International Travel Orientations: Graduate and Professional Students

Passport basics

• It can take several months to get a passport; apply now if you don’t have one
• Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after you return from travel 

Determine if you'll need a visa

Try CIBT, the U.S. State Department, or your home country’s embassy

Then ask these questions:

• What type of visa do I need (tourist, student)?
• How long will it take for my visa to arrive?
• Will I need a transit visa (for a layover or travel through another country on the way to my destination)?

International students and visas

Non-U.S. citizens returning to the U.S. after travel can run into complications, so begin the visa process early

• Meet with an advisor in OISS with questions about the visa process

Register with Yale through the Office of International Affairs (requires a NetID)

• Help Yale locate and contact you in an emergency

Register with the U.S. State Department through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (if you are a U.S. citizen)

• Help the State Department assist you in an emergency

Click on the photo to learn how Yale travelers were safely evacuated from Egypt with Yale's help!

Print the card

• Keep it with you in your wallet or purse
• Email it to yourself in case your wallet or purse is lost or stolen
• Program the numbers into your cell phone

Emergency travel assistance

As a Yale traveler, you are automatically covered by FrontierMEDEX’s services

FrontierMEDEX is Yale’s partner in providing medical, security, and general travel assistance to travelers

• medical and security evacuations
• lost or stolen passports
• legal referrals
• emergency transfer of funds

Assistance is available 24/7/365, anywhere in the world (even in the U.S. more than 100 miles from Yale)

It’s NOT insurance!

Know you're covered!

Don’t make assumptions about what will be covered!

1.  Determine if your current health insurance plan covers you while abroad, including for chronic medical conditions (see Yale Health coverage information below)

2.  Check if your study abroad program or fellowship includes or offers health insurance for your travel

3.  If you’re not covered abroad, or have incomplete coverage for your needs, other health insurance options are available.  For example:  

• HTH Worldwide
• FrontierMEDEX (differs from Yale’s MEDEX program)

4.  Discuss your options with your parents or guardian, and decide if you need to purchase an individual plan for yourself   

Yale Health Plan Coverage

Start with these resources:

• International travel section of the U.S. State Department website
• CIA World Factbook
• The website of a popular media outlet in your destination
• FrontierMEDEX World Watch country reports (especially the Cultural Information under the Travel Information tab)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Learn about:

• Political climate, weather, crime, what to bring, health issues, cultural differences, risks, differences in laws, what to expect, transportation, holidays or election days
• The location of the nearest U.S. embassy or your home country’s embassy

Click on the photo to read the reflections of a few students who wished they had known more about their destination.

Tell your bank and credit card companies that you’ll be traveling

• Ask if they charge foreign transaction fees
• Ask if you’ll need a PIN to make purchases abroad

Clean out your wallet or purse

• Take only the credit cards and ID you will need

Find out if traveler’s checks are a viable option or if you should rely on a debit card and ATMs to obtain cash

Provide them with a copy of your passport data page and any visas as well.  This will make it easier for them to contact you in an emergency.

Schedule a consultation

Schedule a travel consultation with Yale Travel Health or your personal physician 6-8 weeks before you depart

• Schedule your appointment early; many immunizations are given in a series over time

Make sure to discuss:

• vaccinations
• traveling with medication
• other health concerns for the destination

Travel Health is fee-for-service, meaning the cost of the visit will not be covered by your Yale Health insurance coverage (other insurance may cover it)

Yale policies, rules and standard of conduct apply while abroad. 

It’s your responsibility to follow applicable Yale policies for travel, academic, and personal conduct.

• Consult Yale’s University-Wide Policies Listing for links to Graduate and Professional Schools’ policies, handbooks, and bulletins.