Wellesley College Student/Alumnae International Travel Policy

Student and Alumnae Travel Policy

1. Destination Approval

Domestic Experiences

Students and graduates completing experiences in the U.S. do not need to petition the College for approval. 

International Experiences 

Students and graduates seeking to travel internationally must review the State Department Travel Advisories website to learn the travel rating for their international location. The text description at the top of the page for each country is where you will find the reason for the rating. The color of the box will reflect the rating. Travelers should pay attention to ratings related to sub-national regions as more localized areas may receive a different rating than the country overall. In all approved cases, travelers are responsible for understanding the Covid-19 guidelines and policies of the location to which they are traveling.

When no petition is required for travel:

• International locations rated “1 - exercise normal precautions” or “2 - exercise increased caution” 

When to petition for approval:

• International locations rated “3 - reconsider travel” students and graduates must petition the International Safety Committee. Petitions must be made 6-8 weeks prior to departure with an expectation of up to 2 weeks for review. Certain programs may have specific deadlines, or if traveling in a group may not require individual petitions: please consult your program director with any questions. 

When travel is prohibited:

• International locations rated “4 - do not travel”. International students and graduates are able to petition for travel to a level 4 location if it applies to their home country or country of residence.

Ongoing Monitoring of State Department Advisory Rating 

Travelers are responsible for carefully following all State Department Travel Advisories and InternationalSOS travel throughout their time abroad. For example, an advisory might warn against travel to specific parts of the country or highlight the dangers of undertaking particular activities in the country at any given time. Travelers are expected to monitor such advisories and to take appropriate precautions, avoiding any specified areas or activities. Students are encouraged to sign up for Security Alerts for all countries in their itinerary (STEP alerts). 

If a country or region’s risk level is elevated at any time during travel, our International Safety Committee will assess the risks of remaining in the country and the risks of departure. Typically, this risk assessment will involve a review of available information from a variety of news sources, safety and security partners, General Counsel, and any Wellesley affiliates with knowledge of the situation on the ground.

Based on this risk assessment, Wellesley will advise you of the risks and the recommended or required course of action, up to and including immediate departure from the country, and explain how to access Wellesley assistance. Wellesley may withdraw your sponsorship if you do not follow its recommendations. 

If you have any questions about the policy or about the State Department rating of your destination country, please contact:

• Study Abroad for Academic Credit: studyabroad@wellesley.edu
• Internships: internships@wellesley.edu
• Wellesley-sponsored Fellowships: fellowships@wellesley.edu
• Albright Institute-sponsored Internships: nmckee@wellesley.edu

2. Visa and Entry

All travelers who plan to complete an experience outside of the United States are responsible for:

• researching and meeting the necessary visa and entry requirements, including pre-departure testing;
• researching and arranging for any required on-arrival-quarantine and testing in their destination country. 

Any international student on a US F-1 visa must be pre-authorized to work in the US by the Slater International Center and is encouraged to meet with a Slater advisor. If an international student wants to pursue an internship abroad, they are also encouraged to meet with a Slater advisor: slatercenter@wellesley.edu. 

3. Waiver and Travel Tracker

All travelers who plan to complete an in-person experience (domestically or abroad) must sign the college’s risk and release waiver and register their travel in the Wellesley College Travel Tracker

4. Health and Travel Insurance

For students on Wellesely College sponsored trips outside of the United States, please visit this link for health and travel benefits. For students attending non-Wellesley College sponsored programs, please contact your program sponsor.