Safety & Security Abroad

Requirements Before You Go Abroad

Undergraduate and Graduate students undertaking research abroad are required to follow the guidance of the Field Research Office . 

Students undertaking other international travel MUST complete the following:

• UAI’s online pre-departure eClass or equivalent (login information to be shared by UAI, please contact uairm@ualberta if you have not been given access and an enrolment key will be provided)
• Risk Assessment/Management Plan (accessed through the pre-departure eClass)
• In person/virtual pre-departure orientation
• Confirm travel medical insurance
• Register in UGo, including providing health insurance information
• Education Abroad Waiver (accessed through UGo)

Conference travellers (who do not need approval from the Field Research Office) MUST complete the following:

• Risk Assessment/Management Plan in the pre-departure eClass, using enrollment key:  Conference2024. Please note there are two different plans dependent on travel duration, location and traveller type. 
• Confirm travel medical insurance.
• Register in UGo, including providing health insurance information.
• Complete the Education Abroad Waiver (accessed through UGo). Please note all items from page three onwards are required to be initialed and signed. 
• Review Modules 1,2 and 3 of the Education Abroad Pre-Departure eClass - for undergraduates, travel to regions with an ‘Exercise a High Degree of Caution’ advisory, or travel longer than 10 days in length.

Please contact uairm@ualberta.ca if you have any questions. Requirements for all travellers (including conference travel) must be completed at least four weeks prior to travel to allow for review and approval. 

Approvals for High and Extreme Risk Travel

Students travelling to countries/regions with a Global Affairs Canada "Avoid Non-Essential Travel" or "Avoid All Travel" advisory must consult with the relevant offices and receive the necessary additional travel approvals prior to travel, as per the Off-Campus Activity & Travel Policy. No travel to these countries/regions may take place until final approval is received.

For Students Currently Abroad

Students currently abroad on University of Alberta programs can contact us at uairm@ualberta.ca. This email is monitored daily and we will reply as soon as possible.

UGo Travel Registry for Students/Staff

For students and staff planning for University-related activities abroad, education abroad program leaders planning for programs abroad, please refer to the University of Alberta's Off-Campus Activity and Travel Policy here.

Before leaving Alberta, students and staff are required to register with

• UAlberta's UGo Off-Campus Travel Registry
• Government of Canada's Registration of Canadians Abroad

In the event of an emergency or crisis situation while overseas, this information will help both the University of Alberta and the Government of Canada obtain knowledge of:

• Where you are located
• How to get in contact with you
• How we can be of assistance to you
• Your emergency contact information

Emergency Contact - Students are also required to provide an emergency contact in their online application account before going abroad.

International SOS

International SOS is a medical and travel security assistance service provided to University of Alberta students travelling abroad. The company provides the following services:

• a website to find extensive health and security information about your destination that you can access before you leave and at your destination
• an email and mobile app service that will send messages to you with the latest news about developing security or health threats in the region you are visiting

UAlberta Students can access the University's membership number and International SOS services here. (Please sign in to your UAlberta account to access the document)

Trip Cancellation Insurance

With recent events such as plane groundings due to technical issues, inclement weather, and demonstrations leading to flight cancellations and even airport closures, it's strongly recommended that students purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance. When purchasing Trip Cancellation Insurance, students should review the fine print of the policy in case there are exclusions. For example, if coverage or compensation for flight disruptions due to airport closures is not covered, students may not be able to recover the costs of cancelled flights. The University's Student Care plan for graduates and undergraduates includes Trip Cancellation Insurance and a similar level of coverage should be provided if you are looking at other plans.

Vaccinations and Immunizations

Consult a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic preferably six weeks before you travel.

Routine Vaccines

• Be sure that your routine vaccines are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.
• Some of these vaccines include: COVID-19, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Vaccines to Consider

• You may be at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g. Hepatitis A and B, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, mpox) while travelling abroad. Talk to your travel health provider about which ones are needed for the region you are travelling to.