three male students pointing over a scenic vineyard

2021 Health & Safety Policies

In response to the impact of COVID-19, our Crisis Management Teams, which have decades of experience responding to a wide array of crises around the world, developed and follows the first set of institutional standards in the study abroad field for responding to crises and to student health and safety emergencies, as well as pandemic protocols for COVID-19 that specifically apply to our study abroad programs in 2021. Our COVID-19 protocols address key elements of the student experience, including health, academics, housing, field trips and travel. These protocols were developed and refined based upon IES Abroad’s crisis and pandemic responses to SARS, H1N1, H1N9 and COVID-19 itself. Our protocols are not only based upon the lived experience and learning of our staff in responding to pandemics but also are informed by reliable sources, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. State Department, host country government sources, trusted private sources, and our own medical consultants. These updated protocols are in addition to the standard health & safety policies we provide, including international health insurance, student mental health support, 24/7 emergency support, highly trained on-site local staff, our in-country networks, mandatory orientations for every program, our Trip Tracker database to monitory independent student travel, mandatory crisis drills every term, and more. Our protocols and policies will continue to be revised based upon our continued learning and changing circumstances as we respond to the ever-changing landscape we are living in today. While details may and should adjust, one thing will always remain the same: our dedication to putting students first, and prioritizing their health, safety and general wellbeing.

For additional information or for questions regarding IES Abroad’s proactive COVID-19 measures and response protocols, can be directed to the IES Abroad’s College Relations Managers or the Dean of Students Office at 312.944.1750.

2021 Health & Academic Protocols

Health & Academic Protocols

IES Abroad will continue to monitor and consider CDC Warning Levels along with other sources but will not make decisions regarding running programs based exclusively or primarily on CDC levels. IES Abroad will take a more nuanced approach to these issues, consulting multiple sources. CDC warning levels are not necessarily indicative of the current conditions on the ground at many of our study abroad program locations. IES Abroad will make decisions about running programs based on a number of factors, including U.S. Department of State Travel advisories; the World Health Organization, US and other countries’ consular and health and safety information; travel restrictions by sending countries and by receiving countries; the feasibility of obtaining student visas in a timely manner; and conditions on the ground at each of our center and program locations.
IES Abroad will inform students, schools, and parents of any on-site program closure for 2021 in a timely manner (we will strive to make this at least five weeks in advance of the official program start date to the extent practicable). Students will be eligible for a full refund of program fees for any program cancelled by IES Abroad prior to the official program start date.
IES Abroad has specific protocols, plans and guidelines in place on the issue of pandemics and program closures. We continuously monitor many private and public alerts and media sources to help facilitate our students, their parents and home campuses having ready access to important and relevant health advisories, alerts and travel information. Some of the sources we monitor for information include the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. State Department, host country government sources, and private sources regarding health and safety matters. In the present environment, all of this is undertaken with special attention to COVID-19.
IES Abroad complies with applicable laws regulations and government requirements and directives relative to COVID 19. For nearly 20 years, IES Abroad has had its own tested global pandemic protocol to help guide our preparation, program planning and response to emerging infectious diseases like COVID 19. We strive to assist and encourage students, faculty, and staff to adhere to best practices, such as social or physical distancing, best hygiene practices, avoiding public gatherings, following mobility restrictions, avoiding independent travel and more.

Student Health

As part of IES Abroad program fees, all students studying onsite are required to have a student health insurance plan through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). This plan provides up to $500,000 in coverage with a $100 one-time deductible for any physical health issue, including COVID-19, that could arise abroad. This insurance policy also provides emergency hospitalization evacuation benefits to the U.S. or the student’s country of origin, as well as a bedside benefit for immediate family members.
On-site IES Abroad staff are well trained on our health and safety protocols, including on how to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 issues that might arise with students at their program location.
On-site IES Abroad staff can provide contact information to students for local English-speaking medical professionals who can assist with health issues that arise, including COVID-19 testing (where available) and more. Our well-trained staff can also assist with arranging medical visits, accompanying students to appointments, and monitoring student well-being.
Under our protocol for responding to infectious diseases, all IES Abroad Centers have a plan in place that includes the capacity to isolate a student who may have been exposed to COVID 19 is being tested, or is awaiting test results for COVID-19 in alternative housing that is monitored by IES Abroad staff. This approach helps us strive to separate healthy students from a student who needs to self-quarantine.
As health restrictions may be placed on individuals arriving in a country or after arrival, students are encouraged to undergo a COVID-19 test before departing for their program location.

Potential for Student Quarantines

Required Quarantines Upon Entry to Host Country

IES Abroad will incorporate any required quarantine period(s) into the existing program calendars to the extend practicable.
Students will be able to self-quarantine in their IES Abroad housing or—if necessary, because of specific quarantine regulations—in alternative short-term housing (hotels/hostels, etc.) provided by IES Abroad.
IES Abroad local staff will assist students in purchasing food during the quarantine period if no meal plan is provided as part of the program.
Orientation sessions and the first sessions of the IES-taught courses will be conducted virtually until the quarantine period is over and in-person learning can begin.
IES Abroad local staff will work with local university partners—if necessary—to minimize the impact of the quarantine period upon students to the extent possible.
Students who violate the mandatory quarantine regulations may be subject to IES disciplinary procedures and it may jeopardize their future participation in the program.

Quarantine Policies after Initial Program Start

If a student contracts COVID-19 during the program term or must quarantine because of exposure, IES Abroad will assist the student with their housing meeting quarantine requirements or provide alternative accommodation to help protect both the student and others.
IES Abroad local staff are available to help assist students with health and personal needs while seeking medical treatment for the virus and under quarantine.
IES Abroad local staff are available to work with IES Abroad faculty to help assist student academic progress by helping to arrange for virtual class participation, recorded lectures, and other similar educational support.

Academic Facilities

Under our global infectious disease protocols, IES Abroad Centers will undergo daily cleaning and disinfection by professional cleaning services.
To help enhance effective social/physical distancing, IES Abroad is taking pro-active measures in the classroom, too, including limiting class enrollment sizes, adjusting space layout, room choice, and promoting student/faculty use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Academic Contingency Planning

Should a program need to suspend on-site instruction due to COVID-19, students will continue their coursework in an online environment.
Sending institutions must provide program approval for online instruction before any student departs for an IES Abroad program location.

Housing & Travel Protocols

Overarching Student Housing Protocols for 2021

IES Abroad will provide single bedroom housing in apartments and residence halls. IES Abroad will prioritize housing that can help facilitate social/physical distancing and compliance with applicable protocols, requirements and government directives.
Students who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 6 weeks prior to their program start date will have the option to be housed in shared housing with other vaccinated students.
In rare instances, students who have received a COVID-19 vaccine could be placed in a double occupancy room if requested by both students and where possible.
IES Abroad will prioritize student housing that limits the need to travel via public mass transportation to the extent practicable.
All student housing will be cleaned and disinfected at least every 3 days, at a minimum, by a professional service.
Independent housing is prohibited unless a student is living with family members of the student who reside in the city where the IES Abroad Center is located.

Early Arrival and Pre-Program Travel

Early arrival and pre-program international travel are strongly discouraged. Students should plan travel to arrive on the program Arrival Date as outlined in their arrival instructions. Students who travel before the program arrival date do so at their own risk and with the knowledge that travel and border restrictions may change at any time and without notice, possibly causing delays and the need for quarantine.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand their host country’s criteria for entry when traveling before their program. Students who arrive early to their program location are required to find their own housing at their own cost and cannot move into IES Abroad housing early. Where quarantine is required due to early arrival or pre-program international travel, students may be prohibited from moving into IES Abroad housing on the arrival date and may not move into IES Abroad housing until any quarantine requirements have been met.
No IES Abroad housing fees will be refunded, and time spent in independently booked accommodations will be fully at the student’s expense. Students would be required to cover any costs related to being detained if denied entry into their program country due to early arrival or pre-program international travel.

IES Abroad & Independent Travel

Any IES Abroad sponsored travel will only occur in the program host country if appropriate social distancing can be provided and applicable health regulations, requirements and concerns can be met for all participants.
IES Abroad vaccinated students are strongly discouraged from traveling outside their program host country as travel restrictions and criteria for reentry can change at any time without notice.
Travel outside the host country for unvaccinated students is not permitted and may result in disciplinary action.
IES Abroad can supply no financial or other support during independent travel
Vaccinated students who choose to travel independently must be in compliance with host country regulations and the regulations of the location(s) to which they travel.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand their host country’s criteria for traveling across borders, as well as the country of travel’s requirements.
Students will be required to cover all costs related to independent travel and of being detained, quarantined or delayed while on independent travel, or if they are denied entry into their host country or required to quarantine.
Students will be subject to IES Abroad’s class attendance policy as outlined in the Student Handbook. Unintended delays or quarantine due to independent travel will not be excused.
Any independent travel must be entered in advance by the student in the IES Abroad TripTracker platform. This system allows IES Abroad staff to locate a student swiftly in the event of a crisis or emergency where the student is traveling.
We will update the policy in the future as required by conditions on the ground.

Vaccine Statement

IES Abroad strongly encourages that students participating in our study and intern abroad programs be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the start of their program. Please be aware that it is likely some countries may require proof of vaccination in order to gain entry. Some host institutions abroad, likewise, may require proof of vaccination for enrollment in their courses.

Students should get vaccinated to protect themselves not only against Covid-19 but also against the possibility of last minute travel restrictions imposed by foreign governments. Students who are vaccinated may have greater freedom of movement and access to events and locations abroad.

IES Abroad recommends that students who are vaccinated carry written or digital proof of vaccination when traveling abroad. Additionally, it is likely that some airlines or countries may require a negative COVID-19 test for travel.

Students who are not vaccinated may be subject to mandatory isolated quarantine for an extended period of time in a location not of their choosing. Additionally, unvaccinated students place their own health at risk, as well as the health of their fellow students, faculty, staff, and the people with whom they live.

We are monitoring the rapidly evolving developments on these issues very closely. As more country-specific information becomes available, IES Abroad will continue to update students and schools. Should you have further questions, please contact us at 800-995-2300.

Questions?

We love to chat! Connect with an IES Abroad College Relations Manager to get answers to any of your questions regarding our programs, health and safety, and more.