International Travel by ECU Students

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Regulation is to establish requirements for international travel by East Carolina University (ECU) students for academic, research, clinical, or community engagement activities. Additional regulations may apply as well.

2. Student Travel Abroad – General Requirements for International Travel

• 2.1. All ECU Students traveling outside the United States for academic, research, clinical, or community engagement activities or receiving financial support from ECU for travel outside the U.S. must contact the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) at globalaffairs@ecu.edu or (252) 328-5829 prior to departing the U.S. in order to:
  • 2.1.1. Provide contact information while abroad, emergency contact information, and travel details including planned travel dates and locations through ECU’s online study abroad portal.
  • 2.1.2. Purchase international medical insurance from ECU’s vendor for emergency services or provide proof they are covered by valid insurance that meets standards established by OGA as part of an approved program run for international travel through a third-party provider;
  • 2.1.3. Participate in a face-to-face or online training module on safety and security abroad provided by ECU’s OGA; and,
  • 2.1.4. Sign an Assumption of Risk and Release form, which waives institutional liability for the risks and dangers associated with international travel. The employment status of the student (e.g. a graduate assistant) at the time of travel may make such a waiver inapplicable.

3. Student Travel to Elevated-Risk Countries or Areas

• 3.1. For purposes of this Regulation:
  • 3.1.1. An elevated-risk country is defined as a country for which the U.S. Department of State (DoS) has issued a pending Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory or for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a pending Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Health Notice.
  • 3.1.2. An elevated-risk area is defined as a state, province or city that is assigned a pending U.S. Department of State Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory, even if it is within a Level 1 or Level 2 Travel Advisory country, or that is assigned a pending Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Level 3 or Level 4 Health Travel Notice, even if it is within a Level 1, Level 2, or unaffected country.
• 3.2. University sponsored or approved student travel to DoS Travel Advisory Level 4 or to CDC Health Travel Notice Level 4 countries or areas is strictly prohibited. Students traveling to DoS Travel Advisory Level 4 or to CDC Health Travel Notice Level 4 countries will do so at their own risk and will not be sponsored by ECU in any way; students will not receive any academic credit or financial stipend (or other support) for such travel.
• 3.3. University sponsored or approved student travel to DoS Travel Advisory Level 3 or Level 4 or CDC Health Travel Notice Level 3 or Level 4 elevated-risk countries or areas is prohibited without prior approval from OGA and the vice chancellor who supervises the ECU program with which the travel is connected. Students who wish to apply for an exemption to travel to a DoS Travel Advisory Level 3 or Level 4 or CDC Health Travel Notice Level 3 or Level 4 country or area may do so by contacting the Office of Global Affairs at globalaffairs@ecu.edu or 252-328-5829 and initiating the appeal process. Through the University’s online study abroad portal, students will be directed to provide adequate documentation to the Office of Global Affairs that:
  • 3.3.1. Summarizes the major risks of travel to the proposed country or area and ways in which the student can mitigate those travel risks;
  • 3.3.2. Demonstrates that the travel has unique academic, research, clinical or community engagement value and that travel to an alternative location would not provide a comparable experience; and,
  • 3.3.3. Includes the signature of the student’s academic dean, indicating their awareness, support and approval of the travel.
• 3.4. For students participating in faculty-led study abroad programs proposing to travel to DoS Travel Advisory Level 3 or Level 4 or CDC Health Travel Notice Level 3 or Level 4 countries or areas, the faculty director may provide the required documentation outlined above on behalf of the program and all students participating in it.
• 3.5. The decision whether to grant an exemption to the prohibition on travel to a DoS Travel Advisory Level 3 or Level 4 or CDC Health Travel Notice Level 3 or Level 4 country or area is within the discretion of the Global Affairs Committee and the appropriate vice chancellor. Requests are to be submitted to OGA at least 60 calendar days prior to intended travel. If an exemption is granted, the student or faculty director and students must sign an “Assumption of Risk and Release Form for Travel to Elevated-Risk Countries” indicating that he or she acknowledges and fully assumes all risk related to the travel and that the University will bear no responsibility for evacuation in the event of a crisis or emergency.
• 3.6. If a DoS Level 4 Travel Advisory or CDC Level 4 Travel Health Notice is issued for a country or region with an active university program, that program will be cancelled immediately and the university will provide assistance to the students to return to the United States.
• 3.7. If a DoS Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Advisory or CDC Level 3 or Level 4 Travel Health Notice is issued for a country or region with an active university program, the Office of Global Affairs will contact student and/or faculty director immediately to inform them of the increased risk. The local situation will be monitored by the Office of Global Affairs. Students and/or faculty directors will be required to submit evidence that they understand the risks of travel and ways in which the risk will be mitigated. If the risks are deemed manageable by the Assistant Vice Chancellor and the appropriate Vice Chancellor, the local situation will continue to be monitored. If the risks are not deemed manageable by the Assistant Vice Chancellor and the appropriate Vice Chancellor, the program will be cancelled and the university will provide assistance to the students to return to the United States.