

Organized excursions are included with each program to complement the academic component of your abroad experience. These complementary experiences are designed to engage student learning outside of the classroom in the five areas of the Discovery Model. Transportation and guided tours are included, as well as hotel accommodations and breakfast during multi-day excursions. Additional optional excursions may be offered during each program that are not included in the program cost.

Excursions are not included for Intensive Month, J-Term, and some summer sessions.

TEAN programs facilitate learning and development through co-curricular activities. We rely on host universities to provide quality instruction in the classroom, but TEAN is the main facilitator of learning outside of the classroom. Efforts to promote student learning are shaped by a teaching and learning framework we call the TEAN Discovery Model.

According to this model, student learning and development is organized into five areas of discovery: 1. Intercultural, 2. Historical, 3. Sociopolitical, 4. Professional and 5. Environmental

Throughout the duration of your TEAN program, we provide you with the opportunity to pursue these five areas of discovery through the Bridging Cultures Orientation, excursions, cultural activities, and references to non-TEAN sponsored events and opportunities.

The TEAN program staff develops unique cultural activities custom-designed to invite you to experience the local color of your host city, while learning about the history and culture of your new surroundings. Speaking the native language with locals, tasting the regional cuisine, and partaking in the native traditions are only a few of the ways these cultural activities lead to full appreciation of the program city.

A Blanket Accident and Sickness Policy is included in the program and covers you during the official on-site period of the program. This is not an optional benefit; every TEAN participant will be covered by this policy. A full description of coverage can be found on the TEAN website.

We recommend that you maintain comprehensive health insurance while abroad. This is particularly important if you have any pre-existing conditions but is also beneficial if you have an injury or illness while abroad and require further treatment upon your return home. Please be sure to consult with your current insurance provider to confirm coverage policies while traveling abroad.

Health, Safety, and Security (HSS) for TEAN students is jointly managed by our resident staff and HSS team. This team works to monitor risk at program locations, respond to any crises that may arise, and develop policies to further ensure the health, safety, and security of students abroad with TEAN.

24-Hour Emergency 

Program participants are given contact information for onsite staff members who are available 24/7 in cases of emergency. Students in need of urgent assistance should first contact local TEAN staff. If the person reporting an emergency does not know the TEAN onsite staff contact information, they may reach the TEAN U.S. office at 800.585.9658 or 312.239.3710 during regular hours (Mon – Thurs: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm CST, Fridays: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm CST).

Upon receiving an emergency call, TEAN will activate our emergency response protocol which will include communications with relevant stakeholders, typically including the participant’s emergency contact/s and home university staff. In the event that medical care is required, TEAN can assist the affected participant through insurance protocols.

Ground transportation is provided from the airport as long as you arrive during the TEAN designated arrival date and time and at the appropriate airport. Upon acceptance into your program, you will receive the “How to Book Your Flight” form which outlines the specific details for airport reception.

Airport reception is not provided for most Intensive Month or J-Term programs.

Your TEAN Program Manager will be available to help you with the visa process for your program country, if applicable. They will provide resources, guidance on necessary steps to obtain your visa, and deliver supporting visa application materials to you as needed.

The Professional Development Toolbox, available in the online orientation section of the student portal, will help you identify the skills and key competencies you have developed through your personal, academic, and cultural experiences. This toolbox helps you to articulate the transferable skills developed through study abroad in a way that shows potential employers or post-graduate universities the benefits our you will provide them as a direct result of your experience abroad.

All students should have the opportunity to study abroad. To help make this a reality, TEAN offers a variety of generous scholarships – from $1,000 to $5,000 and even an annual full scholarship – to help significantly cover study abroad costs! Check out the current scholarships to see what’s right for you! 

 

Please see the Funding Your Program page to find information on scholarships, budgeting & expenses, and other resour