Health & Safety

Health & Safety Checklist

• Meet with your doctor(s). Maintaining good physical and mental health and well-being are fundamental to a successful overseas experience. Schedule check-ups with your physician, dentist, and any other medical professionals you see on a regular or annual basis prior to departure.

• Make sure your immunizations are up to date. During your physician visit, be sure that all of your childhood immunizations are up to date, and obtain any required or recommended immunizations for your destination country. For the latest information on health conditions and immunization information in your host country, refer to the Centers for Disease Control's Travelers' Health website. 

• Develop a plan to address pre-existing health conditions while overseas. Even mild physical or psychological disorders can become serious under the stresses of life while overseas. If you have a pre-existing condition, discuss your treatment plan with your physician in advance.

• Prepare to manage your mental health abroad. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and traveling to another country and living in a different culture is not always easy. If you are currently experiencing emotional/relationship/family/academic problems or if you are seeking professional support or are on medication for depression/anxiety or other psychological concerns, be sure to speak to a counselor prior to your time overseas to address how you will best manage your mental health while away from home. If your mental health counselor determines that in-country care is needed while you are abroad, you should contact International SOS to identify resources and providers overseas. Please note that the availability and nature of mental health services vary by location.

• Plan ahead to receive any necessary accommodations. If you have a physical or learning disability that requires accommodation, it is imperative you discuss this with Disability Services prior to departure. The law and practice overseas with regard to accommodation for special student needs are different than the law and practice here, and it is important to find out what accommodations may or may not be possible while you are abroad.

• Pack all medications you will need while abroad. Do you currently take medications? Wear glasses or contacts? Use an inhaler? Bring an adequate supply for your entire stay, pack them in your carry-on, leave them in the original container, and carry a copy of your prescription. For extended travel abroad, it is often not possible to fill U.S. prescriptions while overseas, and it is sometimes illegal to ship medications by mail. Medications that are legal in the U.S. may not be legal overseas. Contact International SOS for any questions you have regarding bringing or obtaining prescription medicine overseas. Finally, please note that maintenance medication or medication used to treat pre-existing health conditions are not covered by your ISOS health insurance.

• Translate food or medicine allergies to the language of your host location. If you have a food or medicine allergy you are strongly encouraged to have your allergy translated to the language of your host location. You can consider purchasing a product such as a Select Wisely card to communicate your allergy.

• Be familiar with entry requirements to your host location. Your host location may require specific immunizations or have other entry requirements that you must follow prior to departure and on arrival. Entry requirements can change regularly. The most current arrival information for your abroad location can be found on the International SOS website. Visit Travel Restrictions, Flight Operations, and Screening for more information (Penn’s Membership Number Login is: 11BSGC000012). Remember that entry requirements, including any mandatory testing, vaccination or other requirements may result in additional costs that you must be prepared to factor into your abroad expenses. These additional expenses may or may not be factored into your program’s budget sheet. Consult with your Global Programs Manager for additional information. 
   

Health & Safety Checklist

• Learn and be respectful of the local laws of your overseas location. Laws and systems of justice are not universal and you will be subject to the laws of your overseas location. Do not assume that just because something is legal in the United States, that it is legal abroad.

• Take care of your physical and mental health. If you encounter any medical issues while abroad, contact  International SOS to identify a medical provider near you, or to access emergency assistance. If you are having difficulty adjusting to your host culture or are struggling with any mental health issues while abroad, don’t forget about the resources available to support you. Call or email Student Health and Counseling directly, or Penn Abroad can contact them on your behalf. Additionally, though availability and nature of mental health services vary by location, International SOS is able to direct you to a vetted English-speaking counselor in most locations.

• Maintain your sexual health while overseas. HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) exist everywhere in the world, but you control your level of risk. Be responsible and careful. Contraception may not be readily available so if you are sexually active, pack the appropriate contraception. Talk to past participants and staff at Student Health Services, Campus Health, and Penn Abroad to increase your knowledge about gender and relationship roles in your host country. 

• Always be alert and conscious of your behavior. Be discrete and conservative in your actions, dress, conversations, and with personal possessions and electronics. Always travel in pairs or small groups for personal or weekend travel. Do not walk alone at night. If you go out with friends, return with friends.

• Get to know the cultural norms and attitudes of your overseas location. It is critical that you have an awareness of gender roles, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race, and different religions within your overseas location, as well as local issues affecting your overseas location and its relationship to the worldwide political environment.

