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Emergency Assistance

Emergency Steps for 2023 Travelers

  1. Take whatever actions are necessary to assure your immediate safety.
  2. Call the local emergency number.
  3. Call CISI at 1-877-714-8179 (toll-free) or 1-603-952-2660 (accepts Collect calls).
  4. Contact UW Global Travel Security at travelemergency@uw.edu or 001-206-632-0153 for further assistance (or to report conduct/title-IX related incidents).

Students who received a waiver and purchased their own insurance should contact their individual insurance carrier.

Emergency Steps for 2024 Travelers

  1. Take whatever actions are necessary to assure your immediate safety.
  2. Call the local emergency number.
  3. Call International SOS by phone at +1 215 942 8226 or use the chat function in your ISOS Assistance app, downloaded during travel registration.
  4. Contact UW Global Travel Security at travelemergency@uw.edu or 001-206-632-0153 for further assistance (or to report conduct/title-IX related incidents).

Students who received a waiver and purchased their own insurance should contact their individual insurance carrier.

International SOS

For travelers in 2024, you have access to International SOS as an international emergency assistance provider. You should create and activate your International SOS account as part of your travel registration. Individual travelers who call International SOS to set up medical or security evacuation services shouldn’t have to submit reimbursement claims. International SOS membership provides access to emergency medical, mental health, and security services and evacuations. Travelers will have access to 1,000 International SOS clinics in 90 countries and additional local clinics that have previous agreements with International SOS. Travelers will also have access to online and app-based resources, unique to their itinerary location.

  • Phone number: +1 215 942 8226
  • Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by an ISOS service center.
  • Use the chat function in your ISOS Assistance app, downloaded during travel registration.
  • Use the “find a provider” function in your ISOS Assistance app to locate the nearest facility that ISOS works with.

UW Global Emergency

  • Email: TravelEmergency@uw.edu
  • Phone number: 001-206-632-0153
  • Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the UW Police Department.
  • The operator will collect information about the emergency along with your contact information and forward the information to the Global Travel Security team, who will assist you.

Be prepared to provide the following information if possible:

  1. Your name
  2. Return contact information
  3. Country and program of study
  4. Name(s) of persons involved
  5. Description of emergency
  6. Actions taken
  7. Assistance needed

Non-Emergency Assistance

If the incident is no longer an immediate or potential risk to health, safety or security, you can still call International SOS (for 2024 travelers) and report it to the Global Travel Security team during the next business day at travelemergency@uw.edu.

Counseling Resources

UW Counseling Center: Free, short-term counseling is available to UW students.
UW Hall Health: The Mental Health unit can provide more long-term counseling for a fee.
Crisis Clinic: 24-hour crisis line and community resource directory, +1.866.4CRISIS (+1.206.427.4747)
Harborview Center for Sexual Assault & Traumatic Stress (HCSATS)
Public Health Seattle and King County Planned Parenthood

U.S. Embassy

If you need to get in touch with the U.S. Embassy, use this resource to find contact information for the nearest location.

When you are in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. If you are arrested, immediately ask to speak to a consular officer. Under international agreements, the U.S. government has a right to provide consular assistance upon request.

The Embassy or Consulate can:

  • Provide a list of attorneys who speak English if you require legal assistance
  • Assist in contacting your family, friends or employers in the U.S.
  • Help you obtain money from your family in the U.S.
  • Monitor your health and welfare if you are in the hospital or jail
  • Replace a stolen passport
  • Help obtain appropriate medical care
  • Provide information about the local criminal justice system

They cannot:

  • Demand the immediate release of a U.S. citizen arrested abroad or cause a
    citizen to be released
  • Represent a U.S. citizen at trial, give legal advice, or pay legal fees and/or fines
    with U.S. governmental funds