The safety of students studying abroad is USD’s top priority. All students studying abroad have access to services offered by both our on-site team or partner institution as well as the University of San Diego's main campus Wellness Services area. Access to these services is available 24/7. The USD International Center, USD's Wellness Area and USD's Department of Public Safety work closely together to coordinate a safe, healthy and engaging experience abroad. In order to ensure students have a safe and successful semester abroad, the USD International Center urges students to disclose medical information prior to departure. By sharing this information, the International Center partners with students, the USD Wellness Center, and caring physicians to provide the best support possible for their abroad experience. Not disclosing important medical information can oftentimes put students at risk as the appropriate support services may not be in place for the student.
All students participating in a USD semester or short-term study abroad program are covered by international health insurance through AXA Assistance. This insurance functions mainly through reimbursement (if the costs are low). There is NO deductible per illness/injury. An outline of the AXA Assistance medical insurance policy will be provided to all students participating a study abroad program, along with an identification card. The AXA travel assistance program is considered supplemental coverage and CANNOT be used to waive out of the sponsored USD Student Health Insurance Plan.
NOTE FOR STUDENTS ON USD'S STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN: All full-time students who are usually covered in San Diego on USD's student health insurance plan will remain enrolled in the USD student health insurance plan while they are studying abroad. If you have questions about this requirement, for domestic students visit the USD Student Health Insurance Requirement website to learn more or e-mail the USD Wellness Area at wellness@sandiego.edu, for international students visit the OISS Health Insurance Requirements website.
NOTE: International students at USD who are studying abroad on an approved USD program that takes place in their home country are not covered by the ACE/EuropeAssist policy. It is the students' responsibility to obtain full coverage insurance. For more information, we highly recommend that these students contact the Office of International Students and Scholars.
Students should feel free to contact AXA Assistance if:
- You require a referral to a hospital or doctor
- You are hospitalized
- You need to be evacuated or repatriated for medical or security reasons
- You need to guarantee payment for medical expenses
- You experience local communication problems and need a translator and interpreter
- In the event that a student needs to seek medical attention or has a medical emergency while abroad, s/he is advised to follow these simple instructions:
Call AXA Assistance (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) at:
- 888-287-4741 toll free in the USA or Canada
- 1-515-365-3990 collect outside of the USA
Email: Medassist-usa@axa-assistance.us
When calling, please have the following information:
- Name of caller, phone no., fax no., relationship to patient
- Patient's name, age, sex and policy number
- A description of the patient's condition
- Name, location, and telephone number of hospital
- Name and telephone numbers for the treating doctor (where and when the doctor can be reached if known)
- USD international insurance policy number (this is printed on the insurance card)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the USD International Studies Abroad Office by telephone at (619) 260-4598 or by email at: internationalstudies@sandiego.edu.
The University of San Diego considers the safety of its students to be of top priority. Regardless of whether a student is traveling to a small town or a large metropolitan city, the fact remains the he/she is not a local citizen and will most likely be recognized as a foreigner. As in any "tourist culture", it is important that students remain aware of their surroundings, use good judgment and take the following simple precautions:
- Do not go out alone at night
- Protect personal documents and keep a copy of them at home with friends or relatives
- Know how to ask for emergency or medical help
- When traveling, always carry the phone number and address of the hotel in which you are staying and leave your itinerary with the program director at your study site
- Keep family and friends at home informed about travel plans
- Do not yell, curse, or speak loudly in public places (especially not in English)
- Do not drink alcohol in excess or use drugs
- Do not confront locals
- Walk away from confrontational people (local and/or tourists)
- Always stay away from physical confrontations
- Call for taxis (safer), rather that hailing one off the street (risky)
- Always sit in the back seat of a taxi
- When in doubt, watch the locals for appropriate behavior
- Fold bills individually for easy access to smaller denominations
- Avoid taking out large amounts of cash in public
Do not keep wallet in back-pocket in large crowds - Know where you are going before leaving
- Try not to open a large map in public. Instead, fold maps so that the section needed is facing out.
- When alone, walk with purpose
- Avoid looking people in the eye and smiling, especially in big cities (this is an American custom that is hard to change)
- And most important...USE GOOD COMMON SENSE!
Below are links to useful tips and resources that we encourage all participants/participant family members to visit.
If a student is overseas and is involved in an emergency situation, the student should either contact an emergency responder or the on-site staff immediately. If a student is unable to do so, please contact USD Public Safety staff at the number listed below.
USD Public Safety: (619) 260-2222 (inform the dispatch officer that the student is abroad)
Each member of Public Safety staff has the emergency contact numbers for each of the overseas program sites as well as the Director and Assistant Director of International Studies Abroad. All of our overseas offices have emergency contact procedures in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our staff is able to contact overseas partners and students quickly to relay information promptly.
Should an emergency occur while students abroad, the following steps should be taken:
- If the student has not already done so, the on-site staff needs to be notified.
- Contact the USD Offce of International Studies Abroad (619-260-4598) during working hours (8:30AM - 5:00PM, PST) or the USD Office of Public Safety (619-260-2222) after working hours.
Special Circumstances/Emergencies
If you have been a victim of a crime or need to report a lost or stolen passport, it is recommended that you follow the steps outlined by the US State Department.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; ask if there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety (transportation safety, cultural dating customs, laws about alcohol use, etc.).
PLEASE NOTE: The COVID-19 vaccine is not required to participate in a study abroad program. The International Center aligns with USD's COVID-19 Protocols and strongly recommends the vaccine.
All countries recommend that travelers be up-to-date on routine immunizations. Routine immunizations may include:
- Tetanus-diptheria-pertussis (DTP)
- Hepatitis B
- Polio
- Meningitis
- Chicken pox (Varicella)
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
- Influenza
Some immunizations require a series or spacing for protection (as long as three months for a series of shots), so allow as much time as possible for immunization. The USD Student Health Center can provide students with the most up to date information regarding required and recommended vaccinations based on your study abroad program location. If you are a USD student, in addition to talking with your personal medical care provider, you may visit the USD Student Health Center for more information about travel medicine services and/or to schedule an appointment. If you are a non-USD student, you are encouraged to speak with your home university's health center and/or your personal medical care provider.
If a student is involved in an emergency situation, the student should either contact an emergency responder, their on-site staff contact, or the USD Madrid Center Semester Program immediately. If a student is unable to do so, please contact:
- USD Public Safety: 619-260-2222 (inform the dispatch officer that the student is abroad)
All USD study abroad programs have emergency contact procedures in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our staff is able to contact partners and students quickly to relay information promptly.
Should an emergency occur while students abroad, the following steps should be taken:
- If the student has not already done so, the on-site staff needs to be notified.
- Contact the USD Office of International Studies Abroad (619-260-4598) during working hours (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., PST) or the USD Office of Public Safety (619-260-2222) after working hours.
Programs abroad may choose, in consultation with the USD International Center, to inform a student’s emergency contacts about a potential emergency abroad without the student’s permission, when the student:
- Is unable to speak for him/herself
- Has been missing for more than 24 hours
- Is perceived to be a danger to him/herself or others, or when
- A significant health, safety, or security incident affecting the entire program has occurred abroad