Leading Student Groups
Policies & Requirements
When you’re traveling overseas, safety matters. At GSS, we help prepare students, staff, faculty, and other academics for a safe trip before you go, and also provide resources to keep you safe and healthy while abroad. Planning to lead a group of students abroad? We’ll help you navigate the student travel policies and requirements.
Our International Safety & Security team maintains the Harvard GSS Travel Risk Ratings list, which rates certain countries, regions, and cities as low risk, moderate risk, elevated risk, or high risk. These ratings, which take into account the unique and diverse work of our students, staff, faculty, and other academics, influence the student travel policies. The Harvard GSS travel risk ratings correlate with the University's student travel policies.
In collaboration with GSS, School leadership developed the student travel policies to protect students' personal safety and balance their academic freedom when pursuing Harvard-sponsored activities abroad. The policies restrict some destinations and require students to complete additional pre-departure requirements for some destinations.
Register International Travel
All students traveling with Harvard sponsorship must register their travel in International SOS MyTrips and keep their itinerary and contact information up-to-date throughout their trip. Doing so enables us and International SOS to identify travelers that may need medical or security assistance following an international emergency and expedite assistance. You can register a group of Harvard travelers in bulk by using the group travel registration worksheet.
Registering a Group of Travelers
Submit a Travel Waiver and Release Form
All students must review, sign, and submit a travel waiver and release form to you that acknowledges the risks of international travel, their decision to travel, and their responsibilities. Contact us if you need help identifying which form is most appropriate for your program and students. You're responsible for keeping the travel waiver and release forms (print or electronic) on file for seven years.
Online Orientation
All Harvard College students and Harvard Summer School study abroad program students must watch the online pre-departure orientation. The orientation helps students think through requirements and resources before, during, and after travel.
Group Orientation
Undergraduates traveling to elevated-risk locations are required to attend an in-person orientation prior to departure. The Office of International Education (OIE) organizes the undergraduate student elevated-risk orientations in conjunction with our office. We share a schedule of elevated-risk orientations each fall and spring.
Travel Safety Questionnaire
Undergraduates traveling to elevated-risk locations are required to complete and submit a Travel Safety Questionnaire to our International Safety & Security Team. The questionnaire addresses the security measures for their trip. Our team reviews each questionnaire and may require an individual consultation to further discuss risk mitigation strategies. We then pass our recommendations on to you for final approval. You can help students be better prepared by working with them to develop strong communication, transportation, and lodging plans for your international program.
Health Clearance
The health clearance process—completed by the travelers and their doctor(s)—helps to determine the students' physical and mental preparedness to participate successfully in an international program and whether existing medical needs can be met or accommodated in their travel destinations. The following students are required to complete the health clearance process:
- undergraduate students participating in any Harvard-led international travel of any duration
- undergraduate students participating in any Harvard-sponsored international travel (with limited exceptions for travel lasting less than two weeks)
- all students participating in Harvard Summer School study abroad programs
Online Orientation
The GSS online pre-departure orientation is required for students in the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), Harvard Divinity School (HDS), Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), Harvard Law School (HLS), and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) traveling to any international location. It's recommended for all other graduate and professional students traveling abroad. The orientation helps students think through requirements and resources before, during, and after travel.
Group Orientation
All graduate and professional students traveling to high-risk locations are required to attend an in-person orientation prior to departure. Graduate and professional school program staff and group leaders can contact our office for planning and scheduling high-risk orientations as needed.
Travel Safety Questionnaire
All graduate and professional students traveling to high-risk locations are required to complete and submit a Travel Safety Questionnaire to our International Safety & Security Team. The questionnaire addresses the security measures for their trip. Our team reviews each questionnaire and may require an individual consultation to further discuss risk mitigation strategies. We then pass our recommendations on to you for final approval. You can help students be better prepared by working with them to develop strong communication, transportation, and lodging plans for your international program.
Health Clearance
Although not required for graduate and professional students, health clearance is recommended. The health clearance process—completed by the travelers and their doctor(s)—helps to determine their physical and mental preparedness to participate successfully in an international program and whether existing medical needs can be met or accommodated in their travel destinations.
If you'd like to require health clearance for your graduate and professional student program, our office can work with you to adapt the form and process as needed (it's currently designed for undergraduate students).
For undergraduate students: the Office of International Education (OIE) tracks and reports on the status of travel requirements. Contact OIE to request a report on undergraduate students' health clearance, orientation, travel safety questionnaire, and travel registration requirements.
For graduate and professional students: our office can provide updates—by request—on the status of the requirements that we oversee (online orientation, travel safety questionnaire, and travel registration). You're responsible for collecting and tracking completion of the travel waiver and release forms and any additional requirements you establish.
Learn about country-specific Harvard activities, safety & security, health, cultural, and outbound immigration considerations.
Log in to the member portal with your HarvardKey to search your destination and learn about social and business etiquette, crime and safety, local laws and customs, vaccination requirements, and much more.
Register your trip for greater peace of mind and expedited access to medical and security assistance while abroad.
Download the International SOS Assistance App and log in with your HarvardKey to access destination guides, sign up for push alerts, check in to temporarily update your location for 48 hours, and chat or talk with a case manager for routine advice and emergency support.
Learn about entry and exit requirements, and how to apply for your specific destination and activity.
What to do before you leave, while you’re abroad, and when you return.
Consider using one of Harvard’s preferred travel partners to book your trip.
Our International Safety & Security team specializes in risk assessments, intelligence analysis, and emergency response. We also maintain working relationships with security professionals, international consultants, and diplomats around the globe to advise Harvard programs and travelers on the latest trends and developments.
Contact us if you have questions or concerns about the health and safety risks for your participants, or if you'd like to schedule a pre-departure orientation or consultation.