Important Information for Students Traveling Abroad This Summer

A reminder that Harvard University requires ALL students who are traveling under University auspices (that is, receiving either credit or funding) to complete these three requirements prior to departure:

  • register the trip in the Harvard Travel Registry. This enables the University to locate you quickly and provide assistance in the event of an emergency (i.e. natural disaster, civil unrest, etc). Registering is required for all students traveling on trips funded or arranged by the University and strongly recommended for everyone.  Students should create a profile in the Travel Registry and then record their specific trip information and make sure the information stays up-to-date. 
  • review, sign, and return the appropriate Assumption of Risk and General Release to your sponsoring HLS program.
  • obtain a Harvard Travel Assist membership card and review the program’s services.  Harvard Travel Assist provides 24-hour worldwide emergency medical and evacuation assistance for Harvard’s employees and students traveling on University related activities. It is a supplement to (not a substitute for) health insurance and can provide medical information and evacuation services, emergency assistance (including translation services and legal referrals), and general travel advice, among other things.

 In addition, HLS students should review Harvard’s Global Support Services’ travel risk ratings.  Students who are considering travel to an area that is categorized as high-risk must:

This is necessary for travel in conjunction with courses or clinics as well as independent travel.  Please be aware that HLS may advise against — and may even withhold support for — travel that is deemed to pose excessive risk.

For more information on each of these steps, and traveling abroad in general, please visit our international travel webpage.

One more reminder:

(More information on these sessions here.)