Vaccination and Boosters for International Travel
UM and the CDC recommend being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in general, but especially if you plan to travel internationally. In fact, the CDC says not to travel internationally at all unless the traveler is fully vaccinated. Individuals considering international travel during a pandemic should consider the risks associated with international travel and practice preventative measures to protect themselves and others, including being vaccinated against COVID-19, getting a booster shot when eligible (6 months after the last dose), and wearing a mask.
It may be necessary to demonstrate full vaccination against COVID-19 to enter a country or access various sites and services while in another country. It is the traveler’s responsibility to research and know the vaccination and testing requirements of their destination(s). In the current environment, country entry requirements continue to change quickly and sometimes without notice.
UM strongly recommends being vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 for all individuals traveling abroad. If a traveler is not permitted to enter the host country or fully participate in a program, conference, research project, etc. due to failure to comply with COVID-19 vaccination, testing, or documentation requirements, any resultant costs or academic consequences will be the traveler’s sole responsibility. By traveling internationally, individuals understand that the host countries, airlines, providers, institutions, buildings and physical spaces, experiences, housing, or any other location or service may require proof of vaccination status at any time.
Resources:
US Embassy websites in host country
Destination Country Ministries of Health
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (see below)
International Insurance Coverage (see below)
Entry/Exit Requirements:
With the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in the United States, COVID-related entry requirements have been removed for all individuals entering the United States. However, travelers are still responsible for knowing what COVID tests or vaccinations, if any, are required to board a flight or enter another country. Travel restrictions may tighten globally in response to continued emerging variants and changes in infection rates. Travelers should research their destination requirements and restrictions prior to departure and regularly check for changes in entry and exit requirements.
International Health and Safety Insurance
The University of Mississippi highly recommends that any UM faculty, staff, or student enroll in UM’s international health and safety insurance when traveling outside of the United States unless automatically enrolled due to participation in study abroad programs. To enroll, please submit this Qualtrics questionnaire. The cost is $49.17 per month (minimum coverage period is 30 days). Dependent coverage for spouses and children is also available at $102.72 per month. The AY 2022/2023 insurance policy is available for review in Box.
In addition, we highly recommend that US citizens enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) through the US Department of State. This program notifies the local embassy or consulate of US citizen presence abroad and provides automatic updates on news in the country/region and assistance if needed. Non-US-citizens should check their home country’s Department of State equivalent for similar safety and registration programs.
Recruitment Materials
If you need recruitment materials to share with prospective students or institutions, PDFs are available in Box. Hard copies of the general brochure and other items are available upon request. Please email global@olemiss.edu if you would like paper copies of the brochure and other recruitment materials (small giveaways such as novelty UM footballs, lanyards, stickers), and we will prepare a pack for you.
Partnerships
Please see UM’s Global Footprint for a database of current UM partners. If you would like to visit any of our current partners while traveling, please contact global@olemiss.edu for contact information and past/current collaborations. If you are interested in creating a new partnership for UM, please review the Partnership Criteria. Feel free to reach out to OGE or create a new proposal for a partnership in the Global Footprint database.