Health and Safety Updates

Last Updated 3/17/2023 – All students, staff and faculty should review the information below before traveling abroad.

Study Abroad Programs

We are excited that Study Abroad through Cal Poly is back at full strength! Most of our program offerings are open and available for eligible students. We continue to monitor health and safety issues worldwide, including COVID-19, and will continue to work with our international partners and campus experts to facilitate our programs for students. 

  • Programs in countries with U.S. Department of State travel advisory levels of 1 and 2 are approved to run. Programs in countries listed with level 3 travel advisories will be reviewed for health and safety considerations and must receive pre-approval, which is sought by the International Center. Programs in countries with level 4 travel advisories are not approved to run. Participation in all programs is contingent upon students meeting pre-departure requirements.
  • Some programs may be suspended or postponed due to country-specific regulations, risk factors, and/or low enrollment. Check specific programs on Cal Poly Abroad for further information.
  • The Cal Poly International Center is carefully monitoring the situation in Ukraine. We do not anticipate that the conflict will impact our study abroad programs. Because student health and safety are Cal Poly’s highest priorities, we are asking students to avoid travel to Ukraine and Russia. 
  • In alignment with CSU policy, students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for study abroad participation. While the CSU (Cal Poly) allows for exemptions as outlined in the CSU Vaccine Announcement  each student must understand that the vaccination and booster policies for the country to which they are traveling, the regional government, program or institution or other entity, may require them to be vaccinated/boosted regardless of the CSU exemption that they have been granted.
  • Trip cancellation insurance and refundable tickets are highly recommended. Travelers for all programs should monitor how the global health situation develops. At the time of purchase, participants should insure their flights against trip disruption and/or cancellation or have fully refundable tickets.
  • Students preparing for any future programs abroad should consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and  U.S. Department of State for ongoing recommendations.

Virtual Internship & International Study Opportunities

  • Students continue to have the option of exploring alternate options for study and interning abroad, including Virtual Study Abroad programs and Virtual International Internships.
  • The International Center offers consultations and resources for faculty interested in integrating Virtual Exchange into their classes. Visit Virtual Exchange Resources for more information. 

Faculty/Staff Traveling without Students

  • All faculty/staff travel without students is through Concur/PolyTravel (the Strategic Business Services department) effective July 1, 2021.
  • Faculty/staff international travel that includes students will continue to be vetted by the International Center. Visit International Travel for further information.

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