Health & Safety Alerts

As you may know, the Ecuadorian government has recently initiated a military campaign, in collaboration with the United States military, targeting drug cartel logistics and illegal mining operations in certain provinces of the country. As part of this campaign, the government has implemented a one-month curfew in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and El Oro. 

Quito is not located in any of these provinces, and our programs there continue to operate as planned. We have confirmed the safety of the students currently on-site. Our team at the IES Abroad Quito Center is closely monitoring the situation and remains in regular communication with students. 

We have communicated this with students and families and reminded students of existing travel restrictions, including that travel to coastal regions and provinces bordering Colombia is not permitted, particularly as spring break approaches.

Students have also been reminded to follow standard safety precautions, including avoiding demonstrations, remaining aware of their surroundings, and maintaining communication with IES Abroad staff. 

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 the evening of Sunday, December 14th there was a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. 

All IES Abroad programs had ended for the Fall 2025 term, including the IES Abroad Sydney Direct Enrollment - University of New South Wales Program, which ended on Friday, December 12th. Students departed their housing to return home or travel independently after this date.

With the possibility a student could have remained in Sydney at the end of our program, our Sydney Center Director, Jacklyn Durham, reached out to all students to offer her support. If an IES Abroad Sydney student needs support, please contact the IES Abroad Chicago office at 312.944.1750 so we can assist as needed.

Our IES Abroad Crisis Management Team continues to be in close communication with our on-site Sydney Center Director in monitoring this situation and its aftermath. The health, safety, and well-being of our students is always our top priority. 

As you may have seen in news reports today, demonstrators in Paris from the "Let's Block Everything" (Bloquons Tout) movement are reacting to President Emmanuel Macron’s appointment of a new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu. Bloquons Tout, a grassroots movement, is opposing the government's proposed austerity measures.

We are in close communication with our IES Abroad Paris Center, who have assured us that the Center can safely remain open for classes at this time. Our IES Abroad Crisis Management Team is working closely with our on-site Paris staff to monitor the situation and to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students. In addition, our Center staff have advised all students to:

• Always keep their cell phone with them, charged, turned on, and respond promptly to any messages or calls from IES Abroad staff.
• Avoid all demonstrations and protests.
• Stay aware of their 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 system before leaving Paris so we can reach them quickly in an emergency.
• Check email regularly if enrolled in a partner university class to ensure they receive important updates. 

The health and safety of our students is always our top priority. Like all IES Abroad Centers, the Paris 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.

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.