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International travel is defined as travel to any location outside the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and therefore includes all international bodies of water and U.S. territories, as well as foreign countries. This broad definition is accepted by our insurance so that you have the same great health and evacuation coverage going to Guam as you would going to Antarctica or Germany. 

The University has a 鈥淒uty of Care鈥� to support its international travelers, both employees and students, when they travel abroad on any activity tied to their relationship with USF. The University has a complete suite of risk mitigation tools to support global travel including international health and evacuation insurance, a 24/7 international assistance line, risk review protocols, pre-departure orientations, and more.

Everyone who travels internationally must register their travel with USF. For faculty and staff on business travel, the primary registration portal is via a Travel Request in Archivum. For students, and anyone, such as faculty and staff, associated with student travel (aka Associate Travelers), the portal is through USF World via a survey that funnels travelers to a separate student-related travel registration process. USF Health student-related travelers must visit to complete their registration.

During the time between your start and end dates for your international travel, we have a greater degree of responsibility to help you, even if it is not during your actual USF activity-related time. You are always covered by insurance during this period, and you might travel to another country in your down time. If there is a natural disaster or you are injured, we still need to know your whereabouts to be able to help you so you can safely complete your USF experience. Also, some activities may not be approved by our insurance, and we are obligated to share that information with you. The global travel health and security insurance is paid for by the university during your period of official travel.

During a natural disaster and civil unrest, wi-fi is the first communication tool to fail. A cell phone that can send and receive international calls and texts is necessary for you to call us or for us to call you if something goes wrong. Generally, you can purchase existing plans for country-specific travel for anywhere between $40/mo to $10/day, or you can buy a disposable phone or SIM chip / card when you arrive in country. This additional expense can be well worth the investment. Be sure to check with your cell phone provider about their international cellular plans before you leave the United States. 

The $30 - $50 Safety and Security Monitoring charge is NOT for insurance. USF has already paid for international health and evacuation insurance for you. Like many services USF offers, there are associated costs that are not covered by tuition and student fees. USF Education Abroad is a self-funded entity and as such, this charge helps to cover the basic services associated with supporting services during an international experience.

A U.S. Department of State Risk Level 3 or 4 country means that the U.S. Department of State believes the risks of travel to the country/destination are heightened, and in some cases they do not want you to travel there. We have a Global Risk Assessment Committee that is dedicated to carefully reviewing travel to such countries. It does not always mean you can鈥檛 go as a USF affiliate, but it does help us do our best to see that you are safe and prepared when you do.

We are grateful that you have never had a bad experience. However, you still must complete the CANVAS pre-departure orientation. Much of the information you may already know, which means that you can likely complete the pre-departure orientation in under 30 minutes. The videos are optional and are designed to help you complete the online forms. Nevertheless, we are obligated to ensure that you have been offered all relevant information. You only need to complete this orientation once a year, no matter how often you travel internationally as a student.

It can be confusing because 鈥渟tudy abroad,鈥� 鈥渆ducation abroad,鈥� and USF World mean different things to different people. USF implemented Policy #10-507 to clarify that all types of international travel experience must be registered with the University and can include a research trip, a cruise, and/or a volunteer activity with a student organization. Any and all of these activities are referred to as 鈥渟tudent-related travel.鈥� Simply put, it means any international travel tied to your status as a student at USF, USF must do more to support you when you go abroad. This is USF鈥檚 鈥淒uty of Care.鈥�

The Education Abroad Office maintains the student-related travel database. Even when you are not participating in a sponsored Education Abroad program, you will still use their portal for registration. Since the database was already developed in support of student travel, it was easy to make it accessible to all types of student-related travel.

Specifically for conference travel, a faster and easier registration process called the Express Travel Registration was developed. If you have all of your information together, that process will take about 30 minutes to complete.

School in general can be stressful, and we get it. But having an accident, getting robbed, or becoming ill while abroad can be a lot more stressful. The hour or so to complete the forms is well worth being prepared.

