Planning to Travel Outside of Canada with a Group of Students?

If you are travelling internationally with students or you are supervising a student travelling internationally for a conference, research project, internship or credit course, the Centre for International Programs' Safe Travel page [1] provides information on how to prepare yourself and your students for travel. Before proceeding, ensure that your trip has been approved by your department and any contracts with third-parties have been vetted and approved.

Safe International Travel Policy for Students

The University has developed the Safe International Travel Policy for Students [2] to assist faculty, staff and students in determining appropriate destinations for travel related to University of Guelph activities.

Check the Global Affairs website [3] (formally Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development travel) to see if there is a travel advisory for your destination.

DepartSmart

All students travelling internationally for academic reasons must register for and complete DepartSmart, the on-line Pre-departure Orientation co-ordinated by the Centre for International Programs (CIP), which also requires you to complete emergency contact and a liability section.

If you are travelling with students as a coordinator of a field trip or other reasons, CIP will register you in DepartSmart and ask you to complete contact information and a trip itinerary. More details under 'Registering your travel with CIP' below.

Guard.Me Travel Health Insurance

Students participating in an official University of Guelph study abroad program are now required to purchase comprehensive travel health insurance through a special arrangement with Guard Me Insurance. Guard Me specializes in insuring students, faculty and staff travelling for educational or research purposes. Insurance can be obtained from the Guelph-Guard Me web portal [4]. While the insurance is currently mandatory for students travelling on a study abroad program, other students, faculty and staff travelling for research, attending conferences or participating in other travel realted to a University of Guelph activity can also purchase a policy through the website. 

Note, if you are travelling with a group of students, it may be cheaper to purchase the Guard.Me travel health insurance as a group. You can find more information about the group travel registration for DepartSmart and travel health insurance on the CIP website [5].

Registering your travel with CIP

Find more information about registering for DepartSmart and group travel health insurance here [5].