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The Center for Global Education promotes international education to foster cross-cultural awareness, cooperation and understanding. Living and working effectively in a global society requires learning with an international perspective.

We promote this type of learning by collaborating with colleges, universities and other organizations around the world.
SAFETI Clearinghouse: Safety Abroad First Education Travel Information
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Resources for Program Administrators

About Health Services Abroad

Policy Information:

It is possible that students will need health care while abroad. What’s more, they may not only need health care at a program’s location, but also anywhere else the students may travel. Education Abroad professionals should learn about the standard of medical care, medical services, and health insurance coverage for all their education abroad programs. More importantly, they should have a plan to respond to serious illnesses, accidents, or other crises that might occur that would require medical evacuation from any location.

Students should also be informed about the following aspects (including differences that exist between the United States and other countries) of their health care abroad:

  • Student’s personal responsibility for her/his own wellbeing.
  • Medical facilities and standard of care and how to access them (equipment, automation of services)
  • Values (level of communication and cooperation between doctor and patient)
  • Assumptions about urgency (the point at which medical treatment is needed)
  • Methods (medical forms, laboratory tests, and prescribed treatments)
  • How to obtain care while traveling independently
  • How to request emergency services
  • How local medical care will be paid for
  • Contacting their doctor if they feel uncomfortable with the advice or medication given to them. (NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad for Advisors and Administrators, 3rd ed.)
Sample Forms and Documents: Web Links: