The following guidelines indicate all measures taken to ensure the health and safety of all of our students. They lay out the responsibilities of CISabroad, your (the student's) home college or university, your host institution overseas, you, and your parents, families, and/or guardians in helping to ensure a safe and healthy study abroad experience. These guidelines were formulated using the recommendations of the International Task Force on Safety and Responsibility in Study Abroad. If you are interested to learn more about the Task Force, please contact CISabroad.
The Center for International Studies (CIS):
1. Provides written information on safety, health, legal, environmental, political, and cultural conditions in the country where your host institution is located ("Host Country"), as well as general guidelines for safety abroad.
2. Provides a pre-departure orientation reviewing health, safety, legal, environmental, political and cultural conditions in the country where your host institution is located, as well as general guidelines for safety abroad.
3. Registers all CISabroad students through the US Department of State Travel Registration program. This means that the US embassies/consulates in the host country will be aware of our students’ presence and will be able to contact our students in the event of an emergency.
4. Provides accurate information concerning health insurance requirements and health care for each host country.
5. Maintains good communication among all relevant parties in cases of serious health problems, injury, or other significant health and safety circumstances.
6. Stays up-to-date on US State Department travel advisories and current news.
7. Provides a 24-hour emergency contact number for use in the event of crisis or emergency.
8. Provides you an emergency information card.
9. Provides affiliate universities with CISabroad contact information including 24-hour emergency contact phone number.
Your home college or university:
1. Considers relevant physical and mental health factors and other conditions, such as disciplinary history, when advising or recommending that students participate in CISabroad programs.
2. Provides pre-departure orientation to participants, emphasizing student responsibility for reviewing information provided by CISabroad and the home institution concerning health and safety abroad.
Your host institution overseas:
1. Informs participants about general safety issues with special emphasis on local conditions and customs through orientation on arrival and written materials as appropriate.
2. Monitors the safety of student housing and informs you of any conditions that may entail a different level of personal responsibility than conditions at home.
3. Provides information to you on available medical and professional services and emergency contacts.
4. Communicates promptly with CISabroad in case of major emergencies involving your health and safety.
5. Advises you and informs CISabroad in the event of civil unrest, including campus strikes, or natural disasters.
6. Assists students who have been victims of a crime and need to contact police or other authorities.
7. Passes on travel warning messages sent by CISabroad or home institution to all CISabroad students.
You will:
1. Read and carefully consider all materials issued by CISabroad and the Host Institution relating to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, and cultural conditions in host countries.
2. Consider their health and other personal circumstances when applying for or accepting a CISabroad offer of acceptance.
3. Make available to CISabroad accurate and complete physical and mental health information and any other personal data necessary in planning for a safe and healthy study abroad experience.
4. Assume responsibility for your preparation for the program and for participating fully in the CISabroad predeparture orientation.
5. Fully participate in the on-site orientation provided by the host institution.
6. Follow all procedures for obtaining host country health insurance and consider the CISabroad recommendation to purchase supplemental health care.
7. Abide by any conditions imposed by the airline carriers.
8. Inform parents / guardians / families, and any others who may need to know, about your participation in a CISabroad program and provide them with a copy of the emergency contact card.
9. Inform parents / guardians / families of host-country activities and travel plans.
10. Understand and comply with the terms of participation, codes of conduct, and emergency procedures of CIS and the host institution, and obey host-country laws.
11. Be aware of local conditions and customs that may present health or safety risks when making daily choices and decisions. Promptly express any health or safety concerns to the host institution international student coordinator and/or the CISabroad site director.
12. Behave in a manner that is respectful of the rights and well-being of others, and encourage others to behave in a similar manner.
13. Accept responsibility for your decisions and actions.
14. Become familiar with procedures for obtaining emergency health and law enforcement services in the host country.
15. Seek assistance from the international student coordinator at the host university and/or the CISabroad site director if problems occur that seriously affect their well-being.
16. Inform host institution of travel plans during your time abroad.
Your parents, guardians, and families will:
1. Be involved in the decision of your child to apply for and accept an offer of participation a CISabroad program.
2. Review the health and safety information and guidelines provided by CISabroad and engage your child in a thorough discussion of safety and behavior issues, insurance needs, and emergency procedures related to living abroad.
3. Read Safety Tips for Parents of Students Studying Abroad
Health & Safety
