International Travel Policies and Resources

CSU international travel policies and procedures are in place to promote student and faculty mobility abroad, to facilitate support for international travelers as they prepare for and participate in programs abroad, and to consider health and safety at all stages of the travel process. Departments managing programs and participants in education abroad or other types of international experiences are responsible for understanding and complying with CSU’s travel policies.

Travel Registration Requirements

All CSU-sponsored travel must be registered; student travel is registered with the Education Abroad Center and employee travel is registered into the KUALI TEM system through Risk Management. Upon completion of registration, the traveler and/or group leader will receive an authorization email that should be attached to travel paperwork.

Education Abroad Participants

Contact Education Abroad for more information.

Individual Travelers (conference, research, field work, etc.)

Register international travel through the CSU Individual Traveler profile. Contact internationalsafety@colostate.edu for assistance.

Departmental Group Travel (faculty/staff led experiences with students that are not managed by the Office of International Programs)

The Office of International Programs is charged with tracking all student travel abroad and works closely with departments to create educational and well-planned group experiences abroad. Information below outlines the planning process needed to best support CSU departments and individuals as they create these important opportunities. OIP encourages departments to begin the program planning and approval process as early as possible.

  • Step 1: Submit program planning document(s) – Due at least 4 months prior to travel
  • Step 2: Attend Logistics, Health and Safety Review with International Travel Oversight Committee – To be completed at least 3 months prior to travel. Necessary for higher risk destinations/activities.
  • Step 3: Participant Registration and OIP Authorization – To be completed at least 2 months prior to departure
  • Step 4: Health and Safety Orientation with Campus Health Network and/or OIP Staff – To be completed at least 1-2 months prior to travel
  • Step 5: Purchase Airfare and Finalize Logistics – Note: Student airfare should not be purchased until Steps 1-4 are complete

Contact internationalsafety@colostate.edu for assistance.

Employee Work Travel

Register travel through the CSU Kuali TEM Travel System.

Travel to Higher Risk Destinations

Travelers interested in traveling to higher risk destinations must follow the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) petition process. See Higher Risk Travel

Insurance Requirement

All CSU students and graduate students traveling internationally for university purposes must have travel health insurance with evacuation and repatriation coverage. All travelers should maintain US health insurance while abroad. See International Insurance

Conduct Status and Education Abroad Participation

Most CSU conduct sanctions, including Disciplinary Probation, do not prevent participation in education abroad, but there may be additional steps or conditions for students with active conduct sanctions or Disciplinary Probation status. Students will be required to complete any mandated sanctions prior to their program. Contact CSU Student Conduct Services at the Student Resolution Center for questions about sanctions or Education Abroad about implications related to education abroad. Please note that any incidents that take place after acceptance into a program may influence a student’s ability to participate in the program at that time, especially in cases where a student may already have a disciplinary history at CSU. In addition, a past disciplinary history or repeated violations may be considered if an education abroad participant has reported discipline concerns abroad; this may include accelerating the response to send a student back to the U.S. without credits or refunds if behavior is considered a risk to self or others.

Students on current Loss of Good Standing (LGS) with CSU may not study abroad while the LGS status is active or the first semester back in Good Standing. Once LGS is complete, students are again eligible to represent the university on education abroad programming. Please contact CSU’s International Risk Manager to discuss options if you have current or pending Loss of Good Standing.

Students with other types of community violations (e.g. felonies and misdemeanors, any legal violations that may require presence at a hearing, probation check-ins or violations which may affect securing a visa for entrance into a foreign country) will need to be addressed individually. Please contact CSU’s International Risk Manager to discuss implications and timelines to consider.

FIRST YEAR AND EDUCATION ABROAD PARTICIPATION

Generally, students are not able to participate in semester-long education abroad programs during their first semester at CSU. Exceptions are rare but may be made in certain circumstances. Instead, students are advised to spend at least one year at CSU to acclimate to campus, their studies, and their resources, then participate in an education abroad program.

CSU Protection of Minors Policy Abroad

CSU faculty-led international programs that meet the criteria for interaction with minors must comply with the CSU Protection of Minors policy in order to reduce the risk of injury to minors and to promote an environment conducive to the accomplishment of the University’s mission. The supporting department and Education Abroad staff work to meet the requirements of this policy.

Reporting Incidents Abroad

CSU faculty, staff or students can report a health or safety incident abroad or a student of concern. See Emergencies

CSU Education Abroad staff follows all federal and CSU mandates for responding to and reporting health and safety incidents, including mandatory Title 9 and Clery Act reporting of incidents.

If you would like to call to report a non-emergency incident, please call CSU’s International Risk Manager at (970) 491-4334.

What is, and is not, a CSU-sanctioned education abroad experience

All students participating in any educational experiences abroad, with the exception of personal travel, must go through a registration process with the CSU Office of International Programs – Education Abroad (OIP-EA) unit.

CSU maintains a robust array of education abroad programming; this includes CSU-managed programs as well as Affiliated Programs, which are programs managed by vetted companies with longstanding relationships with CSU. Occasionally, students prefer to attend programs abroad that are not affiliated with CSU Education Abroad, which may be allowed and treated similarly to CSU and Affiliated programs if the program is part of the student’s degree program, uses CSU financial aid or departmental funds, and the student completes CSU’s education abroad registration process.

CSU cannot confirm the program quality or support offered for unaffiliated education abroad programs, and travelers participate in these programs at their own risk. CSU has vetted a long list of organizations and institutions for their administrative supports, health and safety planning, cost effectiveness, and positive reputations. These are on the CSU Education Abroad website.

Student travelers who are doing non-credit travel that is not officially part of their degree program or an official university event or extracurricular activity will have their experience treated as personal travel rather than a CSU-sanctioned and supported experience. For non-credit personal travel, this means the student is responsible for all vetting of the activities and support, securing of appropriate insurance, and emergency management. Student travelers who do not complete the CSU education abroad process will have their experience treated as personal travel rather than a CSU-sanctioned and supported experience. In addition, not registering their travel with OIP-EA, means that students are not enrolled in CSU’s international insurance, do not have access to CSU emergency assistance and may not receive transfer credits, financial aid, travel reimbursements, and/or continuous CSU enrollment status.

Not completing the CSU education abroad registration process acts as a waiver by the traveler, on behalf of the traveler and the traveler’s family or representatives, of all CSU related obligations and benefits, including without limitation, those detailed above. CSU will have no responsibility, liability or obligations with respect to participation in travel that is not CSU-sanctioned.