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CGEE For Families and Friends

Emergency Phone

If your student is having an emergency abroad at any CGEE location, please call: +1-612-817-2830. This phone is staffed 24/7, 365 days a year by our Minneapolis staff members who can assist you in an emergency. 

Pre-Departure Websites & FAQ's

Please check out our location-specific pre-departure website guides (which your student will receive upon acceptance) to answer many of your frequently asked questions about CGEE's semester programs abroad. If you have additional questions not addressed by our online guides, we encourage you to reach out to us at globaled@augsburg.edu to be connected with a staff member for further discussion. 
 

Hear From Our Participants' Families

Parent Review: Study Abroad Cuba Trip
What an amazing, life changing experience it was for our daughter who participated in CGEE’s 10 day Study Abroad trip to Cuba (March, 2024). 

CGEE’s detailed powerpoint presentation and handouts included everything our daughter needed to be prepared prior to departure.  In addition to what to pack, lodging, transportation, detailed itinerary, it explained what to expect while navigating through customs in the US and in Cuba, and being placed in the care of the Liaison leaders from CGEE who would guide and support them throughout the entire trip. We felt very safe sending her with West Chester professors and the experienced leaders of CGEE.

And if the wealth of information we received in advance wasn’t reassuring enough, their well-thought out itinerary exposed the students to different regions and Cuban cultures, provided opportunities to meet and make connections to local communities and allowed for engaging activities that without a doubt would gain a deeper understanding of the world and the people in it, convinced us that this Cuba trip would be the best first study abroad experience for our daughter.

We were fortunate enough to be able to communicate with her throughout the week as she shared the many adventures she had and wonderful people she met. This same sense of calm and comfort continued when we were notified at the end of the trip that our daughter passed out due to intense abdominal pain, rushed to the clinic for medical attention, and later in the day treated for food poisoning. Nichole at CGEE kept us informed, stayed at her side the entire time, and ensured our daughter was in the best care possible.  She translated any examinations/treatments and remained in contact with us every 2 hours.  Nichole treated her as if she were her own daughter.  

We would absolutely recommend anyone going on an educational trip that is through CGEE.  It was overall a life changing experience for our daughter. We thank both CGEE and West Chester University for allowing this to happen.  She can’t wait for the next Study Abroad Adventure!

Finances

For any non-Augsburg student on an Augsburg CGEE Semester or Summer Program in Central America, Mexico, Namibia/South Africa, and Northern Ireland. Semester programs abroad billed program fees include tuition, full room and board, course-related excursions and insurance. Additional expenses include travel to/from the program site, personal spending money, and housing/food on scheduled breaks.

You should check with your student’s home school regarding which portions of their financial aid is made available for study abroad. A cost estimate may be required to account for any additional expenses related to studying abroad, and may result in a revised financial aid award.

Also ask about billing procedures. They will probably follow one of these options:
  • The home school pays the entire program fee and bills the student account per usual
  • The home school will pay the tuition and bill the student for this, and the student is responsible for paying CGEE the room and board expenses
  • The home school will transfer eligible financial aid to CGEE and the student/family pays any balance above and beyond
Payment plans are available upon request. This arrangement splits the balance due into payments made over the duration of the program.

Additional Policy Information

  • Admission: complete application form, provide transcript and signed approval from study abroad office at home school. Rolling admissions, students are admitted as soon as all application materials are submitted.
  • Deposit:  $350 to secure space in program, not refundable unless program is canceled.
  • Payment of fees: all fees due by the date listed in the program materials, with the exception of anticipated financial aid which is disbursed at a later date.
  • Transcripts: credit is transferred via Augsburg University transcript.

Insurance Information