International Travel Information - Coastal Carolina University
MyCCU
In This Section
Apply Visit Info Tours
In This Section

International Travel Information

Whether you are a student, staff, or faculty member, heading to a familiar area of the globe or embarking on an entirely new opportunity, we ask you familiarize yourself with the following information prior to each travel experience you are preparing to undertake, whether personally or through university-sponsored programs.

  • Become aware of country requirements for entry.  Many of these have changed substantially in the past few years in some cases requiring vaccination, boosters, or testing as well as Travel Health Visas (with additional costs and requirements) to be provided prior to boarding plane for the destination.  In addition, these regulations are changing sometimes daily so we encourage you to bookmark the resources noted below as they provide updates as conditions are changing.  
  • Remain aware of US requirements for reentry.  Over the past few years, changes have been made to reentry requirements for US citizens and lawful permanent residents, as well as for non-immigrant visitors to the USA.  These restrictions affect countries of origin for travel to the USA, countries through which travel is taking place, and timing and requirements that may vary over time and situation.

To travel abroad on CCU-related business or sponsored activities, you must:

1.   Submit the International Travel Request  (also available on Forms page) to globalengagement@coastal.edu for it to be routed for review as soon as you are considering travel but at least 1 month before you expect to make any expenditures related to the travel. 

  • If your travel involves either/both travel to areas with a US Department of State Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4, areas of US Department of State Travel Advisory Levels 1 or 2 that are subject to specific risk concerns and/or involve High Risk Activities, then your request will be routed for review to the International Travel Risk Management Group which meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, with applications considered that are received on the Friday before that deadline. Results of the review will be shared back to the requestor after that review, including any conditions of approval.
  • If your travel involves travel to areas with US Department of State Travel Advisory Levels 1 or 2 and is not subject to other risk areas noted above, the Associate Provost for Global Initiatives will review and provide feedback to the traveler usually within one week of submission of the request denoting any conditions.

2.   If travel is approved, traveler will attach the travel approval to the Travel Authorization and route it through their department's regular travel approval process. 

3.   The traveler will also complete the Request for International Insurance located on the Forms page under Global Engagement and return it to globalengagement@coastal.edu.  This will provide travel information for registration with our international insurance provider, OnCall International, to enable us and them to be most responsive to any incidents arising connected with the travel.  Family members can be covered whille traveling with CCU faculty or staff at private cost coverage by the CCU traveler.  Each traveler is provided this information when their travel is approved.  In addition, with our OnCall International Insurance, you can be covered for private travel up to 7 days before the start of the CCU business component of your international travel and up to 7 days after completion of CCU business. If you plan to be out of the USA for longer than this time, you will need to secure your own private international insurance at your own cost.

4.   Review travel insurance to inform yourself of the coverage you have while traveling on behalf of Coastal Carolina University. All CCU students, faculty, and staff traveling abroad on behalf of the University (i.e. study abroad, research or business travel) are automatically enrolled in a blanket study/travel abroad accident and sickness insurance policy and coverage is also in place for student accidents (worldwide). 

5.   Make an appointment with your doctor, counselor, or local travel clinic to determine your own preparedness and/or accommodations needed to support a healthy and safe experience for you.  This is also a good time to determine what, if any, vaccinations you may need and/or to devise a travel health plan to consider your health and safety during your travels.  You can also check the CDC's Traveler's Health website for important health-related travel notices for your intended destinations.

6.   Visit the U.S. Department of State (DOS) website for country specific information and postings of travel advisories and to sign up with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).   You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to receive important travel related email messages from STEP, but if you are a foreign national, you should also register with your local consulate or embassy in the country in which you will be staying.

7.   Visit the U.S. Students Abroad page of the U.S. DOS website to review important information to support students in their study or international internship experience.

8.   Consult the traveler's checklist provided by the US Department of State to help prepare for their upcoming travel. Additional resources for this information are provided at bottom of this page.

9.   Review guidance from the US Department of State to support travelers with specific considerations, including travelers with dual nationality, LBGTI travelers, women travelers, travelers with disabilities, older travelers, and US volunteers abroad, among other considerations that may have additional considerations.

10. Review the processes related to maintaining access to your CCU email and other accounts through https://www.coastal.edu/office365/travelaccess/. Travelers who do not have a cell phone capable of use during international travel are encouraged to reach out to the Center for Global Engagement (843-349-2213) to determine options.  Short-term SIM cards with international data and phone coverage are available, with billing completed to the travelers department.

11.   Review the University’s policy related to Export Controls related to Technology at https://www.coastal.edu/osprs/researchcompliance/exportcontrol/. According to CCU’s Export Control Policy, you should reach out to the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services to determine whether anything you are considering taking with you might fall under limitations.  Issuance of an export control license can take a long time following receipt of an application from the University, so please plan accordingly. When taking items or materials abroad (including scientific equipment, laptops, encryption software, cell phones, tablets, flash drives, cameras, and GPS units), you need to verify that the items and materials are not export restricted based on your travel destination(s). Don’t make assumptions. Many items that you can easily purchase online or that are made by a foreign manufacturer are, in fact, controlled for export to certain destinations.

12. Apply for a passport and associated visas or check to be sure that your passport has validity beyond the required timeline of the country(countries) to which and through which you are to be traveling before applying for any necessary visas. In many cases, countries require that passports be valid at least 6 months beyond the anticipated date of departure from the country and with a specified number of completely blank pages in your passport. Each country’s visa process is a little different. To renew your passport or make application for a new passport, please visit Getting or Renewing a U.S. Passport | USAGov. CCU’s post office operates as a passport acceptance facility that you can make appointments to process your passport application.

13. Complete trainings as provided through your specific travel as approved. All students are required to complete a Travel Emergency Plan and faculty/staff are encouraged to do so. 

14. Remain aware of conditions and monitor in advance of travel. CCU will work with travelers for whom conditions deteriorate prior to travel to determine if travel should be cancelled and/or rescheduled based on conditions in advance of travel, or those that emerge during travel to support the health, safety, and security of CCU community members.  Review links below to be familiar with changing entry and exit requirements for both country/countries of intended travel as well as reentry to the USA.  In addition to other health, safety, and security conditions, regulations related to required vaccinations, testing, and boosters are changing by country on a daily basis.  Reentry requirements to the USA are also changing so it is important that you bookmark and revisit frequently as you consider travel, plan for and then prepare for departure.  

Resources:

Links: