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R-MC student who attended Nagoya Gakuin University, Japan, shops for local goods. |
If you will participate in a semester abroad program or J-term travel course, this page can help you plan for your time overseas.
Below you will find links to several groups within the U.S. Government that provide health, safety, and travel related information:
You will also find information about:
Country Information
Our country information page has links to information for each country in which Randolph-Macon offers international education opportunities.
United States Government
If you do not find the information you are looking for on the U.S. Government websites listed below, try searching FirstGov, a government website that provides access to all online U.S. Federal Government resources.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to its web site, the CDC has as its mission "To promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability." One of the most useful CDC sites for those participating in an International Education experience is Traveler's Health, where you can search for health information by destination. Links to Traveler's Health information for different regions of the world are also provided on our country information web page.
Study abroad students may find these CDC web pages particularly helpful:
Health Information for Travelers to:
The CIA
Basic information about a country, such as its geography, government, economy, and general demographic information, is available from the Central Intelligence Agency's publication, The World Fact Book. There you will find a list of countries with links to information about each.
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the branch of the U.S. government primarily responsible for the safety of civil aviation. To some extent, the FAA also deals with aviation abroad. Recent world events have caused changes in airline and airport security. These in turn affect passengers. For instance, it is now even more important that passengers arrive at the airport well ahead of their scheduled departure times.
More information is available on the FAA passengers web page, including baggage size requirements.
The Library of Congress has several Research Guides and Databases, including an extensive set of Country Studies.
U.S. Customs Service
Students traveling abroad are encouraged to consult the Travel section of the U.S. Customs Service web site, especially these sections:
Pleasure & Vacation Travel, with links to:
On the "Know Before You Go" page you can request a free printed copy of that brochure. It will be sent to you via postal mail and should arrive within a week. You may find it particularly helpful to read the section of the "Know Before You Go" web page/brochure titled "When You Return to the United States."
U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State (also called the State Department) is a good source of information for anyone planning to travel abroad. Students participating in an international education experience at Randolph-Macon are encouraged to read the information available through the links below.
Current Travel Warnings
EMBASSIES: U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide.
EMERGENCIES—Bureau of Consular Affairs:
OVERSEAS CITIZENS SERVICES (OCS): 1-888-407-4747; from overseas call: 317-472-2328. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000 and request the OCS duty officer.
Call OCS to report things such as:
- American citizens missing abroad
- Arrest/detention of an American citizen abroad
- Crisis abroad involving American citizens after hours number for an emergency involving an American citizen abroad
- Disaster assistance
- Financial assistance
- Medical assistance
- Robbery of an American citizen abroad
OCS is open Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. The OCS toll-free hotline at 1-888-407-4747 is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday-Friday, except U.S. federal holidays.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL INFORMATION:
TRAVEL INFORMATION AND SERVICES:
Start planning your trip overseas at these State Department web pages:
and with this State Department brochure:
Other travel-related resources:
Tips for Travelers to . . .
STUDENTS are especially encouraged to consult these State Department web sites:
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Travelers & Consumers section of the TSA's website is a comprehensive travel guide for the flying public, including information about:
ATMs
The FAA provides general information about airline baggage and the size requirements for carry-on items.
Computers
The computer section of the World Electric Guide has basic information about using computers overseas.
Culture Shock
Disabilities
Doctors & Hospitals
The Department of State maintains a list of doctors and hospitals in some countries, including France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.
Fodor's Online Resources Center has a Smart Travel Tips section on Electricity.
The World Electric Guide contains an informative overview of terms, concepts, and issues related to the use of electrical devices throughout the world. Scroll down to the bottom of the World Electric Guide web page for a helpful section on adapters and converters. The same web site also has an ELECTRIC POWER AROUND THE WORLD page with information about voltage and illustrations of plug types used in each country.
Embassies and Consulates
Our country information web page has links to Embassy web sites for each country in which Randolph-Macon offers opportunities for international education.
The U.S. State Department maintains a list of Foreign Embassies in the U.S.
Other lists of embassies and consulates worldwide are available online:
According to the U.S. State Department's Foreign Entry Requirements web page,
Some countries require that your U.S. passport be valid at least six months or longer beyond the dates of your trip. If your passport expires before the required validity, you will have to apply for a new one. Please check with the embassy or nearest consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements.
Therefore, if you have a passport that will expire less than six months after you expect to complete your period of overseas travel, check now with the embassies of the countries to which you will travel, to determine if your passport will be accepted. Each country has its own policies with regard to passport expiration dates. You should determine if your passport will be accepted in the countries to which you will travel, well in advance of your departure from the U.S.
