Parents and Family

An Invitation to Parents and Family Members

I invite you to encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of the Education Abroad Program (EAP), the University of California’s central international study program.

For 46 years, EAP has sent more than 62,000 UC students abroad for an experience many describe as life-changing. This past year, more than 4,500 UC students participated in over 200 EAP programs in some 30 countries worldwide. Many were enrolled through EAP as full-time students in some of the world’s major universities.

EAP students take courses that are fully integrated into their UC degree programs. The wide variety of EAP programs includes year-long, one-semester, and summer study abroad opportunities that attract UC students majoring in a range of disciplines, including engineering, the physical and biological sciences, economics, environmental studies and other social sciences, communication, literature, history, drama, and art.

Many UC students use their EAP experience to develop proficiency in a second or third language, a proficiency increasingly important for employment in a global economy. Others take advantage of EAP research and internship opportunities that enhance their ability to gain admission to major graduate and professional schools upon their return to California. Many have praised their academically challenging and culturally enriching EAP experiences as important to their success as citizens in and contributors to a rapidly changing world.

The University of California makes sure that its EAP students have strong support while they’re studying abroad. It has Study Centers in all EAP countries, run by UC or local faculty and capable local staff. The Study Center staff organize orientations for arriving EAP students and help them register their courses, settle into their housing, and take advantage of the rich social and cultural opportunities made available by their host universities and communities. Expert EAP specialists also look out for students’ health and safety and are available on a twenty-four hour basis in the event of an emergency.

I encourage you to explore the wealth of information available on this website. I also invite your son or daughter to stop by their Campus EAP Office, where the campus EAP staff will welcome questions and help them find an EAP program that best fits their needs.

Sincerely,
Michael Cowan

Acting Executive Director
UC Education Abroad Program