Preparing for Education Abroad Opportunities

Introduction

The University offers many education abroad opportunities to enrich the educational experience of students. However, these opportunities require careful planning to minimize health and safety risks. For programs that are offered through one of the learning/study abroad offices on each campus, all planning arrangements are handled centrally through these offices.

Faculty/staff who offer education abroad opportunities outside a learning/study abroad office must follow the steps outlined below under "College/Faculty/Staff Responsibilities." Each UMTC college is responsible for keeping records of its faculty-led programs. The learning/study abroad office at Duluth, Morris, or Crookston is responsible for keeping records of its faculty-led programs.

Students must meet the requirements outlined under the section "Student Responsibilities" prior to participating in any education abroad experience as a University of Minnesota student.

I. College/Faculty/Staff Responsibilities

1. Stay informed about State Department and governmental health organization travel warnings, and other indicators of health/safety risks in the country/region or area where an education abroad opportunity is planned. Receive approval from the Education Abroad Suspension Committee, before offering an opportunity in a location subject to a travel warning. Further information, application process and requirements for the Education Abroad Suspension Committee can be found in the Administrative Procedure: Suspending Education Abroad Opportunities.

2. Obtain a signed release and waiver from each student participating in an education abroad opportunity offered by an individual faculty member or unit prior to the students' travel. The department or college keeps a copy of the signed release and waiver, and provide the original signed release and waiver to the learning/study abroad office on campus after all waivers for the program have been collected. These offices will maintain centralized records of University students who are participating in an education abroad opportunity, so the students can be identified and located quickly if necessary for evacuation or other emergency purposes.

3. Ensure that participating students as well as any staff/faculty leaders obtain the required international health insurance before participating in an educational opportunity abroad. If a program or course is offered for a group of students, make arrangements with the learning/study abroad office on campus to obtain health insurance coverage for all participants and include the cost of the insurance in the program or course fee. If students are traveling independently to fulfill independent study, directed studies or internship requirements, refer the student to the learning/study abroad office on campus so the student can purchase health insurance directly from that office. Document that the students have obtained the required international health insurance coverage.

4. Designate on-campus contact persons within the main department or college who are available to coordinate with the learning/study abroad office on campus if emergency circumstances arise involving students participating in an education abroad opportunity. Prior to departure, the college and the faculty member must develop an evacuation plan to remove a student or group of students from a country if a travel warning or other extenuating circumstances arise. The emergency plan along with students' emergency contact and insurance information must be on file in the department, the campus learning/study abroad office. The faculty/staff leaders traveling with students should carry this information at all times.

II. Student Responsibilities

1. Stay informed about State Department and governmental health organization travel warnings, and other indicators of health/safety risks in the country/region or area where the education abroad opportunity is planned.

2. Read and sign the University of Minnesota Release and Waiver for students participating in education abroad opportunities.

   1. If the opportunity is offered through your campus learning/study abroad office, complete application and confirmation requirements for your program including the Release and Waiver. Keep a copy of the signed paperwork.

   2. If the opportunity is offered through an individual college, department, or faculty member(s), download the Release and Waiver. After reading and signing the release and waiver form, give the original signed copy of the form to the college, department, or faculty member offering the opportunity. Keep a copy of the signed waiver.

3. Obtain international health insurance approved by the learning/study abroad office on campus covering the time you are abroad. (This coverage is in addition to regular U.S. health insurance coverage, which must be maintained to cover items such as pre-existing conditions prior to international travel and medical treatment for illness or injury occurring during international travel and requiring continuing attention upon return to the United States.) There are two ways to obtain international health insurance:

   1. For students participating in a program sponsored by the learning/study abroad office on campus, international health insurance already is provided and included in the program fee.

   2. If required international health insurance is not included as part of an education abroad opportunity through an individual faculty or unit, students must purchase the insurance directly from the learning/study abroad office on campus and provide proof of insurance to the home college.