Key Vanderbilt Resources

The safety and security of students, faculty, and staff are of primary concern to Vanderbilt University. This section describes resources offered by Vanderbilt and Study Abroad, and also recommends select external resources.

VIRT

The Global Safety and Health Manager heads Vanderbilt Incident Response for Travel (VIRT), a team dedicated to providing round-the-clock safety-related guidance and assistance for members of the Vanderbilt community who are away on VU-related travel. VIRT works to implement cross-campus procedures to ensure an effective and consistent response to any VU travel emergency. VIRT can be reached any time of the day or night at +1 615-322-2745, or on a non-emergency basis at virt@vanderbilt.edu.

Learn more about VIRT

Vanderbilt Travel Risk Assessment Committee

The Vanderbilt Travel Risk Assessment Committee (VTRAC) reviews travel when there is a significant health or safety concern. In order to travel to areas of concern, university members must apply for restricted travel destination exemption through VTRAC.

Learn more about VTRAC and how to apply

Health and Safety

All international travelers at Vanderbilt should make the following three health- and safety-related preparations before leaving Vanderbilt:

1. Ensure you have coverage from Vanderbilt’s international health insurance;
2. Arrange for a travel health consultation with a medical provider;
3. Make sure your travel is registered with Vanderbilt’s travel assistance Faculty, staff, and students making flight arrangements through the university’s travel agency are automatically enrolled.

It is also highly recommended that you register with the embassy of your host country. US citizens will register with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

Students, including graduate and professional students, who are traveling abroad independently are required to register their travel, a process which includes purchasing Vanderbilt-approved international health insurance and registering travel with the university’s travel assistance partner. (Students studying abroad through Vanderbilt Study Abroad are automatically registered.)

International Health Insurance

The Office of Risk Management, in partnership with Vanderbilt Study Abroad and other offices on campus, has selected a robust, comprehensive, and low-cost international health insurance plan for Vanderbilt community members. This plan is available to any Vanderbilt traveler who goes outside of the United States for education-related purposes, and is required for all students (see policy).

Vanderbilt’s international health insurance plan is more comprehensive than most plans and includes coverage for mandatory evacuation, preexisting conditions, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. Unlike many international insurance plans, it also covers injuries that involve substance use. Very few US health insurance plans offer coverage overseas at this level. For coverage details, refer to the Description of Coverage, while the Member Guide provides an overview of services and how to access them.

This international health plan does not, however, cover any services within the United States, so travelers must maintain their stateside insurance.

Students who study abroad on Vanderbilt Study Abroad programs, including Maymester Abroad courses, will be enrolled in Vanderbilt’s insurance for the duration of their abroad programs (i.e., between the posted start and end dates of the program). All other travelers will enroll themselves.

Instructions for Self-Enrollment

In order to ensure that all students are adequately covered overseas, and to further ensure that Vanderbilt can effectively aid students in the event of critical need, all students are required to carry Vanderbilt’s international health insurance. (Students who study abroad through  Vanderbilt Study Abroad will be automatically enrolled and do not need to take any action.) Faculty and staff are welcome to enroll, and GeoBlue is a reimbursable expense.

How to Purchase

You will purchase your insurance as part of Vanderbilt’s group plan. Go to the Enroll in a Group Plan page, then enter the Group Access Code KXP-37915 in the box provided and submit.

You will be guided through the process of signing up for coverage. The minimum enrollment time is two weeks.

Once eligible participants receive their Medical Insurance ID card from GeoBlue, they should visit geobluestudents.com and, using the certificate number on the front of the card, sign in to the site for comprehensive information and services relating to this plan. Participants can track claims, search for a doctor, view plan information, download claim forms and read health and security information.

Detailed information on eligibility requirements, period of coverage, and details of coverage can be found in the Description of Coverage.

What to Do If You Need Help

The GeoBlue Member Guide has information on how to find a provider, submit claims, request payment and more. If you need help, you can contact Vanderbilt Incident Response for Travel: In an emergency, dial +1 615-322-2745 and tell the Public Safety dispatcher that you are calling for VIRT. In a non-emergency situation, email virt@vanderbilt.edu.

