Center for Global Education and Exchange

Plan for Travel

Before departure student must make the following preparations.

Obtain Passport and Visa

  • Start the process of obtaining passport and visa early.

Book a Flight

  • Once the student has been accepted by the host university/affiliated program, he/she can then proceed to booking a flight as soon as possible to get a cheaper fare!
  • Student must be sure to notify host university/affiliated program about his/her flight information.
  • Make sure to arrive in-country during recommended orientation period.
  • Optional: Ask family members or friends about buddy passes as an option to find reduced fares.

Make Financial Arrangements

  • Student must make sure to inform his/her bank(s) about travel arrangements and duration of stay abroad to ensure the bank does not freeze account.
  • Student must have some foreign currency before departure.

Consider Health and Safety Issues

  • Student should prepare for a healthy and safe experience by educating his/herself before departing.
  • Students should assess and communicate their specific health requirements to the Center for Global Educational Exchange so that an early determination can be made about the suitability of a particular study abroad program and what accommodations will be necessary.
  • The Center for Disease Control (CDC) website identifies vaccinations that are recommended for travel to different regions of the world.
  • To have the most benefit, students are recommended to see a health-care provider at least 4-6 weeks before the trip to allow time for the vaccines to take effect. Even if departure date is less than 4 weeks, student should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, immunizations and other medications, precautionary methods, and other health issues to consider.

Resources for LGBTQ+ Travelers

  • INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY ASSOCIATION (www.ilga.org) Provides LGBTQ+ relevant legal information and news reports by region and country, including an interactive map.
  • INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN (www.iglhrc.org) International LGBTQ+ campaign which provides information on the legal, social and political climate towards the LGBTQ+ community by region and country on its website.
  • GLOBALGAYZ.COM LGBTQ+ travel and culture website that compiles news reports, links, stories and photo galleries for over 190 countries. Though there are many banner ads, the combination of sources allows for a broader picture of cultural attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in a region than basic legal information.
  • HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (www.hrw.org) Compiles reports on human rights issues, including LGBTQ+ issues, for countries around the world.
  • SODOMYLAWS.ORG Provides information on the legality of homosexuality in countries around the world and recent news reports.
  • THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY’S TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS (http://transequality.org/Issues/travel.html) Provides specific travel considerations for transgendered people.