Monetos provides helpful information on finance, society and cultural exchange in the following EU countries: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain. Examples of topics:
Health & Safety
Whether they are traveling abroad for two weeks or studying overseas for a year, the health and safety of study abroad students are primary concerns of the college. Randolph-Macon continually strives to exercise reasonable care and effort with regard to the health and safety of participants in our semester abroad programs and study/travel courses. At the same time, there will always be circumstances that study abroad providers cannot control. Similiarly, no study abroad provider can forsee and address all possible events and conditions—natural, political, legal, medical, social, or personal—and their outcomes.
NAFSA: Association of International Education, the largest professional organization in the field, has produced a statement titled "Promoting Health and Safety in Study Abroad—Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health and Safety." We encourage semester abroad students and study/travel course participants, as well as parents, guardians, and families, to consider this resource, especially the following sections that we include here for your convenience:
Things that program sponsors cannot do
In particular, program sponsors generally:
- Cannot guarantee or assure the safety and/or security of participants or eliminate all risks from the study abroad environments.
- Cannot monitor or control all of the daily personal decisions, choices, and activities of participants.
- Cannot prevent participants from engaging in illegal, dangerous or unwise activities.
- Cannot assure that U.S. standards of due process apply in overseas legal proceedings or provide or pay for legal representation for participants.
- Cannot assume responsibility for actions or for events that are not part of the program, nor for those that are beyond the control of the sponsor and its subcontractors, or for situations that may arise due to the failure of a participant to disclose pertinent information.
- Cannot assure that home-country cultural values and norms will apply in the host country.
Responsibilities of participants
In study abroad, as in other settings, participants can have a major impact on their own health and safety through the decisions they make before and during their program and by their day-to-day choices and behaviors.
Participants should:
- Assume responsibility for all the elements necessary for their personal preparation for the program and participate fully in orientations.
- Read and carefully consider all materials issued by the sponsor that relate to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural, and religious conditions in the host country(ies).
- Conduct their own research on the country(ies) they plan to visit with particular emphasis on health and safety concerns, as well as the social, cultural, and political situations.
- Consider their physical and mental health, and other personal circumstances when applying for or accepting a place in a program, and make available to the sponsor accurate and complete physical and mental health information and any other personal data that is necessary in planning for a safe and healthy study abroad experience.
- Obtain and maintain appropriate insurance coverage and abide by any conditions imposed by the carriers.
- Inform parents/guardians/families and any others who may need to know about their participation in the study abroad program, provide them with emergency contact information, and keep them informed of their whereabouts and activities.
- Understand and comply with the terms of participation, codes of conduct, and emergency procedures of the program.
- Be aware of local conditions and customs that may present health or safety risks when making daily choices and decisions. Promptly express any health or safety concerns to the program staff or other appropriate individuals before and/or during the program.
- Accept responsibility for their own decisions and actions.
- Obey host-country laws.
- Behave in a manner that is respectful of the rights and well being of others, and encourage others to behave in a similar manner.
- Avoid illegal drugs and excessive or irresponsible consumption of alcohol.
- Follow the program policies for keeping program staff informed of their whereabouts and well being.
- Become familiar with the procedures for obtaining emergency health and legal system services in the host county.
Recommendations to parents/guardians/families
In study abroad, as in other settings, parents, guardians, and families can play an important role in the health and safety of participants by helping them make decisions and by influencing their behavior overseas.
Parents/guardians/families should:
- Be informed about and involved in the decision of the participant to enroll in a particular program.
- Obtain and carefully evaluate participant program materials, as well as related health, safety and security information.
- Discuss with the participant any of his/her travel plans and activities that may be independent of the study abroad program.
- Engage the participant in a thorough discussion of safety and behavior issues, insurance needs, and emergency procedures related to living abroad.
- Be responsive to requests from the program sponsor for information regarding the participant.
- Keep in touch with the participant.
In addition to the NAFSA guidelines, above, students and parents may wish to consider general health and safety information as well as specific topics.
General health information related to study abroad is available from:
Health insurance - Also see our Health Insurance web page
WILL YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE COVER YOU WHILE ABROAD? - All students going abroad as part of a Randolph-Macon semester abroad program or study/travel course should have health insurance that will cover them while they are overseas. Coverage provided by many health insurance policies does not extend outside the United States. On its Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad web page, the U.S. Department of State recommends:
- overseas travelers should learn what medical services their health insurance will cover overseas
- if health insurance coverage extends overseas, travelers should carry with them both their insurance policy identity card, as proof of such insurance, and a claim form
Check with your health insurance provider to determine if you will be covered while studying abroad. If so, it is a good idea to request a health insurance letter to that effect. If your health insurance will not cover you while studying abroad, a separate traveler's health insurance policy can be purchased and a health insurance letter or other proof of coverage requested from that company.
SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES FOR OVERSEAS STUDY - Students who will be studying and traveling abroad can purchase short-term health insurance coverage for their period of overseas study and travel. Our Health Insurance web page has links to several companies that offer such policies. The Department of State's Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad web page also contains a list of companies that offer medical insurance for travelers; scroll down from the top of the page to see the list. In addition, the Office of International Education has brochures describing short-term health insurance policies available from several companies. Contact or visit our office for more information.
ISIC COVERAGE - Basic accident and sickness insurance for travel outside the United States is provided by the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). Randolph-Macon requires all semester abroad students and study/travel course participants, whose courses travel outside the U.S., to obtain an ISIC before their departure date. However, the amount of insurance coverage provided by this card may be deemed insufficient by itself. For example, coverage provided with purchase of an ISIC reimburses certain medical costs incurred overseas but does not pay them up front. See the ISIC section below for more information about the card.
Hostels
While studying abroad, most students take advantage of opportunities afforded by breaks in their academic programs to travel and explore different parts of their host country and neighboring areas. One way to cut down on costs while traveling is by staying in youth hostels. Several web sites provide information about hostelling, including lists of hostels along with their contact information and addresses. Here are some hostel web sites you may find helpful.
Immunizations for overseas travel
Immunizations may or may not be required for overseas travel, depending on one's intended destination(s). The main source of information about required or recommended immunizations is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those traveling overseas are encouraged to consult the CDC's web pages for Destinations and Vaccinations. More information about the CDC and the resources it provides for travelers is listed above.
Immunizations and information about them are available locally from the Hanover Health Department and the VCU Medical Center Travel Clinic.
Hanover Health Department (HHD)-
- LOCATION - south of the college, on Route 1 near Sheetz gas station.
- PAYMENT - The Hanover Health Department accepts cash or checks only, no credit or debit cards.
- If you already have prescriptions (or scripts) from a physician for the immunizations you need, you can go to the HHD any Tuesday or Friday from 1:00-3:30 p.m. Nurses will administer vaccinations based on the prescriptions you bring with you. There is a fee for the office visit in addition to the cost of the vaccinations.
- If you do not have the prescriptions needed for your immunizations, you can go to their Foreign Travel Clinic. However, you must make an appointment; walk-ins are not allowed at the Foreign Travel Clinic. During those hours a physician or other qualified medical personnel will meet with you and write the necessary prescriptions, based on your travel destination, and vaccinations will be administered. There is a fee for this type of office visit, in addition to the cost of the vaccinations.
- Although the HHD usually stocks commonly administered vaccines, students should call before going and verify the HHD has the vaccines on hand that are required for the student's travel destination.
- Hanover Health Department
12312 Washington Highway
Ashland, Virginia 23005
(804) 365-4313
(800) 464-5506
Fax: 365-4355
VCU Medical Center Travel Clinic
Insurance
See the information about health insurance and travel insurance elsewhere on this web page.
Internet
Internet access is available worldwide. However, Internet access is often not as widespread in other parts of the world as it is in the United States. Also, Internet access is easier, cheaper, and more readily available in some areas overseas than in others. Cybercafés or Internet cafés are one way to keep in touch with family and friends while traveling abroad. To find the location of cybercafés worldwide, try these search engines:
Maps
Online maps are available from many sources. Here are a few good ones:
- CIA reference maps (click the "Reference Maps" link on the right)
- Holt, Rinehart and Winston (world map, click a continent then country)
- Holt, Rinehart and Winston (alphabetical list of countries, click on a name)
- National Geographic Map Machine (interactive, searchable, and organized by various theses such as physical, political, climate)
- University of Texas, Perry-Castaeda Library, map collection
Measurements
You can use The Digital Dutch WWW Unit Converter to convert from one unit of measure to another. Use it to convert lengths, temperatures, volumes, and other units of measure.
— EXCHANGE RATES —
International currency rates can remain fairly stable or fluctuate widely over time. Currency exchange rate information is available in the business section of most major newspapers or on exchange rate web sites, such as:
Keep in mind that when you exchange one form of currency for another, banks and moneychangers usually charge a fee for their services. Credit cards and ATM cards often give better exchange rates and sometimes do not charge an additional exchange fee. Check with your financial institution about its policies, fees, and exchange rates.
— OBTAINING FOREIGN CURRENCY —
You can purchase cash and travelers cheques in foreign currencies at many American Express Travel Service offices. Available currencies usually including British Pounds Sterling and Euros. For more information, contact an American Express Travel Service office. The one nearest to Randolph-Macon College that offers foreign currencies is at 1412-a Starling Drive Richmond, VA 23229, telephone: 804-740-2030. You can check online for other offices in the Richmond area. Another option is to visit their TravelFunds Direct web page.