Travel Health Consultation

All Vanderbilt travelers should seek out a travel health consultation. Students as well as faculty and staff have low-cost options available on campus; see below. Students and faculty are also free to use their own clinicians.

Travel consultation appointments should be made at least 4-6 weeks in advance of the departure date, in order to allow any vaccinations time to take effect. Some vaccines may require a series of shots, so it is important to allow enough time for series completion.

We also recommend reading the Centers for Disease Control’s information and guidelines for the country you plan to study or visit. Search for a destination at the CDC website.

Students

The Vanderbilt Student Health Center provides students with Travel Consultation appointments to ensure that students understand health risks of their travel destination, as well as providing a physical and helping students to construct a care plan for managing health away from home. This appointment is a particularly good opportunity to discuss medication plans, including questions such as whether needed medications are available overseas, whether they can be carried with you, what their equivalents in other countries might be, and so on.

Students should plan to book their appointment at Student Health as soon as possible. Due to the high rate of study abroad at Vanderbilt, there is a rush on appointments toward the middle and latter part of each semester.

Staff and Faculty

Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic provides pre-travel consultations for faculty and staff. These visits help travelers prepare a customized health care plan, providing destination-specific vaccinations and prescription medications, a medical travel kit, and health and safety advice. Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic services are offered without cost to Vanderbilt faculty and staff traveling on Vanderbilt business. For those not traveling on Vanderbilt business, equivalent services are available through the Vanderbilt Travel Clinic.

Travel Assistance

Faculty and staff who book travel with the University’s travel agency (as required by university policy) are automatically registered with our International Security Provider, Anvil. Students who study abroad through the Global Education Office are also automatically registered. All other travelers must contact the Global Safety and Health Manager for assistance.

Study Abroad

Vanderbilt takes care to minimize the risks students face abroad and provide support through several measures:

• Selecting responsible partners and organizations to provide educational opportunities abroad;
• Providing program-specific training to help students identify and mitigate potential risks;
• Providing access to on-site support staff and organizations trained to handle emergencies of all types;
• Training on-campus personnel to respond to crises and provide support where possible;
• Training students in preventive as well as remedial strategies to avoid trouble abroad;
• Monitoring the safety and security of our programs abroad on a 24/7 basis;
• Providing 24/7 support to students in crisis abroad through Vanderbilt Incident Response for Travel (VIRT). Students (and faculty leaders) can call +1 615.322.2745 to be connected with a team dedicated to providing safety-related guidance and assistance.
• Ensuring access to the highest local standard of medical and security services abroad;
• Via the Study Abroad Risk Assessment Committee, assessing risk mitigation plans and ensuring that travelers understand and are prepared for travel to locations of particular concern. SARAC forecloses travel if mitigation measures are insufficient.

We also recommend that students take their safety into their own hands. Students should take time to know the local laws and learn about behavioral norms and expectations. By attending their pre-departure orientation and reading the materials provided by Vanderbilt and its partners, students will get a view into what life looks like at the study abroad destination, including tips for staying safe.

Online Resources

There are many online resources of use to the international traveler. We have selected some of the most helpful:

US State Department Resources

• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Ensure that you receive localized embassy communications and can be located by the US government in an emergency (US citizens only)
• Overseas Security Advisory Council. Private sector-governmental committee that provides security analysis of areas and events around the world.
• State.gov. Information and services for travelers, including travel risk ratings.

Other Governmental Resources

• US Centers for Disease Control. Health and disease information and recommendations by country.
• World Health Organization. Country-specific and topic-specific health information, as well as notices about disease outbreaks and health emergencies.
• Travel Safety Administration. Information on travel and security screenings.

Preparing for Safe and Healthy Travel Abroad

• List of World Emergency Numbers. Emergency phone numbers around the world. Be prepared by looking up the countries you plan to visit before you depart.
• Association for Safe International Road Travel. Information on minimizing road risks, one of the top causes of death for international travelers.

Securing Travel Visas

Companies that can assist you with visa information and applications include CIBTvisas and Travisa.

Photo: Manase, Savai’i, Samoa. Courtesy of Connie Tsai.