Pre-Departure Requirements for Students Receiving Funding from Public Health Practice & Global Engagement

Recipients of our funding awards that involve international travel will be notified of the specific steps required prior to the disbursement of their funds in their award letter (Master's Level Internship Funding, Doctoral Travel Awards, Global Public Health Conference Funding). These requirements have been established in consultation with the Office of the Provost, Global Engagement, to promote your health and safety abroad when traveling internationally.

For students traveling for internships or research abroad in summer 2026, the following requirements should be completed no later than May 1, 2026 (or three to six weeks before your departure date, depending on your destination). We are always available to consult with you and guide you in completing these steps, please reach out to sphglobalhealth@umich.edu with any questions.

Pre-Departure Requirements due by May 1, 2026 for summer 2026 internship or research travelers: 

Review the Country Risk Ratings and complete the Travel Eligibility Requirements for your destination

U-M Country Risk Ratings are reliable and vetted sources of information about the risks and requirements associated with travel to your destination.

If a Travel Health Plan or Individual Safety Plan is listed as a requirement for your destination, please review and follow this process.

  • Important Note: Plans are due at least 3 weeks before departure. For select countries, plans are due at least 6 weeks before departure for evacuation pre-approval. 
Master's Students Only- Submit a Letter of Invitation Email sphglobalhealth@umich.edu a letter from your host site supervisor, on organizational letterhead or from an organizational email address. The letter should confirm your placement, tentative dates, your anticipated role and project(s). 
Purchase Travel Abroad Health Insurance Coverage & Submit Proof of Coverage

Students must purchase coverage under the University's GeoBlue/BCBS Global Solutions Travel Abroad Health Insurance plan for the duration of their trip. This covers both 100% of reasonable expenses while abroad, but also evacuation services in the event of an incident or emergency.

  • This coverage is required regardless of citizenship (even if you are a citizen of the country you are traveling to). 
  • You may also purchase additional coverage if you are extending your trip for leisure travel.

Once purchased, you will receive an insurance card within a few business days via email. Please upload a copy of this card to your travel registration (see below). 
Register your Travel

The University Travel Registry is a confidential and secure database for maintaining critical international travel information for faculty, staff, and students. This database’s contents are kept per the University of Michigan’s privacy notice, and information is gathered to locate and communicate with travelers, respond to emergencies, and serve as the central source of anonymous, aggregated travel abroad data for institutional reporting.

Register your Travel in M-Compass as soon as you determine your travel dates and lodging. 
Optional- Complete the Safety Abroad Orientation Complete the Safety Abroad online orientation for general information about how to stay safe and healthy while traveling. While not required, this training walks you through important travel strategies, including risk assessment, situational awareness, and handling emergency situations.
Attend a Pre-Departure International Travel Health and Safety Workshop 

Sessions cover U-M related travel requirements and travel health/safety plan process, safety and health considerations and procedures for emergencies, the GeoBlue travel abroad health insurance program, resilient travel, mental health and documenting your experience.

  • Workshops are posted on our Calendar of Events
  • Should the workshops offered by our team not work for your schedule, you may attend a similar workshop offered by another unit on campus and have the facilitator email us to confirm your attendance. More information on this is detailed in this document.

Key contact information for non-emergency travel health & safety questions: 

  • global.safety@umich.edu (contact the Global Engagement Team for non-emergency international travel safety inquiries)
  • sphglobalhealth@umich.edu (contact Public Health Practice & Global Engagment) for general inquiries, funding requirements, or if you are unsure where to begin)