Emergency Support

During an incident

Whether minor or serious, if you need medical, mental health, or security assistance while on a Harvard-related trip:

1. Call the local equivalent of "911," if appropriate. Review the U.S. State Department’s global "911" list.
2. Contact International SOS by phone at +1-617-998-0000, or start a chat or phone call through the Assistance App.

If you’re unsure whether local emergency services can be trusted or can provide adequate care, then your first point of contact should be International SOS. Case managers will advise you on your situation and connect you with appropriate resources.

International SOS may alert GSS to your call. This standard procedure enables case managers to confirm that you're eligible under the University's International SOS membership and enables us to provide further assistance if you need it.

Proactive incident communication

During certain incidents, International SOS or our GSS security team will proactively contact registered travelers to check on your well-being. Depending on the contact preferences listed in your International SOS MyTrips profile, you'll receive an email, SMS, and/or text-to-voice call.

After an incident

When it's safe to do so, report the incident to International SOS if you haven't already done so. International SOS and our staff rely on incident reporting to track patterns and properly advise and prepare future travelers. We treat all incident reports as confidential and limit access to those responding to the incident.

See all International SOS services

In general, travel for University business and University-related activities is covered. Personal travel—including vacations or travel primarily to visit family—is not covered unless it is within seven days of an eligible trip.

Review eligibility guidelines

International SOS provides several country-specific online resources—including a mobile app, training videos, country guides, and email alerts—that may be helpful before you leave and while you’re away.

GSS manages the University's International SOS membership. This membership includes services provided by International SOS, a global medical and travel security services firm, and Everbridge, a global provider of SaaS-based critical communications and enterprise safety solutions. If you register your trip with MyTrips, sign up to receive travel alerts via email or the Assistance App, or you contact International SOS regarding an incident, the communications you receive may come directly from International SOS and/or Everbridge.

The University's International SOS membership provides access to medical, security, and travel assistance and insurance for emergency evacuations; it does not, however, provide health insurance coverage or travel agency services. Before you leave, check with your health insurance provider about your international coverage options.

Note: International SOS develops and maintains their own websites and digital properties, including MyTrips, the Assistance App, and the Member Portal for Harvard University Affiliates. Country and region names may appear differently in their properties. International SOS obtains their information from a variety of international governing bodies. Harvard University does not necessarily endorse the geographic names that appear in the International SOS properties.