Health & Safety Strategy

The Office of Global Education implements the following protocols to maintain the health and safety of all Georgetown students studying abroad:

Additionally, Georgetown University endorses the recommendations of both the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice (new window) and the NAFSA: Association of International Educators’ health and safety task force findings: Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health and Safety  (new window)developed by the Interorganizational Task Force on Safety and Responsibility in Study Abroad.

  • Provides pre-departure orientation to all participants, which includes guidance on health, safety, and security strategies.
  • Monitors health, safety, and security updates from the U.S. Department of State, Overseas Security Advisory Council, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Directs all students to register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (new window). Registration will make a student’s presence and whereabouts known should it be necessary to contact them in an emergency.
  • Enrolls all participants traveling abroad for academic purposes in Georgetown’s comprehensive supplemental education abroad insurance, providing not only health insurance, but coverage for emergency assistance, evacuation, and repatriation.
  • Requires participants to register their program-related and independent travel with the International SOS MyTrips (new window) system. MyTrips is a secure online travel registration system that enables Georgetown administrators to proactively contact travelers and provide support in the event of an emergency.
  • Partners with International SOS (new window) to provide guidance and advice on worldwide travel, security, and medical issues.
  • Works with the Academic Resource Center (new window) to meet the needs of students with disabilities, accommodating them as fully as possible as they prepare to study abroad.
  • Prepares students for both medical and non-medical emergencies (new window). OGE provides all students studying abroad with Georgetown University Police Department’s 24-hour emergency phone number – +1-202-687-4343 – and OGE staff members are available to address student concerns while abroad.
  • Provides participants with a thorough set of safety guidelines, covering topics including, but not limited to, volatile political situations, sexual harassment (new window), protection of possessions and safe travel abroad.  Students are also reminded that, while abroad, they remain held to the Georgetown University Code of Student Contact, further encouraging safe and responsible actions while overseas.