International Travel Risk Management

Global Learning, in collaboration with the International Program Risk Assessment Committee, supports the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff studying, conducting research, or participating in official university business abroad. 

International Program Risk Assessment Committee

The International Program Risk Assessment Committee (IPRAC), appointed by the Vice President of International Programs, was established to develop guidelines and policies to maintain the health and safety of WSU students, faculty, and staff participating in global learning. The committee meets as required to review and discuss policies.

GL risk management policies for students

• You must complete the Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability form in the Global Learning Program application located at myStudyAbroad by the application due date.
• You must observe the Student Handbook for Community Standards, which extends to study abroad locations, and you are obliged to participate in the program as designed.
• Any student who is a registered sexual offender or has current or pending felony charge is excluded from participating in study abroad programs managed by WSU.
• Any student with a sanction of disciplinary probation or suspension is ineligible to participate in global learning abroad programs overlapping the dates of their sanction. Global Learning confirms student eligibility for global learning through Community Standards upon application to the global learning program and at the end of the term immediately preceding the global learning program.
• You must maintain compliance with all university mandates.

If you do not meet all these requirements, even after you have been accepted, you will not be permitted to participate in your global learning program and will be subject to the Global Learning Cancellation Policy. Please contact your global learning advisor with any questions.

International Travel Registry

Your safety and security during your time abroad is important to us.

• Registration requirements
• Before you register
• Travel and health insurance
• For employees

The International Travel Registry (ITR) is a free (no WSU study abroad application fee) online registration system that provides a secure means of documenting the international travel plans for its students who are abroad during WSU-related, not-for-credit activities.

All WSU departments are responsible for ensuring students document their travel plans through the International Travel Registry.

Registration requirements for students

You are required to register if you are a student taking part in a WSU-sponsored, -affiliated, or -promoted international travel activity that is not for academic credit, whether the travel is as an individual or part of a group.

Examples of international activities that require registration include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting academic research in a foreign country
• Attending an international conference
• Traveling with a registered student organization (RSO) or student government
• Traveling with a WSU athletic team, sport club, or other WSU-affiliated sport team
• Any international travel that could be associated with your time at WSU via media, social media, your résumé or CV

Activities not requiring registration: personal or vacation travel or volunteerism that will not be considered related to your college experience.

Graduate student clarification

Graduate students taking part in a paid assistantship or time-slip appointment may register their travel with WSU Risk Management as a university employee. 

If you are studying abroad and earning academic credit, please contact Global Learning about applying through WSU.

Travel and health insurance

All students registering with the International Travel Registry will be automatically enrolled in comprehensive WSU International Travel and Health Insurance. Insurance cost is billed through myWSU. The amount billed for this coverage is based on the length, by day, of your experience abroad with a minimum charge of 14 days. The current charge (2022) is $2.20/day and includes COVID quarantine supplemental coverage.

WSU faculty and staff traveling with students will be enrolled in the same insurance as their students.

WSU provides emergency medical and emergency situation travel insurance to all faculty, staff, graduate student employees, and registered volunteers on work-related travel abroad.

More information on WSU’s comprehensive International Travel and Health Insurance Policy can be found at Searchlight Portal. Enter the following Group ID number: 100004CPPD16 to access the policy.

For WSU employees traveling abroad

WSU employees and official volunteers may receive information about international travel insurance from WSU Risk Management and Insurance Services. It is also recommended that individuals register their travel with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration website and enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Travel to high-risk locations

The health, safety, and security of students and faculty traveling abroad is a top priority at WSU. So that every Coug who wants to gain valuable international experience through study abroad, research, field work, internships ,or volunteer opportunities can do so safely, multiple sources of information are consulted to review a location’s risk. 

Faculty interested in developing a faculty-led program to countries with a Level 3 State Department Travel Advisory are required to submit a “Request to Travel to a High-Risk Location” petition and receive approval to continue the program development process. These petitions are reviewed by IPRAC.  All students, faculty, and staff traveling through Global Learning to a high-risk location will be required to submit a special High Risk Location Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability.  Current versions of these forms are available by emailing Global Learning.

When researching and assessing a program location country or region, WSU factors in criteria from government, insurance, and in-country resources.

• U.S. Department of State. Issues travel advisories for every country, including four standard levels of advice, risk descriptions and actions that U.S. citizens should implement to help ensure their safety
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices. Issues travel notices to inform travelers about current health issues related to specific designations and are categorized by Warning Level 3 (avoid nonessential travel), Alert Level 2 (practice enhanced precautions), and Watch Level 1 (practice usual precautions)
• On Call Insurance. Uses the Global Health Security Index Score

WSU Global Learning will also ensure that no programs are in breach of other formal U.S. government guidance, including but not limited to U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which issues comprehensive sanctions against countries that prohibit all direct or indirect imports/exports, trade brokering, financing, or facilitating against most goods, technology, and services.

Emergency contact information