Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University’s mission and vision emphasize the education of citizens and leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion to build a more humane, just, and sustainable world. Global understanding and engagement are at the heart of the University’s priorities. Santa Clara offers its students a twenty-first century education that provides an understanding of global complexities coupled with opportunities for action and engagement. 

The University provides opportunities for study, research, internships, structured immersion, reflection, learning, and service around the globe to undergraduate and graduate students. To insure that programs and experiences support student learning and student safety, and that programs conform to the University’s mission, goals, and risk management requirements, all University sponsored foreign travel involving students must be approved in advance. 

University-sponsored undergraduate or graduate student travel must be approved by the Associate Provost for International Programs. Faculty or staff sponsors of student international travel should submit the International Travel Permission Request Form to the Office of International Programs prior to the planned travel. Eight weeks advance notice is recommended.  

The Associate Provost for International Programs consults with the University Risk Manager, the relevant Dean or Dean’s designee, the Executive Director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, the Director of the Center for Student Leadership, or others, as appropriate. The Faculty Advisory Committee for International Programs may also be consulted. Approval of University sponsored foreign travel involving students is based on a variety of factors including congruence with the University’s mission, goals, risk management policies and strategic priorities. Travel involving students without this approval is not authorized. 

As described in the University Foreign Travel Policy and Protocol, a U.S. Department of State travel warning leads to cancellation or non-approval of University-sponsored student travel unless an exception is granted. See the full text at: http://travel.state.gov for the countries subject to U.S. Department of State travel warnings.  

Other criteria considered in decisions about cancellation or approval are the following: 

• Information from the Center for Disease Control regarding significant health or safety risks
• Cancellation of program by a leading international education organization due to safety concerns
• A recommendation from trusted local contacts.
• Exclusion of a country from the University’s Travel Accident/Security Insurance policy. Contact the University Risk Manager for a list of excluded countries.
  

Approval of foreign travel may be withdrawn by the University if conditions warrant cancellation. 

Requests for exceptions to the cancellation or non-approval of international travel must be submitted in writing to the Associate Provost for International Programs with a clear rationale for the request. 

Once programs have been approved, the Office of International Programs or other offices will provide assistance in orienting students. Assistance in planning and administration may also be available. 

Click the links below for the University International Travel Policy and Protocol and the International Travel Permission Request Form. .

Also see...

• The University Travel Policy (pdf)
• International Travel Permission Request Form (pdf)
• Participant Agreements
  
• Site Development Guidelines
• Teaching Abroad