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International Travel Requirements

 

The University of Texas at Arlington recognizes the important role international travel plays in developing a global perspective and remains committed to keeping health and safety at the forefront and adhering to University standards for quality academic experiences abroad.  Participants are advised of the following requirements and considerations for study abroad programs.

International Travel Requirements
The University is committed to the safety and well-being of its students, faculty, and staff when they participate in international activities and realizes that some areas of the world present heightened health and safety risks. Countries that have U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings have been identified as regions which require special measures to mitigate risk and, in some cases, call for the avoidance of travel altogether.
 
Travel planned to destinations determined by the below criteria to be high risk will be required to follow the Restricted Regions process.  Information and request forms for travel to these countries can be found at the International Oversight Committee website.  

High Risk areas are identified as the following:
  • The U.S. State Department Travel Advisories:
    • Level 4:   Do not travel
    • Level 3:   Reconsider travel (note:  this includes advisory levels for sub-regions within a country, e.g., states in Mexico)
  • The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Advisory:
    • COVID-19 Warning Level 4: Special Circumstances/Do Not Travel
    • Travel Health Notice Level 3: Avoid Non-Essential Travel                              
  • The IOC has deemed significant health, safety, or security risks are present. 

These requirements also provide a reminder that it is the responsibility of UTA travelers to assess and mitigate health, safety, and security risks when engaging in University-sponsored international travel, including study abroad.  This includes pandemic, epidemic, and endemic-related risks and destination-specific requirements. 

All travelers are encouraged to continue monitoring the U.S. Department of State, Center for Disease Control, and country-specific resources prior to departure and throughout their travel for updated guidance.  Please also be advised that should conditions change for the study abroad location, IOC review may be required at a later date.

 
International Oversight Committee (IOC) Review and Decision Timeline
The IOC currently reviews IOC travel requests approximately 90 days prior to the program start date.  Students applying for exchange and affiliated programs to high risk locations will submit individual travel requests; faculty-led program leaders will submit a group travel request to the IOC on behalf of all program participants.
 
In addition to considering specific program details and arrangements, study abroad travel approval decisions will be made based on a variety of factors, and each study abroad program travel request will be independently reviewed.
 
This IOC review timeline and travel approval decisions are subject to change.  Programs approved to travel may still be subject to suspension before the scheduled departure, or participants may be recalled while abroad. 

 
Financial Commitments
Participants are encouraged to take the timeline outlined above into consideration when choosing to proceed with a program’s application and payment deadlines.  Some programs may allow additional flexibility regarding deadlines and financial commitments.  However, there may be some deadlines or payments required prior to UTA approving a particular program or student’s participation.  Participants must decide whether to assume the financial risk of continuing with the intended program under the current circumstances; UTA is not able to reimburse for any financial loss incurred because of payments required by the host program.  
 
The $75 Study Abroad Application Fee is non-refundable, even if the program is cancelled or the student’s participation is not approved.  However, if the student re-applies to study abroad for a future term, the second program application fee will be waived.  Reimbursement of program deposits and program fees are the discretion of the program provider, sponsoring college, school, department, or unit.
 
All program participants are further advised against making travel arrangements or purchasing flights until the travel request has been approved by UTA.  Participants are also strongly encouraged to purchase refundable or flexible airline tickets and/or supplemental “cancel for any reason” or “interrupt for any reason” travel insurance to safeguard against losses or penalties associated with withdrawal or future program cancellation.  UTA assumes no responsibility for such losses or penalties.
 
 
Required UT System Insurance Coverage
All students participating in a UTA Study Abroad program are required to enroll in the System-mandated insurance policy.  This policy is currently coordinated with On Call International as the emergency services provider.  The current policy brochure is available online.

Students are strongly encouraged to maintain their US health insurance while they are abroad in case they are required to return before their program is over for any reason, such as a medical emergency.  International students should also be aware they may need to retain US health insurance for visa and immigration purposes.
 
 
Personal Risk Assessment
It is the responsibility of the traveler to evaluate their own personal risk and determine if they choose to participate in the intended study abroad program.   Travelers with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illnesses such as COVID-19 and should carefully consider whether international travel is advisable at this time.
 
 
Participant Expectations
Studying abroad poses new and different challenges.  Students should carefully evaluate their willingness and ability to comply with evolving requirements for program participation. Students must be fully prepared to remain aware of the changing situation in the host country, and agree to take responsibility to ensure that they are acting in accordance with the rules, regulations, and recommendations of the host communities.
 
Those unable or unwilling to comply with host country guidelines and program rules and requirements may want to consider studying abroad at another time.  Failure to abide by any of the rules that are in place when on a UTA Study Abroad program will be grounds for dismissal from the program.  No refund would be available if dismissed.  Failure to abide by local regulations may result in fines, arrest, deportation, or a combination of these. 
 
Additional participant expectations while studying abroad are noted in the “Participant Expectations” document included with the UTA Study Abroad application online.
 

We are Here to Help
UTA Study Abroad remains available to help students preparing to study abroad.  Here’s how to connect with our team:
 
Schedule a virtual advising appointment online
Email studyabroad@uta.edu
Attend an upcoming event
Watch our “Study Abroad 101” video