The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority. Every effort is made to ensure that all members of the UNM community who travel abroad have the resources and information they need for a successful international experience. Though absolute safety cannot be guaranteed abroad, just as it cannot be guaranteed in the United States, UNM is committed to taking the necessary steps to maximize student safety at every program site. Please review the newly updated university policy UAP 2710 ("Education Abroad Health and Safety") (link is external) for more information. In addition, please explore the tabs below for further resources to meet your international travel health and safety needs.
The Global Education Office recently completed a major initiative to update and improve UNM's official Study Abroad Health and Safety policy. We encourage you to read the text of this policy, UAP 2710 ("Education Abroad Health and Safety") to understand your responsibilities as a study abroad participant.
Students studying abroad on a UNM-sponsored program are required to attend a Pre-Departure Orientation. This presentation includes a wealth of information detailing steps you should take prior to departure, how to protect your health and well-being while abroad, and whom to contact should you experience an emergency. The dates and locations of the information will be sent to students and program group leaders. Be sure to check your email!
The Global Education Office maintains a 24-hour emergency phone line dedicated to the assistance of UNM students studying abroad. If you experience an illness or injury, become the victim of a crime, lose your passport, or are arrested while abroad, please call +1-505-277-4436 at any time so that we can take steps to assist you. This line can also accept text messaging. You should also be sure to know the local emergency number where you are. In most cases, this will be 112 or 911, but to find the number for the country where you will travel, go here.
Before traveling, you should look over the information provided by the U.S. Department of State and Centers for Disease Control for each country you plan to visit. Both agencies also maintain lists of countries where travel is discouraged due to emergency conditions. You may find the State Department Alerts and Warnings page here and the CDC Travel Health Notices page here. Please also look over the State Department Worldwide Caution and Travel Alert prior to any international travel. UNM reserves the right to forbid university-related travel, including for study abroad, research, conference attendance or other purposes, to undergraduates who wish to go to countries under a State Department Warning or a CDC Level 3 Warning. Students who wish to travel to such a country, in addition to the standard Acknowledgement of Risks and Conditions of Participation Forms, must also read and sign the Acknowledgement of Travel Warning Form. You may find this form here (Microsoft Word).
All members of the UNM community are welcome to take advantage of the Travel Health Clinic, located in the Student Health and Counseling Center right next to Mesa Vista Hall.
Students, faculty, staff and traveling companions can schedule a pre-departure checkup with information and advice specific to the region where you will travel, receive immunizations and necessary prescriptions, and get a post-travel workup.
Students who are planning to study abroad should determine whether their program or host country requires additional health screening or documentation (including physicals, biometrics, or proof of vaccination). Relate this information to the SHAC upon scheduling your appointment – a secondary, follow up may be necessary. The waiting time for an appointment may be three to four weeks, and students should schedule their appointments for at least six to eight weeks before their departure, if possible, to ensure ample time for vaccinations to take effect.
All study abroad students are required to purchase international health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International. You can find the insurance information HERE. This insurance meets the following conditions required by UNM:
Students are required to demonstrate that they have purchased the CISI insurance (as part of GEO's mandatory online registration) before they travel abroad.
The standard domestic policies held by UNM students, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and Presbyterian, do not meet these requirements. Nor do the standard plans offered to UNM faculty and staff.
For this reason, UNM GEO has contracted with Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) to offer international coverage to students. CISI sells international insurance for a minimum period of one week, at a cost of $12.34 per week.
To purchase this coverage, go to https://culturalinsurance.com/UNM and enter UNM's sponsor code: UNM
You can download CISI's brochure here (PDF).