Skip to main content
Skip to navigation

Health and safety news

3 levels of information

The U.S. Department of State uses a three-tiered system to help you make decisions about travel:
  1. Country Specific Information - General travel information such as entry/exit requirements, crime rates, medical facilities, etc..
  2. Travel Alerts - Issued for short-term events you should know about when planning travel to a country.
  3. Travel Warnings - Issued when you should consider very carefully whether to go to a country at all. Travel warnings trigger a related MU study abroad policy.
Home / Study Outside the U.S. / Pre-departure and while abroad / Health, safety and security

Health, safety and security

The MU International Center strives to ensure that MU study abroad programs are administered in accordance with university policy and industry standards regarding ensuring health, safety and security for the field of education abroad.

Following, please find examples of some of the steps that the MU International Center Study Abroad office takes to help ensure the health, safety, and security of study abroad participants:

  • Works with campus experts to develop and maintain the MU study abroad emergency preparedness and crisis response plans (Field Guide for Program Directors)
  • Provides health and safety information to prospective study abroad participants
  • Monitors world events and informs study abroad program participants and faculty/staff program leaders of known potential risks
  • Provides health and safety workshops for faculty/staff members planning to lead MU study abroad program

Health Insurance Requirement: The University of Missouri requires that each student participating on an MU study abroad program maintain comprehensive health and accident insurance, including emergency travel insurance, during the entire duration of his/her study abroad program.

In addition to the steps taken by the MU International Center, students, faculty/staff members, and parents have important roles to play in helping to ensure the health, safety and security of students abroad.

Each participant in an MU study abroad program is expected to take an active role in ensuring his/her health, safety and security abroad by exercising good judgment, remaining aware of his/her surroundings at all times, and monitoring health, safety and security conditions.  Following are some key resources: