From August 16, 2021, previous restrictions on University-sponsored International Travel are lifted for all members of the BU community who are in compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Students and employees traveling abroad should follow the registration and other requirements in the International Travel Risk Policy.

International Travel

Global Programs is here to support your research, work and travel abroad.

An important first step is to familiarize yourself with BU’s International Travel Risk Policy. The Policy outlines BU’s guidelines and requirements for University-sponsored international activity, put in place to help assure safe and successful work abroad for all BU travelers, including students, faculty, and staff.

Key elements of the International Travel Risk Policy for University-sponsored international activities include:

  • Registration of Travel: All student travel and staff business travel overseas must be registered through the International Travel Registry. The Policy strongly encourages faculty members to register their travel as well. This will allow us to reach you in an emergency.
  • Insurance: Don’t forget to check the overseas coverage of your medical insurance. If you are covered through BU, please note that the international assistance number is 1-804-673-1177. Callers from within the U.S. can also reach BCBS international services at 1-800-810-2583, Please see the BCBS Global Core website for more information. Students under BU SHIP would call Aetna/On-Call at 1-866-525-1956 (US) or 1-603-328-1956 when outside of the US.
  • Travel to High-Risk Destinations: Global Programs is happy to work with you to assess and manage risk at all destinations. More information about high-risk destinations.
  • Waivers of Liability: Undergraduate students must provide a completed Waiver of Liability to their sponsoring school/college/center/activity prior to leaving on university-sponsored international travel. Graduate students must only provide a completed Waiver of Liability to their sponsoring school/college/center/activity prior to leaving on university-sponsored international travel if their destination is high-risk. The Waiver of Liability – International Field Trip can be found on the BU Risk Management website.

Global Programs can guide BU schools and colleges on many aspects of international activity, including program development, risk assessment and management, operational logistics, and emergency response. Please contact Kevin Kugel, Associate Director, Health, Safety and Security kkugel@bu.edu, with any questions.