The MacMillan Center’s International Travel Policy for Students

When making your travel plans, we strongly encourage you to review the applicable country reports on Yale’s International SOS member website and take into account U.S. Department of State travel warnings and consular sheets.

You should stay informed of State Department travel advisories for the duration of your time abroad. Travelers may request a custom safety and security briefing from International SOS prior to travel, using this form. Additional resources in support of the policy may be viewed on Yale University's International Toolkit website.

Regardless of a student’s country of citizenship or residence, the MacMillan Center will not fund​, or otherwise sponsor or support, any international academic or extracurricular project in any country for which at least one of the following conditions has been met:

1. The U.S. State Department has issued a Travel Advisory Level 4 “Do Not Travel” for the country. Students who intend to travel to a country for which the U.S. State Department has issued a Travel Advisory Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” should meet with an advisor for their program to discuss the heightened security risks. 

   NOTE: Students are responsible for carefully following all State Department Travel Advisories regardless of whether or not these advisories restrict student travel to the country. For example, an advisory might issue a “Do Not Travel” advisory to specific parts of the country or highlight the dangers of undertaking particular activities in the country. Students are expected to monitor such advisories and to take appropriate precautions, avoiding any specified areas or activities.

    

2. International SOS has issued a Travel Global Risk Rating of “Extreme” or “High” for the country. 

   NOTE: Students are responsible for carefully following all International SOS Risk Ratings regardless of whether or not these ratings restrict student travel to the country. For example, a rating may be “Extreme” or “High” in specific parts of the country. Students are expected to monitor such advisories and to take appropriate precautions, avoiding any specified areas or activities.

    

3. Yale has determined that travel to this country poses a credible health or security risk to students.

   Travel restrictions will apply through the date of departure. If such a restriction comes into effect after the student’s departure, the university reserves the right to end its sponsorship at that time, and to require the student to end the trip and leave the country. Such determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis. No exceptions to this policy will be made, and Yale reserves the right to decline to fund travel to particular regions if it so decides.

    

Before departure, students must provide the university a statement in a Risk Waiver form provided by the university, acknowledging their understanding of the risks of such travel, affirming that they have reviewed and understand relevant safety-related materials, and assuming the risks related to their international travel.

Travel to Cuba and Iran

Students wishing to travel to Cuba or Iran should visit the International Toolkit website to review the requirements:

Travel to and Transactions with Cuba and Cuban Nationals

Iran:  Prohibited Activities

Health considerations

Because students’ health and safety are the MacMillan Center’s top priority, we partner with students to make well-informed decisions about conducting research abroad.

We recommend that you confirm with a medical professional that there are no health-related reasons that preclude you from traveling. As a Yale community member, you will be automatically enrolled in the ISOS Travel Assistance Program. Please review the ISOS eligibility criteria, coverage details, and claim reimbursement procedures here. If you have personal health insurance coverage through Yale or another provider, please check with those providers for details of your personal coverage while abroad. MacMillan and Yale are not responsible for additional medical needs or costs not covered by ISOS and your own health insurance coverage.

Current Yale travel policy for students requires that they complete the travel self-assessment when making plans to travel internationally. All travelers must be prepared to follow all government regulations and guidelines for their destination(s).