Health & Safety

Health & Safety Abroad

Your safety abroad starts with your own honest assessment of your health and safety needs, and careful consideration of the political situation and living conditions in your prospective host country.

• Because students have varying levels of previous experience and comfort with difference, the College believes that it is your responsibility to research the areas in which you are interested and to determine where you would feel comfortable and safe. We have identified some resources and shared them in the Study Abroad Moodle to help you locate country- or region-specific information; individual study abroad program sponsors can provide site-specific information and advice. The staff in the McCulloch Center can also help you gather and evaluate information, but the final decision about whether and where to travel is, of course, your own.  

• Note that summer internships and research in a region or country assigned a level 3 or 4  Travel Advisory by the United States Department of State are not eligible for Lynk funding.  For study abroad, approval of study abroad programs in a country that has been designated a level 3 is carefully decided on a case-by-case basis and based largely upon the program's support services as well as the availability and full coverage of the College's GeoBlue and AIG Travel Guard insurance plans for the location. 

• If you have a chronic or recurring health condition (including a learning disability or other condition for which you receive accommodations here), discuss your needs in advance with your health care providers, your family, the staff in the McCulloch Center, Disability Services, and potential host programs/universities. Not all locations will be able to accommodate all needs, and you should take local conditions into account before deciding where to travel.

• If you take medication, research how you will obtain it abroad.  In many cases, the MHC Health Center or your health care provider can help you obtain a supply sufficient for your stay.  However, some countries have restrictions on what medications can be brought into the country, and some common medications here are not permitted in some places.  Talk with your health care provider, talk to programs, check with GeoBlue, (see below) AIG Travel Guard, and check the Students Abroad section of the U.S. State Department website for information.

• For detailed information and resources about health and safety, see the McCulloch Center's Study Abroad Moodle site (log in to Moodle, click on Study Abroad under "Miscellaneous," and self-enroll.)

GeoBlue Health Insurance 

Because Mount Holyoke College prioritizes students having sufficient health insurance coverage while studying abroad, the College requires and enrolls all study abroad students in a supplemental international insurance policy which enhances standard coverage and enables us to assist in the event of an emergency.  

International insurance covers you only while you are on your study abroad program. It may not be waived and is not a replacement for your primary insurance coverage, nor is it a replacement for any additional coverage that may be required by your specific program.

You will be automatically enrolled in GeoBlue international insurance, which is included in your $1,400 per semester study abroad fee. Once enrolled, you will receive a welcome email with login credentials to the GeoBlue mobile app. You will then need to download the app to your device to obtain your unique digital insurance ID card, which can be downloaded to your mobile device or as a PDF.

For more information about the GeoBlue international insurance policy, please review the links below as well as additional resources in Moodle. If you have committed to study abroad, please bookmark these links and download the GeoBlue app to your mobile device prior to departure.  

• GeoBlue Study Abroad Quick Member Guide

• GeoBlue Medical Pre-travel Checklist

• GeoBlue Global TeleMD

• GeoBlue Global Wellness Assist

• GeoBlue 2025-26 Mount Holyoke Brochure 

Public Health & Geopolitical Conditions Impacting Study Abroad 

The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives (MCGI) staff, along with the College's Travel Emergency Response Team, monitor updates from a variety of sources on the ever evolving nature of the public health and geopolitical conditions that could have implications for student health, safety, and security. These sources include 5 College Risk Management, Riskline travel advisories reported through the College's study abroad database/travel registry (Via TRM), as well the U.S. Department of State and CDC advice in conjunction with a vast array of reputable and objective sources, including input from our study abroad partners and universities. We carefully consider the health and safety conditions and any travel restrictions in locations for our approved study abroad locations. Students should be prepared for the potential for changes to course delivery methods, excursions/field trips, and the ability to travel outside of the host city/country at any time while abroad should conditions change.

We appreciate that this can be a difficult and unsettling time to be abroad. Our partner programs and universities abroad have years of experience dealing with geopolitical, environmental and other issues that have the potential to impact the health and safety of study abroad students. Their knowledge of local conditions and resources are crucial at moments like this. Students are advised to:

• Carefully review the information in the Study Abroad Moodle (especially the health, safety & wellbeing section)

• Enroll in SafeCheck in the College's Via study abroad portal

• Pay special attention to what your program is advising you in terms of travel

• Avoid areas of protest

• Be mindful of independent travel

• Sign up for STEP notifications

• Contact your program for referrals to health and well-being support services