We recommend Penn faculty, staff and students* defer all Penn-affiliated travel to heightened risk regions, particularly where Penn’s ability to provide insurance and emergency assistance is limited. Visit our announcements page for locations recently added to the list of heightened risk regions.
*Undergraduate students are not permitted to travel to heightened-risk regions without gaining pre-approval through the undergraduate travel petition process.
Undergraduate students* wishing to travel to a heightened risk location on a Penn-affiliated trip must complete the four steps of the undergraduate travel petition process as outlined below. Each step must be completed by the individual student traveler (if traveling alone) or, in the case of group travel, the trip leader who will be traveling with a group involving at least one undergraduate student. Please submit all documents to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu at least 4 weeks prior to the trip’s departure date. If you have a special circumstance and cannot adhere to this timeline, please contact us immediately.
* Penn Abroad students applying to an approved semester program or petitioning to participate on a non-approved semester program do not need to complete this process since it is already embedded within your study abroad application.
Individual Traveler
Please complete this form and submit all documents to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu at least 4 weeks prior to the trip’s departure date.
Group Trip Leader
Please complete this form and submit all documents to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu at least 4 weeks prior to the trip’s departure date.
Individual travelers should complete the Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability form for heightened risk regions. Group trip leaders should wait until their request is approved before asking each traveler to sign the form.
The letter of support must be completed and signed by the most relevant faculty member or senior academic/administrative officer from the department or college that will issue course credit, financially sponsor, or otherwise support the student's travel.
All documents should be sent to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu at least 4 weeks prior to the trip’s departure date.
CITRA will respond to your request within two weeks of receipt with either a final decision or a request for further information. When reviewing requests, CITRA considers a number of factors including, but not limited to, the academic value of the proposed travel, the student’s preparedness and understanding of the risks specific to the region, and whether the proposed trip complies with the applicable International SOS, CDC and/or U.S. Department of State guidance. Each travel request is evaluated on its own merit and risks are balanced with the academic value of the international experience. As needed, CITRA will call upon faculty and administrators with regional expertise to participate in the review process.
We strongly advise you not to confirm your participation on any trip prior to receiving CITRA approval.
The safety of Penn students abroad is a priority. CITRA will continue to monitor locations where travel approval has been granted. In the event the risk rating changes and/or the security environment deteriorates, CITRA reserves the right to rescind approval or revise the conditions of travel. Learn more about CITRA.
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