If you do not complete the registration process, you and/or your student group are not authorized under USF Policy #10-507 to travel internationally. This means that no credit can be given to you, no USF funds including grants, scholarships, or financial aid can be used towards the travel, and no material gain or research can be gathered and used towards the completion of your degree.

Your professor is completing his or her own registration, and he/she will be describing the travel to us 鈥� you do not need to do that when a staff or faculty member is associated with your travel. This actually makes the number of forms to complete far fewer for you. Professors and other types of trip leaders will also use this information to make a safety plan with you and establish program safety guidelines, such as using a buddy system and sharing phone numbers.

If you are leaving the U.S. for any activity related to your status as a USF student (internship, research, practicum, course credit, community service, etc.) even if to your home country, you are required to register your travel with USF World (USF Policy #10-507). This is in addition to the for a study or research abroad approval.

To find out more visit the iStart home page, contact the Office of International Services directly, or email GlobalTravel@usf.edu. You can also visit the international students section of the Frequently Asked Questions page.

If you are not earning credit, not on a USF department Travel Request, and not using any USF funds such as research money or scholarships, you do not need to register. This includes work experience, vacation, or online courses taken while abroad (that are fully online). However, please still check with International Services before you travel to make sure your visa status is up to date.

Either way, please be sure to check with the consulate of the country you are planning on traveling to in order to verify the visa requirements and processing time.

USF World serves as the student registration portal for all USF related international travel, even when you are not traveling on a USF-sponsored Education Abroad Program.

USF implemented Policy #10-507 to clarify that all types of international travel experiences must be registered with the University including a research trip, a cruise, and/or a volunteer activity with a student organization, among others. Any and all of these activities are referred to as 鈥渟tudent related travel.鈥� Simply put, it means any international travel tied to your status as a student at USF 鈥� and because it is tied to your status, USF must do more to support you when you go abroad. This is USF鈥檚 Duty of Care.

If you are traveling under a USF Department Travel Request, you must register. But, because you are returning to your home country, parts of the registration process have been modified to simplify the process. In many cases you can use the Express Travel Registration Process.

If you are traveling internationally on an activity as a student at USF for credit, we still need to have certain basic information on file to be able to assist you in the event something goes wrong. The expectation is that USF will continue to support you so that you have a successful experience abroad and return safely to campus to complete your studies. To support you, we require basic information such as your address and phone number abroad, an emergency contact, and a basic itinerary of activities. This is required if you are traveling to your home country or any other outside of the United States on a USF-affiliated trip.

You are not paying for international health and evacuation insurance. USF has already paid that on your behalf. It is more comprehensive than national health care. It provides travel support during civil unrest and natural disasters, and a level of health care that may not be available to you in your home country. The $30 - $50 Safety and Security Monitoring charge is NOT for insurance.  Like many services USF offers, there are associated costs that are not covered by tuition and student fees. USF Education Abroad is a self-funded entity and as such, this charge helps to cover the basic services associated with support services available during your time abroad.

You can certainly rely on your home country benefits, but this extra insurance could come in handy. For example, it includes a medical evacuation component that can be used to upgrade airline seating if you should need extra space upon your return to USF (e.g. an injured leg). You are also eligible for continued medical services upon your return to the United States in the event of an injury sustained while abroad.

You must complete the CANVAS pre-departure orientation to confirm you have a full understanding of the risk mitigation protocols available to you while you are away from USF. We have made it easy to navigate so you only need to answer a few questions to confirm you understand how USF can assist you outside of the United States. Much of this information you may already know, but we are obligated to make sure you have been offered all of the information. It describes your benefits and your rights as a USF student in your home country.

iStart only concerns your visa and immigration status. USF World still needs basic information about where you plan to stay, your emergency contact, and how to reach you in an emergency. This information is not collected on the iStart form.

If you do not complete the registration process, you are not authorized under USF Policy #10-507 to travel internationally for an experience related to your status as a USF student. This means that no credit can be awarded, no USF funds including grants may be utilized, no scholarships, or financial aid may be used towards the travel, and no material gain or research can be gathered and used towards the completion of your degree.