• Avoid environments that increase your risk while overseas. Stay away from demonstrations, protest groups, or other potentially volatile situations.

• If drinking, drink responsibly and avoid drugs. In many countries of the world, the legal drinking age is lower than in the U.S. However, just because you may be able to drink legally abroad does not mean that you should abandon your good judgment. Remember that most likely, drugs are illegal in your host country, and in some cases, the penalty for drug crimes can be even more severe. The U.S. Department of State outlines recommendations to help keep you safe when confronted with alcohol and drugs overseas.

• Be smart with money. Keep your money and credit/ATM cards in a secure location, only carrying as much cash on you as needed on a daily basis. When using ATM machines, be aware of your surroundings and preference ATM machines located inside buildings wherever possible.

• Communicate often. Develop a communication plan with your family so that they know how to reach you, whether it’s an emergency or just to check-in. When planning personal travel outside of your organized program, be sure to share your plans with at least one other person so that someone knows how to contact you.

While you are overseas it is important for Penn to be aware of your location and contact information so that we can contact you effectively and efficiently in the event of an emergency. For this reason, all Penn students traveling overseas are required to register in MyTrips. In addition to providing you access to important country-specific information about your overseas location and allowing Penn to contact you, your registration in MyTrips also activates your travel medical insurance.

In addition to registering your travel in MyTrips, Penn also recommends that all U.S. citizens register their travel online with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  Registration makes your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary for a consular official to contact you in an emergency. Non-U.S. citizens should contact their local embassy to see if similar enrollment programs exist.

Penn Abroad requires that all Penn students maintain medical insurance coverage that is valid in their home country, even when traveling overseas. In addition, all Penn students traveling on a Penn-approved program including a semester abroad experience, the Global Research & Internship Program, or a Penn Global Seminar, are also covered by Penn’s International SOS (ISOS) membership while abroad.  Penn’s International SOS (ISOS) membership includes travel medical insurance and evacuation assistance.  For a summary of ISOS member benefits, please follow this link to enter Penn’s membership ID and select “International Travel Medical Insurance Summary of Benefits and FAQs.”

Students with disabilities are encouraged to work with Penn Abroad and SDS as they plan their experience. Our office encourages students to seek out resources for students with disabilities and heed advice on requesting accommodations below. 

Contact the Disabilities Services three to six months in advance so they can share the experiences and information about accessibility in certain locations. Students are also encouraged to disclose their disability with their Penn Abroad Global Programs Manager to gain further insight into their program of interest and possible arrangements. 

Once you apply to a program, you should contact SDS again for assistance on how to navigate the process of requesting accommodations. SDS can provide a letter for the host program that outlines what accommodations Penn provides, which, in many cases, will be needed to confirm any disabilities. You will work with host program staff prior to and upon arrival to implement possible accommodations. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other American disability laws do not apply in foreign countries, host institutions may not be able to honor all requests. However, with early planning and support from Penn, you can have a successful study abroad experience worldwide. 

If you have any questions on how to request accommodations, please reach out to your Penn Abroad Global Programs Manager or SDS.

Maintaining your well-being is fundamental to a successful overseas experience. Schedule check-ups with your primary care provider and mental health professionals you see on a regular or annual basis prior to departure. If you have a pre-existing condition, discuss your treatment plan with your physician in advance. Even mild psychological disorders can become serious under the stresses of life while overseas.

If you are currently experiencing emotional/relationship/family/academic problems or if you are seeking professional support or are on medication for depression/anxiety or other psychological concerns, be sure to speak to a counselor prior to your time overseas to address how you will best manage your mental health while away from home.  For extended travel abroad, it is often not possible to fill U.S. prescriptions while overseas, and it is sometimes illegal to ship medications by mail. Medications that are legal in the U.S. may not be legal overseas. Contact International SOS for any questions you have regarding bringing or obtaining prescription medicine overseas. 

If you are having difficulty adjusting to your host culture or are struggling with any mental health issues while abroad, don’t forget that Penn's Student Health and Counseling remains available for you for crisis situations.  You can call or email directly, or Penn Abroad can assist in contacting them on your behalf. Additionally, though the availability and nature of mental health services vary by location, International SOS is able to direct you to a vetted english-speaking counselor in most locations. International SOS also provides mental health services conducted in english via virtual telehealth counseling. Virtual counseling services can be arranged ahead of time with international sos for students who anticipate desiring mental health support while abroad.

Visit our Diversity and Identity website for more information and resources.