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Indiana University regularly monitors international information relevant to the safety of IU students
since their safety and security is of the utmost importance. In evaluating the safety of travel abroad on university-sponsored
programs, IU gives primary consideration to Travel Warnings issued
by the U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
 Guidelines:
Effective August 15, 2006, the following policy applies to IU students:
For University-sponsored and organized instructional programs, including faculty-led instruction
and other sponsored course work, for undergraduate and graduate/professional students:
Indiana University will not offer or support study abroad in countries
that are under a State Department Travel Warning. Requests for exemptions based on "special circumstances" are evaluated on a program-by-program basis through a process
established by the Safety and Responsibility Committee of the system-wide
Overseas Study Advisory Council (OSAC). For more information see:
http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/policies/warnings.shtml.
Upon advice of University infectious disease specialists,
and taking into account warnings from the CDC, travel to countries experiencing
serious outbreaks of infectious disease may be prohibited.
For individual travel by undergraduate or graduate/professional
students who plan to use funding from Indiana University to pursue research,
study or other University-related business:
The University will not provide funding for students to travel
to a country under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning that recommends
that U.S. citizens depart from that location or defer non-essential travel to it.
Undergraduate and graduate/professional students
who travel to countries for which other categories of travel warnings have
been issued must sign a waiver which should be submitted to the
department head to be kept in the student’s file.
Upon advice of University infectious disease specialists,
and taking into account warnings from the CDC, travel to countries
experiencing serious outbreaks of infectious disease may be prohibited.
Information on Travel Warnings:
It is responsibility of the sponsoring unit (e.g. Center, Department,
Institute, or School) at Indiana University to comply with and enforce this policy. Current information on travel warnings for individual countries is available at:
US Department of State:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/outbreaks.htm
Indiana University units that regularly send graduate students abroad may also obtain automatic email distributions of State Department Travel Warnings by registering at:
http://www.state.gov/www/listservs_cms.html
Providing Contact Information while Overseas:
While traveling abroad on university-sponsored or -funded programs, graduate students are strongly advised to provide information about their travel itinerary and contact information in the destination country to their sponsoring unit at IU. This should include hotel and personal addresses, mobile and office telephone numbers, email information and an alternative contact with an institution or individual in the country. Such information is necessary if emergencies arise either with family members in the US or with events in the country of residence.
In addition, graduate/professional students are advised to register upon arrival in their country of destinations with the United States Embassy. This can now be done on-line at: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ This is especially critical where the destination country is one in which current Travel Warnings exist and a “special circumstances” waiver has been obtained from OSAC as described above. In the event that issues affecting the safety of US citizens unexpectedly arise, the US Embassy needs up-to-date contact information for visitors in order to disseminate safety information, evacuation orders or other updated travel warnings.
Questions related to these policies should be directed to:
Paul Fogleman, Program Officer
Office of the Vice President for international Affairs
E-mail: pfoglema@indiana.edu
Phone: (812) 855-3948
Fax: (812) 856-8719
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