COVID-19 FAQs

The Studies Abroad office considers several factors when deciding whether a program can run including, but not limited to, U.S. State Department travel advisories, CDC recommendations, visa processing capabilities, partner university and partner input, flight options and flexibility. We have created a rubric of conditions that must be met to ensure both a safe and high-quality study abroad experience. 

We have created a comprehensive dashboard that is available here.

In collaboration with the Registrar’s office, program counselors, Residence life, and others we make final decisions far enough in advance that students will have neither lost opportunities to participate in classes or housing contracts on campus nor will have purchased flights or made other financial commitments before we announce major changes. Timelines can vary based on feedback from our many stakeholders.

As part of the participation confirmation process for the Study Abroad Office, every student read and agreed to the following COVID specific information. This agreement relates to all variants of the COVID-19 virus. Please be reminded of this important information. 

• Independent travel during weekends or academic breaks is highly discouraged and may be prohibited. Independent travel during weekends or academic breaks is subject to rapidly changing conditions, including but not limited to changing quarantine regulations, flight delays/cancellations, or border closures.
• I am expected to follow all current CDC, host country, and local recommendations and mandates as well as University regulations, policies, and directives for preventing the spread of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, including but not limited to University policies addressing safety and prevention measures; travel; and quarantine and isolation. These policies and directives may change over time.
• I understand that the novel coronavirus, COVID‐19, is a highly infectious, life‐threatening disease declared by the World Health Organization to be a global pandemic. COVID-19’s highly contagious nature means that contact with others or contact with surfaces that have been exposed to the virus, can lead to infection and that exposure to or infection with COVID-19 may result in serious illness and/or death.  Additionally, individuals who may have been infected with COVID‐19 may be asymptomatic for a period of time or may never become symptomatic at all. It is currently very difficult to control the spread of COVID19 or to determine whether, where, or how a specific individual may have been exposed to the disease. Although the University holds the health and safety of its community as paramount, living in communal housing could increase the risk of contracting any contagious illness, including COVID-19, because of the community and residential living model. Risk of exposure is elevated for those at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19, and students who are immuno-compromised or otherwise have health conditions that place them in higher-risk categories need to make personal decisions as to whether the Program and communal living model can offer them the environment needed for their health and safety.
• Being aware of the foregoing, I understand that it is my individual choice whether to participate in this Program based on my own consideration of health factors. I further understand that the University cannot guarantee a COVID‐19‐free environment on this Program. By signing this Agreement, I acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID‐19, the fact that it can be difficult to identify in another, and the inherent risks of exposure to those who may be infected with COVID‐19 during the Program. I am voluntarily participating in this Program, and I voluntarily assume the risk that I may be exposed to or infected by COVID‐19 by participating in the Program, and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and/or even death. 

Updated 12.8.21

About Omicron  

At present, there is very little known about the Omicron variant. More data collection and laboratory testing are required to better understand the new strain’s infectivity, severity, and ability to evade the immune protection provided by existing vaccines. 

 Based on the rapid spike in infections in South Africa, early indications are this variant is more infectious than the original virus and previous variants (i.e., Alpha and Delta). However, initial information being released from physicians in South Africa suggests that the new Omicron variant may only cause “mild symptoms” without many of the more serious symptoms associated with the original and earlier variants. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported zero Omicron deaths so far. 

 The Omicron variant has spread widely beyond southern Africa with new cases identified in the UK, Portugal, Czech Republic, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Hong Kong, Australia, and others. Many experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, believe it is likely the Omicron variant is already in the United States and will likely soon spread further globally, crowding out the Delta variant which currently makes up 99% of the world’s new cases.  

 Travel Restrictions 

The tightening of travel restrictions globally in response to Omicron is concerning and UP is following developments closely. A handful of countries, including Israel, Morocco, and Japan, have temporarily banned all incoming flights. Many other countries, including the United States, have imposed restrictions on flights originating in southern African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi). Most of the countries that have imposed travel restrictions have set a two-week expiration/review date to allow scientists to collect more information on the severity of the Omicron variant before further decisions are made. 

Updated 12.20.21

Please reach out to the program counselor in your school or college.

Updated 12.20.21

If you do not already have a back-up reservation set up through the office of Residence Life and would like to explore your options, please reach out to Ezequiel Delgado-Cervantes at delgadoc@up.edu. If you already made a back-up reservation for on-campus housing, you should expect to receive an e-mail to finalize your housing assignment soon.

Updated 12.20.21

As study abroad students, you were enrolled under international health insurance coverage that covered you only while you were outside of the United States. The nature of this type of coverage means that you will no longer be covered under this policy once you are back in the US.

 Next steps to consider:

• If you are currently covered under a parent’s health insurance plan or another type of coverage, there isn’t anything else you will need to do. We encourage you to maintain whatever domestic health insurance coverage you already have.
• If you do not currently have a domestic health insurance plan, we strongly encourage you to explore the options for adding coverage under a parent or family member. Most insurance plans will not normally allow you to add coverage in the middle of a plan year, but it is possible that there are exceptions for certain life events. It is possible that this situation, in which you are unexpectedly losing your existing coverage, would qualify you to add domestic health insurance mid-year.
• If you do not currently have domestic coverage and are not able to add coverage elsewhere, we have received special permission from UP’s student health insurance provider to add you to coverage for the remainder of the spring and summer. Please use your UP e-mail address to send a message to stu-acct@up.edu requesting to be added to the insurance plan for the upcoming term.  

Updated 12.9.21

Most everything will proceed as originally planned; you will be registered by the Program Counselors in your individual school or college. Please reach out to the appropriate contact person if you have any questions:

• School of Business: please reach out to your program counselors, Molly Cullen and Allison Knoedler, with any questions.
• School of Nursing: please reach out to your program counselor, Kyara Pagkatipunan.
• School of Engineering: please reach out to your program counselor, Tyler Ciokiewicz, with any questions.
• School of Education: please send me your course choices (following the directions e-mailed out to you on Tuesday, 3/10) and reach out to your program counselor, Kelly Brown, with any advising questions.
• College of Arts and Sciences: please send me your course choices (following the directions e-mailed out to you on Tuesday, 3/10) and reach out to your program counselors (Aimee Davidse, Becca Henley, and Katie Richardson) with any advising questions

• You are invited to re-entry workshops and webinars hosted through the Study Abroad office. You will receive invitations to these events via email, beginning a Welcome Back Mixer shortly upon your return. For recorded information about the reentry experience, view these past recorded sessions. 
• To keep track of all study abroad events please join and follow the Study Abroad Engage page here. 

Updated 12.10.21