Ecuador Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) Exchanges
Spring 2025

There will be a Pre-departure Conference held at the BU Study Abroad Office on Friday, December 20 at 2pm. The time and details of the conference will be sent by email. All BU students are required to attend.  Videos (Parts 1 and 2) are posted below for you to review.)

Please also note that this meeting is intended for participants of the program only. Due to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), parents/guardians are not permitted to attend this session.  In the event that any parents do come to the meeting, we will kindly ask them to exit the room regardless of how far they may have traveled to get to the meeting.  Therefore, please plan accordingly.  We do, however, encourage you to share relevant information about the program with your parents, as we understand that they may be curious about what to expect with your experience abroad.

All students that choose to book an independent flight are required to submit travel plans to BU Study Abroad. Once you have confirmed your independent travel, you must submit the details to the Flight Form in the BU Study Abroad application portal by DEC 20 (spring)/ JUN 15 (fall). Please keep in mind that late arrivals and early departures are not permitted.

Refer to the flight and arrivals section for more information.

MEDICATIONS & PRESCRIPTIONS:

If you take regular medications, the best course of action is to bring enough medication to last the duration of your program (if allowable). Consult with your doctors prior to departure to obtain the necessary supply of your medications, as well as copies of the written prescriptions. Many insurance companies offer vacation waivers to accommodate being out of the country for several months.

If for any reason you cannot be prescribed or transport a full supply of your medication, you will need to see a doctor in your host city to be re-prescribed. Keep in mind that you should not plan to mail any medications due to customs regulations.

International SOS can help you manage your plan for your healthcare abroad with expert advice on how to navigate the local healthcare system and with personalized recommendations based on your specific medical needs. Students should contact the International SOS 24/7 Assistance Center at +1 215-942-8478 or via the International SOS Assistance App.   ISOS can assist you to find out whether your medication is available in your host country and make a plan to avoid any disruption of care, including planning for healthcare needs and connecting you to quality healthcare professionals abroad.

DOCTORS & SPECIALISTS:

If you see a doctor or mental health provider for regular care in the United States, you will want to meet with your provider to discuss continuing your care abroad. As part of this conversation you may need to contact ISOS directly to find local medical providers.

ISOS can provide assistance with planning for your medical needs abroad, including:

• Availability of meducation, including shipment options and costs
• Standards of local medical care
• Confirming coverage of specific conditions or treatments
• Confirming insurance benefits
• Appointment scheduling assistance
• Filing a claim, or status of a filed claim
• Setting up guarantees of payment or direct payment to in-network doctors.

If you have any questions or need assistance preparing for your individual medical needs abroad, please contact Katie Mungovan, Assistant Director of Enrollment Services, at katiedoh@bu.edu. During your on-site orientation, you will also receive detailed information about how to access local health resources and what to do if you get sick.

GENERAL HEALTH PREPARATIONS:

Study abroad can be mentally and physically challenging, so it is important for you to prepare as much as possible now for your health and safety during your time abroad. We recommend that you consider the following:

• Make an appointment with your doctor for a checkup and discuss any medications you take.
• If you are experiencing any emotional, eating, or substance abuse issues, seek professional counselling and consider deferring your participation in an overseas program, if necessary.
• If you have had difficulties coping with change, stress or anxiety in the past (whether or not it was professionally diagnosed), or are hoping that time spent overseas will help you solve a problem facing you at home, or on campus, you should talk to a medical professional before studying abroad.
• If you anticipate needing any dental, optical, or other procedures, plan to have them completed before departure. If you wear contacts or glasses, plan to bring enough with you to last the full program.
• Take the time now to read the BU Study Abroad Health and Safety webpage.

• Consult the CDC website (specifically for "Extended Stay/Study Abroad" travelers) for country-specific health information. The CDC recommends being up to date on all routine immunizations for any travel abroad, and you should ask your doctor about any recommended vaccines or medications you may need based on your destination. Be sure to discuss these recommendations, as well as any other health conditions you may have, with your doctor before you depart.

If you have a mental health, emotional, learning, or physical disability that would require reasonable accommodations in order to complete the requirements of the program, you must obtain approval from the BU Disability and Access Services office (DAS), even if you've worked with their office previously. To initiate the approval request process, contact DAS at access@bu.edu or by phone at 617-353-3658. Please note that certain accommodations that you receive on your home campus may not be available at your program site, so the earlier that you are in contact with their office for advising, the better. The process for arranging accommodations may take several weeks. Please note that we are unable to accommodate emotional support animals in our international programs.

If you are currently consulting with a mental health professional, you must seek their counsel about the advisability of your participation in a study abroad program, especially as related to your adjustment to new cultural, academic, and housing environments and the availability of therapeutic or medical support while you are away from your home campus. If you have questions about the support available at your program destination, please contact your Program Manager.

Have you completed everything in Phases 1 and 2? Here is a self-check to make sure you’re on the right track. Make sure you’re keeping track of any upcoming deadlines and budgeting enough time to complete them on-time. If you missed a deadline, be sure to check in with your Program Manager and complete that task right away.

You should have completed:

(From Phase 1)

• Confirmed your participation via your BU Study Abroad Application, paid your program deposit, and filled out the accompanying online forms.

(From Phase 2)

• Attended Pre-departure Conference – DEC 20
• Submitted Flight Form – DEC 20
• Made any necessary doctors appointments and located your nearest travel clinic for immunizations.
• Made a plan for any medications, prescriptions or healthcare needs abroad
• Contacted BU Disability Services to plan for academic accommodations and other support services (if necessary)