Health, Travel & Safety Policies
All students must review the study abroad policies before applying to study abroad. Students who fail to review these policies will not be informed of important issues related to Tulane's study abroad programs.
International SOS Scholastic Traveler Assistance Plan
 Tulane has subscribed to the International SOS Scholastic Traveler Comprehensive Plan, which covers all Tulane faculty, staff and students while outside the USA on University business or with a University-sponsored program. This assistance program, managed and administered by International SOS, provides international medical, security and travel assistance, including both medical and security evacuations.
Please note: International SOS is an assistance program, not health insurance.While the International SOS policy offers useful services during an emergency, it does not replace the need for health insurance while overseas.
To access the Tulane International SOS site, go to
http://aurora.tcs.tulane.edu/sos/login.cfm and login using your Tulane userID and login (the same used for your Tulane email account).
For visitors without a Tulane login, visit www.internationalsos.com.
Tulane Policy on Undergraduate Travel Abroad
U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings
Tulane University strongly encourages students to have some international experience during their undergraduate years. However, we must balance our support with concern about the safety of such travel. While all international travel carries a certain level of risk, in many cases very low, Tulane University has taken the decision to withhold sponsorship of undergraduate activities in countries identified as potentially very dangerous. We use the Travel Advisories of the U.S. Department of State as a guide to determining where Tulane University will not sponsor undergraduate activities.
Tulane University will not grant sponsorship, funding or credit for undergraduate study abroad, internships, research, volunteering, or other activities (e.g. sports clubs, music groups) in countries on the U.S. State Department's Current Travel Warnings list . For countries on this list, the State Department warns U.S. citizens against travel or to defer travel there, may recommend that all Americans in the country leave, and may order the departure of dependents and non-emergency personnel. State Department consular information sheets for every country of the world are also available on this Web site. They are an excellent source of information and we recommend that participants and their families consult them when choosing a program, before departure, and while the student is abroad.
Health Alerts
In addition, Tulane University reserves the right to withhold sponsorship of undergraduate travel to or activities in any country or region which is experiencing a serious and uncontrolled infectious disease outbreak or other serious health hazard. The recent SARS epidemic is an example of such a case. We will base such a decision on information from the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other sources.
Tulane University also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to withhold sponsorship or cancel a program or trip for other safety reasons.
The decision to withhold sponsorship can be made up until the day of travel and a lifting of the warning or other safety concern has to take place 30 days prior to departure for the university to sponsor the activity.
If a health or safety warning of the type described above is issued while a student is abroad on a Tulane-sponsored trip in that region or country, the OSA will gather information from official sources and on-site staff and coordinate a University response. This response may range from issuing information and advice to students and their emergency contacts to calling for the immediate departure of the student.
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Health Insurance, Check-ups & Vaccinations
Pre-departure Check-ups
All students participating in Newcomb-Tulane programs are required to hand in a completed physician's statement before the final approval of their application. The goal of this requirement is not to eliminate students from program participation but to identify and design a treatment plan for any medical/psychological conditions that may affect them while abroad. We recommend but do not require that students have complete physical and dental examinations before departure. We are very concerned that students think through their needs for on-going medical, dental, or psychological services and prepare to handle them while abroad. In particular, the range of counseling services available to students on Tulane's campus is generally not available overseas.
Health Insurance
All students participating in Tulane study abroad programs are required to have health insurance while overseas. Just as is the case when they will be taking courses on campus, students must either enroll in the Tulane University Insurance Plan or decline that coverage in writing and supply proof that they have another policy. Whatever option your family chooses, please find out the extent of coverage that will be offered while your child is abroad. Many plans offer only emergency coverage outside of the United States. You may wish to purchase supplementary insurance. Students may opt to enroll in an HTH health insurance program through OSA for a fee of approximately $35/month. Please note that this policy covers students only while abroad and not during return visits to the United States.
Vaccinations
Immunization requirements and health conditions vary widely by country. You should check the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date information on the country and area to which your child will be traveling. The Tulane Student Health Center provides immunizations for a fee through its Travel Clinic.
Information is also available at the International SOS site.
Prescriptions
Prescriptions written in the United States cannot be filled abroad. Your child should request authorization from their doctor and insurance company to obtain a supply sufficient for the time they will be abroad. Prescription medications should be carried in their original, labeled bottle. In addition, your son or daughter should have the written prescription on hand in case a customs officer asks to see it. Do not plan on sending prescriptions through the mail as many countries restrict, prohibit, and/or place very high customs duties on such shipments, even when obviously intended for personal use. We recommend that students who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses take an extra pair.
THE ROLE OF THE OSA IN STUDENT SAFETY ABROAD
We begin to focus students' attention on matters of safety and security during the pre-departure orientation programs where they receive information specific to their destinations. The OSA staff maintains contact with students throughout their stay abroad via their Tulane e-mail accounts. We ask that students give us their new contact information upon arrival so that we can construct current emergency contact lists.
The OSA staff in New Orleans maintains frequent contact with Tulane's residential directors in Italy, France, and Spain as well as with program heads in foreign host institutions. Our correspondence includes the exchange of emergency contact information, the resolution of any problems student participants may be experiencing, and the monitoring of security conditions at each site. We stay abreast of security updates released by the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov) and program heads supply us with more specific information on conditions in their overseas locations. Each program site has developed protocols for student security in case of emergency.
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