Student International Travel Policy

Title:	Student International Travel Policy
Policy Owner:	Office of Global Affairs
Applies to:	Students
Campus Applicability:	All Campuses except UConn Health
Effective Date:	July 23, 2015
For More Information, Contact	Assistant Vice President for Global Affairs
Contact Information:	860-486-2908
Official Website:	http://global.uconn.edu/

REASON FOR POLICY

Global engagement is one of the four core values of the University of Connecticut, as presented in the University’s 2014 strategic planning document Creating Our Future: UCONN’s Path to Excellence. The University has long supported students as they travel internationally for credit-bearing Education Abroad programs, internships, research, service learning and volunteer opportunities, conferences, registered student organization activities, student groups affiliated with academic departments, and other non-credit-bearing University programs. The purpose of this policy is to facilitate the following objectives:

Ensuring student access to information essential to their travel abroad.
Assessment of any potential risks and appropriate actions to reduce those risks.
University awareness of when and where students are taking advantage of these Education Abroad and related opportunities.

APPLIES TO

This policy applies to all undergraduate and graduate students at the Storrs and regional campuses including the Law School traveling internationally for university-sponsored or university-related purposes. University-sponsored or university-related purposes include credit-bearing Education Abroad programs, internships, research, service learning and volunteer opportunities, conferences, registered student organization activities, student groups affiliated with academic departments, and other non-credit-bearing University programs. This includes the following:

Any travel in connection with activities for which academic credit is sought, including programs operated through UConn’s Office of Global Affairs: Education Abroad (OGA:EA), travel as part of a formal academic program or course of study, internship credit, and travel for independent study credit (including retroactive requests for academic credit).

Any travel for purposes of performance, sporting events, service learning, conferences, meetings, professional development or volunteerism organized by a UConn registered student organization or student group affiliated with an academic department of the University.

Any travel for which funding is sought through a University-administered account or a student government-administered account within UConn.

Any travel that requires travel approval through UConn Travel Services and/or that requires international health insurance through the University-contracted insurance plan.

This policy does not include student travel through a program that is administered by another organization that has not been vetted and approved by OGA:EA or does not have a formal agreement or exchange program with UConn.

This policy does not apply to students who make the personal decision to travel internationally on a program not affiliated with the University and use their own funds, or other non-University funds, to support this travel. That is personal travel. This policy does not apply to personal travel. Personal travel includes additional independent travel before or after travel for university-sponsored or university-related purposes that is not part of the official university-sponsored or university-related itinerary. University-sponsored international health insurance does not cover personal travel.

This policy does not apply to students of the University of Connecticut Health Center.

POLICY STATEMENT

Any student who travels internationally for university-sponsored or university-related purposes, as defined above, is required to register with the Office of Global Affairs: Education Abroad (OGA:EA).

Registration with the Office of Global Affairs: Education Abroad (OGA:EA)

Specifically, any student who travels internationally for university-sponsored or university-related purposes is required to:

a. University Registration. Register with the OGA:EA;

b. Health Insurance. Through the OGA:EA, register for University-contracted (or other suitable) international health insurance coverage;

c. Itinerary and Contacts. Submit up-to-date itinerary information to the OGA:EA, including personal and emergency contact information (both U.S. and international), host program/entity contact information (as appropriate), travel itineraries and international accommodations;

d. Updated Itinerary Upon Changes. Promptly provide updated travel itineraries and accommodations to OGA:EA as they develop, especially if/as these change during the course of travel;

e. Contract Requirements. Read and sign any appropriate contract documents (e.g. the Education Abroad Student Contract) that pertain to the Education Abroad program in which the student is participating;

f. State Department Registration. Register with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/step.html; and

g. State Department Acknowledgement. Acknowledge, via electronic signature, having researched and read any U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory for the destination country/countries. If the destination country/countries has a travel warning or travel alert and the University has reviewed and granted permission for the student to participate in accordance with the Policy for Education Abroad and Related Activities in Sites with a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning/Travel Alert, the student is required to review and sign the University’s Informed Consent and Release of Liability for Travel Abroad to a Travel Warning/Travel Alert Country in accordance with that applicable policy.

Conduct while Traveling for University-Sponsored or University-Related Purposes

While away from campus, students are required to honor the University’s Responsibilities of Community Life: The Student Code, as well as any appropriate contract documents (e.g. the Education Abroad Student Contract) that pertain to the UConn international program in which they are participating. Students must further adhere to the codes of conduct established by faculty directors, hosting entities/institutions, and/or professional practice applicable to the UConn international program in which they are participating. Students traveling internationally are subject to all local laws and to discipline under The Student Code.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary measures in accordance with the University of Connecticut Responsibilities of Community Life: The Student Code.

The University reserves the right to deny academic credit, funding or reimbursement for any student international travel that is inconsistent with published policies and practices.

RELATED POLICY

Policy History

Adopted: July 23, 2015 [Approved by the President’s Cabinet]

University Policies