For Program Coordinators

USC tracks all student travel, except personal. Department designated Program Coordinators (faculty/staff) act as liaisons between students and Global Initiatives, the Student Health Insurance Office, and Campus Support and Intervention. All travel, including student-initiated travel abroad, are required to have a Program Coordinator. The University depends on Program Coordinators for their department’s data collection and crisis response.

The information and instructions provided here are for Program Coordinators who are planning or facilitating international trips. These guidelines ensure the process is well-informed and safe, and they help to provide the University with the the required notice about upcoming travel for emergency purposes.

All international study abroad, exchange, internship and short-term programs abroad (i.e. semester/academic year/maymester/julymester/summer/spring break/winter break programs) at USC, whether for credit or not, must be approved prior to advertisement and/or program launch.

The Off-Campus Studies Panel (OSP), a subcommittee of the University Committee on Curriculum (OCOC), reviews all for-credit, off-campus and international programs.

Coordinators supporting student-led international travel for a recognized student group or organization must have students review Student Handbook Appendix IX: Miscellaneous Policies, pages 122 to 127. This document is not for study abroad programs organized or led by USC faculty or staff.

Global Initiatives manages the Student Travel Abroad portal, which is used to track all student travel abroad in compliance with university policy. Program Coordinators are granted access to the portal in accordance with the processes outlined below.

Step 1: Contact Global Initiatives – Student Travel Abroad

After program approval, contact Global Initiatives at stabroad@usc.edu to schedule a meeting to set up access to the Student Travel Abroad portal.

Step 2: Student Travel Abroad Portal

Send the Roster of all students participating in the program to Global Initiatives at stabroad@usc.edu. Save the file as “TERMYEAR_PROGRAM NAME_COORDINATOR LAST NAME.” Departments should send one roster per program. With the Roster, Global Initiatives adds students to the Student Travel Abroad portal, where they are prompted to sign the required travel forms and releases, upload travel information and access various travel resources.

Program Coordinators are responsible for ensuring all students have completed pre-departure requirements in the portal prior to the program start date.

Step 3: USC-sponsored Travel Health Insurance

Global Initiatives works directly with the Student Health Insurance Office to issue the required USC-sponsored travel health insurance. The Student Health Insurance Office provides Travel Certification letters for each student participating in the program to the Program Coordinator. Coordinators are then responsible for distributing the Travel Certification letters to each program participant.

A complete Travel Health Insurance packet is available for download and are also distributed to students via the USC Student Travel Abroad portal.

Step 4: Review Policies and Procedures (prior to departure)

Review the University’s general guidelines for emergency response:

• Student Travel Abroad – Destination Restrictions and Crisis Management Policy
• Campus Based Response to Overseas Crises
• USC Student Handbook
• OCEC International Travel Guidance
• Faculty & Staff Handbook for USC Student Travel Abroad

Students should always have the following information available. In the event of an emergency abroad, the first point of contact is International SOS, USC’s contracted health and safety emergency service provider for programs abroad. Please reference the USC Member ID when contacting International SOS:

T: 215-354-5000 | T: 215-942-8226
phlopsmed@internationalsos.com
USC Member ID: 11BSGC000010

The following items are signed and collected via the Student Travel Abroad portal. They are available here just for reference:

• Know Before You Go Informed Consent Form
• Medical Treatment Authorization
• Student Travel Abroad Release
• USC-Sponsored Student Travel Health Insurance Packet
• USC-Sponsored Student Travel Health Insurance Packet (Travel to Spain)
• USC Student Travel Abroad Handbook

For questions about student travel abroad planning, roster data points or any concerns, please contact Christine Jamoralin.

For questions about health insurance, please contact Nytosha Coleman.

For questions about contracts and agreements with institutions abroad, please contact Kana Sugita.