Health & Safety Alerts

IES Abroad’s Crisis Management Team and local staff are closely monitoring ongoing demonstrations regarding school funding and related labor actions across France. Our Centers in Nantes, Nice, and Paris, where students are studying this Fall 2026 semester, remain operational. At this time, we are not aware of any direct impact on the safety of our students, faculty, or staff.

Our Center teams are in regular communication with students, providing updates and guidance on demonstration activity, transportation disruptions, and any changes directly affecting our students’ classes.

Specifically in Nantes, Université de Nantes’ Tertre campus has been closed since October 7 and remains closed as of October 12. Students have been advised to check their university email regularly for updates on campus access and any changes to classes.  Other IES Abroad partner universities in France remain operational.

We continue to advise students to avoid demonstration areas and large gatherings, follow instructions from local authorities, and contact their Center staff with questions or concerns.

We are monitoring developments through official alerts, local and national news, and our on-site teams. We will continue to assess potential impacts on our programs and provide further updates as needed. 
 

We are providing an update regarding the student demonstrations taking place in Nantes, France this week. The demonstrations are being led by high school students seeking to highlight ongoing challenges within the education system in France.

Today, Nantes Université, which is attended by IES Abroad students, made the decision to cancel classes through the end of the week. The IES Abroad Nantes Center remains open and IES Abroad faculty and staff are continuing to provide instruction and student support services.

IES Abroad staff in Nantes have been in regular contact with students since the demonstrations began last week. Our on-site team continues to monitor developments closely, maintain communication with the Nantes Université, and provide students with guidance regarding personal safety, local transportation, and any impact on academic activities. In addition, our Center staff has advised students to: 

• Avoid all demonstrations and protests. 
• Always keep their cell phone with them, charged, turned on, and respond promptly to any messages or calls from IES Abroad staff. 
• Stay aware of their surroundings. 
• Walk away from any situation that feels unsafe. 
• Follow local news reports to stay informed. 
• Log any independent travel in the IES Abroad TripTracker system before departing so we can reach them quickly in an emergency. 

Check email regularly if enrolled in a Nantes Université class to ensure they receive important updates. 
The health and safety of our students is always our top priority. The IES Abroad Nantes Center operates under a local crisis management plan and protocols, in addition to our global plan. Our on-site staff also maintain strong relationships with local authorities, including police, government officials, and U.S. Embassies and Consulates.

If there are any further developments, our team on the ground will continue to keep students informed, and we will not hesitate to reach out to you again. 

We can confirm that all IES Abroad Santiago students are safe following the earthquake (magnitude 5.2) that occurred near Santiago earlier today.

IES Abroad Santiago Center staff have been in contact with students to confirm their well-being and our staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the holiday weekend. A reminder was sent encouraging students to review key safety precautions, including:

• Keeping their cell phone turned on, accessible, and charged whenever possible.
• Reviewing the emergency plan for their homestay or residence and understanding what to do in the event of an emergency.
• Knowing the safe areas, emergency exits, and evacuation routes in their residence and other locations they visit regularly.
• If traveling to coastal areas, identifying designated tsunami evacuation routes and safe areas upon arrival.
• Following official instructions and communications from local authorities and IES Abroad during any emergency.
• Remaining calm during an earthquake and moving to a safe location away from windows and objects that could fall.

We understand that news of an earthquake may be concerning. Should conditions change, we will provide more updates.

Independent Travel Ban 

The health and safety of IES Abroad students is our highest priority. Based on current global conflicts, IES Abroad hereby prohibits independent student travel to the following locations and their surrounding areas: Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza, the Persian Gulf, and the Middle East. This prohibition applies to all IES Abroad participants, including IES Internships and Customized & Faculty-Led programs.  Additionally, travel to countries bordering Russia and Ukraine must be approved by an IES Abroad Student Life representative in advance of departure. 

 Be advised of the following: 

• This travel restriction may be revised as circumstances require.
• All students are expected to monitor communications from IES Abroad for safety alerts and updates to this policy.
• This policy is in addition to any home school restrictions that may apply. Students whose home institutions prohibit travel outside of the host country remain restricted from independent travel to non-program locations, except to return home to the U.S.

This is a matter of the utmost importance. Students who violate this directive by travelling to Russia, Ukraine, the Persian Gulf, or the Middle East may be dismissed from their IES Abroad program. Questions about this policy can be directed to the Student Life, Health, and Safety Office in Chicago. 

On Sunday, the State Department issued a Worldwide Caution encouraging Americans abroad to exercise increased awareness due to the potential for demonstrations in response to recent events in the Middle East.

While we do not anticipate any specific issues related to this in our study abroad locations, we communicated this reminder for students to stay alert and follow these important safety guidelines:

• Always keep your cell phone with you, charged, turned on, and respond promptly to any messages or calls from IES Abroad staff.
• Avoid all demonstrations and protests.
• Stay aware of your surroundings.
• Walk away from any situation that feels unsafe, including suspicious people, packages, or activities.
• Follow local news reports to stay informed.
• Log any independent travel in the IES Abroad TripTracker before leaving your city so we can reach you quickly in an emergency.

IES Abroad has well-established crisis management protocols and a highly experienced team in place. We’re actively monitoring the situation and will share updates with you if needed. Your Center staff is also available to support you, and we encourage you to reach out to them if you have questions or concerns.

Recent travel restrictions proposed by the U.S. government could impact non-U.S. citizens’ re-entry to the United States after their study abroad program is complete, including the possibility of not being able to return to the U.S. after studying with us. All international students should discuss their study abroad experience with their international student advising office on campus for recommendations and advice. 

Our shanghai programs are currently suspended:

• Shanghai - Economy, Business & Society
• Shanghai - Engineering
• Shanghai Summer – Engineering
• Shanghai Summer - Intensive Language
• Shanghai Summer – Engineering Internship
• Shanghai Summer – Internship Program

We continue to monitor the situation, and will continue to keep this page up to date with the latest information.