Before Departure (Handbook)

For students

• Make sure everyone is enrolled in UW Student Travel Insurance, which includes downloading and activating International SOS.
• Share the following mental health steps and checklist.
• Register for Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
• Double check any visas needed (note that requirements may be different for international students)
• All passports should be valid for 6+ months longer than the return date.
  • Encourage students to do this as early as possible, as many passport and visa offices are incredibly backlogged.
• Encourage travel clinic appointments for vaccinations if traveling somewhere where they are recommended.
  • The Travel Clinic at Husky Health offers pre-travel counseling, advice on needed prescriptions, vaccinations (fee-for-service), etc.

For your bookmarks

• Regularly check for updates regarding the itinerary country and take note of areas/venues to avoid.
  • U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory
  • Center for Disease Control
• Ensure everyone has access to the following contacts:
  • Local emergency number
  • In-country contacts/program director
  • Address/contact info of student housing
  • Nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate
  • Nearest hospital or clinic
  • UW Travel Emergency 24/7 Line: +1.206.632.0153
  • International SOS Assistance Center: +1.215.942.8226
  • Download our contact card with these important numbers, saved directly to your phone.
• Note the Civil Rights Compliance procedure and reporting requirements (Title VI, VII, and IX, which are similar to those on campus. You are required to report CRC incidents, even while running your study abroad program!).
  • Read over and use the following guide document to support you.

Download UW Third-Party Vendor Vetting Checklist

• Run any questions or concerns by the Global Travel Health and Safety Team (travelemergency@uw.edu).
• For students, include information regarding housing and transit for your students during pre-departure orientation, especially if they will be traveling unsupervised during free time.
• Check for specific warnings against certain kinds of transit or housing in your destination city (i.e. unreliable trains, taxi scams, unpaved mountain roads that may trigger car sickness).
  • Consult with your in-country partners for location-specific information.
  • Consult with International SOS for country and city-specific information related to safety.

Best practices for students

• Do not take unmarked taxis
• Use a reputable transit/rideshare service
• Maintain awareness of personal belongings on public transit
• Lock all doors after entering or when leaving

Eating and drinking

• Check to see if your destination has potable water. When in doubt, don’t risk it!
• If the water isn’t potable, make sure you and your students are brushing teeth and washing fruits/vegetables with only bottled or filtered water.
• Only consume food from restaurants that are reputable; don’t eat raw or undercooked meat.
• Have basic medication on hand to treat the basic symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea or food poisoning.
• If the illness worsens or a student becomes dehydrated, implement the procedure for a medical crisis.
• Make sure you set student’s expectations appropriately for the destination regarding food and water. If they will be eating a particular diet, eliminating foods, need to filter all their water, etc., they should know this beforehand.
• If a student does begin showing signs of illness, even if it seems common or you have “seen it a thousand times” in your own experience, remember that everyone reacts differently. Listen to your students and don’t be afraid to pivot to get them the help that they need, sooner rather than later!

Swimming in water

• Adhere to all signage.
• Do your research ahead of time. What are people saying about the location online? (reports of injuries, wildlife, etc.)
• Watch the locals and if no one is in the water, there’s likely a reason.
• Students should know to share their location with you and with friends if they will be swimming. They should not swim alone.
• Encourage students to feel for rip currents before jumping into open waters. The easiest way to do this is by standing so that the water comes up to about half of your calf. If you feel a sort of pull from the water, it’s likely there’s a rip tide or current.
• In case of being caught in a rip current, don’t swim:
  • Control your breathing and don’t panic.
  • Paddle slowly along the shoreline, parallel to land, until you escape the current’s pull.
  • When free from the pull of the current, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.

Contact UW Study Abroad Finance Team

• Be aware of the financial situation of the country before arrival:
  • How common are ATMs?
  • Will places take credit cards?
  • Is your card set up to work internationally?
• Make sure you’re aware of which vendors are being paid and how. Stay vigilant in tracking these payments to ensure no surprises when you arrive.
• If there are issues with a program card, be prepared to contact the number on the back of your card and tell them the type of transaction you were trying to make, the date, transaction amount, location, and any error message you receive.
• Many international hospitals require the bill be paid in-full before a patient is discharged. Students should contact International SOS and pay out of pocket if needed. They can file a claim for emergency expenses here.
• Do not pay for student’s medical expenses with your personal credit card and do not use your UW field advance card. It is very difficult to get third parties reimbursed for medical expenses.
• If you continue to struggle to make a payment, reach out to uwsafa@uw.edu.