SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

International Travel

SIPA's mission, to empower our students to serve the global public interest, means offering opportunities for international study and fieldwork.  SIPA students have numerous opportunities for international travel, from internships that could take them to the Millennium Villages in Africa to Capstone workshops that may combine a fact-finding trip to Quito Ecuador with a trip to the rainforest.  International travel enhances our students’ global perspective and also provides valuable on the ground experience in unique local conditions.  It’s a chance for our students to immerse themselves in a particular setting or apply theories to practice in a way that is simply not possible in a classroom.  Travel abroad is an integral part of a SIPA education.  

Nonetheless, travel abroad inevitably involves risks, including potential risks to your safety and well-being.  While many of our students are seasoned travelers, for others, such travel may be a new experience.  This section provides important information that all SIPA students need to know before embarking on an international trip.  It will hopefully make you more aware of some of the issues associated with international travel and help to ensure that you have a safe and productive experience.  Therefore, it is important that you read this section carefully so that we can ensure that all SIPA students comply with our international travel policies.   

SIPA International Travel Policies
SIPA students traveling abroad for research, study, summer internships or other university business, are required to submit the following documents prior to departure to the Office of Student Affairs:

Documents Required by OSA

Travel itinerary, personal contact information and emergency contacts using the I-SOS Travel Locator.

Columbia University Assumption of Risk, Wavier and Release (PDF)

International SOS (I-SOS) Travel Assistance Program
With well-being of travelers as a top priority, Columbia University has retained International SOS (I-SOS) to provide worldwide travel assistance services for all faculty, staff and students.  International SOS provides 24-hour, worldwide emergency medical care and security evacuation services when traveling abroad. Personal travel, including vacations or travel home to visit family is not covered. Please refer to Using the ISOS Program for more information on International SOS and answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

For general guidelines on I-SOS for Columbia students please refer to the Columbia International SOS Travel Assistance Program website.

SIPA students need to do the following well before their scheduled departure:

• Obtain a laminated I-SOS card from the Office of Student Affairs, Room 600, IAB, or print one on-line.
• Register your profile, travel itinerary and emergency contacts using the I-SOS Travel Locator.   You must also update your travel information (flight, hotel, country, etc.) in I-SOS Travel Locator if it changes during your trip.  If this is not possible, you should notify SIPA’s Office of Student Affairs of any change of plans. This allows us and I-SOS to reach you in case of an emergency and to reach out to your emergency contacts. 
• Update your emergency contact information in Student Services Online (SSOL): http://ssol.columbia.edu.

Health Insurance
I-SOS is not health insurance.  If you are enrolled in the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan, your travel insurance benefits, including medical evacuation, are provided by On Call International.  For information on coverage and exclusions, go to pages 53-55 of the Student Health Insurance Plan brochure.

If you are enrolled in another health insurance plan you should become familiar with its policies on overseas coverage and payment requirements.

Before departure, make sure you visit a travel health clinic or meet with a doctor to ensure that all immunizations, vaccinations, prescriptions and preventative health needs are taken care of.  Columbia offers these services on campus for students paying the Health Services fee.  For information on Columbia health services please refer to the Columbia University Medical Services website.

For a good summary of both On Call International and I-SOS, please refer to Columbia University Travel Assistance Information.

Visa Requirements
Check and verify visa requirements for each destination country and plan ahead as visa procurement can take several weeks.   Visit the host country’s Office of the Consulate General website for information on visa requirements. US citizens may refer to the US State Department’s general visa information service website.

International students must verify with the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) that travel meets the condition of their student visa.  Please visit the Columbia University International Programs and Services website.

SIPA Travel Grant Program
SIPA provides internship grants to qualifying students to help defray the costs of unpaid or low paid internships abroad.  For more information, please refer to the SIPA Travel Grant section.

SIPA Contact Information
Students in the Economic and Political Development (EPD) concentration frequently take part in workshops abroad.  EPD students who may need assistance should first contact Ilona Vinklerova: (212) 851-4105; iv2105@columbia.edu.

Students in the Development Practice (MPD) degree program must complete a summer internship.  MPD students should first contact André Corrêa d’Almeida:  (212) 854-2636; ac3133@columbia.edu. 

All other students should contact the Office of Student Affairs: (212) 854-8690; fax: (212) 854-1657; Leah Gunn Barrett, Assistant Dean, leahgunn.barrett@sipa.columbia.edu. 

Other Useful Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides helpful tips for travelers as well as health information specific to the country you will be visiting.

For background information on your destination(s) visit the US State Department website.  Keep the US or your home country’s in-country embassy address and contact information with you when you travel. 

The International SOS/Columbia University portal also houses helpful pre-travel information in the form of Country Guides and E-mail Alerts. 

For additional resources on Health & Safety and General Travel, please consult Columbia’s Office of Global Programming.  The site contains passport and travel agency information for students and has a link to an on-line training course for travel abroad called “What’s Up with Culture?”