Some foreign currencies are also available through AAA (American Automobile Association). The AAA office closest to Randolph-Macon College is at 5001 West Broad Street, Suite 1000 Richmond, VA 23230-3003, telephone: 804-285-8912. For a list of other AAA offices in Virginia and neighboring states, visit the AAA Mid-Atlantic web site.
A variety of foreign currencies can be obtained at Foreign Currency Exchange, located at the Food Court inside Potomac Mills mall. Telephone 703-492-2767.
Amount of currency exchanged: |
Fee: |
$0-$20 |
$1 |
$20-$200 |
$3 |
$200-$500 |
$5 |
over $500 |
$10 |
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Exchange rates: Fluctuate daily with international markets.
The company regularly stocks Euros and British Pounds Sterling. Call about the availability of other currencies, daily exchange rates, and to verify current exchange fees.
— FOREIGN CURRENCY ONLINE —
You can order foreign currency, travelers cheques, and cash passports online from companies such as Travelex.
Many newspapers are available online. Below are links to some that originate in countries where Randolph-Macon provides opportunities for international education. In addition,
The International Herald Tribune covers news from an international perspective
Passports
All participants in semester abroad programs or study/travel courses offered by the college must possess a valid passport (this does not apply to study/travel courses that travel only within the U.S.). Detailed information about applying for U.S. passports is on our passports web page.
Visa information is available below.
Passport & Visa Services
Several companies offer passport and/or visa expediting services. These non-government businesses charge various fees for their services and in return may simplify the application process and reduce the amount of time it takes to obtain a passport or visa.
Randolph-Macon's Office of International Education does not encourage students to use a passport or visa service nor do we recommend or endorse any particular company offering such services. We also make no claims regarding the quality or speed of service provided by these companies. We provide this list of passport and visa services as a convenience to students and their families and for their consideration.
IMPORTANT: Some companies only provide help with travel visas, not student visas. If you need help applying for a student visa, make sure the company offers help obtaining student visas for the country in which you plan to study.
Passports only
Passports & Visas
Numerous companies sell international calling cards. Before you purchase one, consider the following:
- Does the card work in the country where I plan to travel?
- How much does it cost to place a call to the U.S. from that country?
- How do I use the card in that country?
- Are there costs in addition to per-call fees, such as an activation fee, monthly fee, or "connection charges"? If so, how much are they?
- Does the company provide 24-hour telephone assistance for the card?
Companies that offer international calling cards include:
If you purchase an international calling card, make sure to obtain written instructions for using the card in the country to which you will travel and that you take them with you.
Postage
The United States Postal Service has an International Rate Calculator web site.
There are official web sites for Post Offices in the following countries:
United Kingdom
There are also web sites with links to post offices worldwide and information about international mailing address formats.
Telephone Codes, International
To make an international telephone call from the United States you must dial:
"011" - "country code" - "city code" - "telephone number"
You do not need to dial 011 if the country code is 808 or 809.
To call the United States from overseas, you usually need to dial:
"001" - "area code" - "telephone number"
INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE CODES are available online:
World Time Server is an easy to use web site that allows you to find the correct time anywhere in the world. You can get a list of countries or major cities and click on the location in which you are interested. World Time Server then displays the current local time for that location.
WORLDTIME provides on online, interactive world atlas. It has local time information as well as sunrise and sunset times for several hundred cities throughout the world. WORLDTIME also has a database of public holidays. General information about using WORLDTIME is available from its home page. On WORLDTIME's main page, you can choose from a list of countries or click on the area of the globe for which you want information.
The Worldtimezone web site uses a world map to show the current time in each time zone. It also has links where you can:
American Express also has an online Global Time Calculator.
Faculty members who teach study/travel courses generally make travel arrangements for the class. Students who participate in semester abroad programs usually make their own travel arrangements.
Many semester abroad students make their travel arrangements through STA Travel. You can visit STA's website or go to one of their offices. The office closest to Randolph-Macon is in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.
STA Travel
3301 'M' Street, NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone 202-337-6464
Fax 202-337-9068
Travel information
Travel information is available online from many sources, including:
Travel insurance
Your travel plans can change for many reasons. For instance, you may have to make last minute changes or cancellations because of an illness or family emergency. Sometimes travel plans change due to circumstances beyond your control, such as operator default, flight cancellation, or political unrest. To protect against such situations, we encourage students to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance can guarantee against such things as:
- airline bankruptcy
- baggage delay or loss
- emergency medical transportation
- medical evacuation
- operator default
- trip cancellation, interruption, delay
The type and amount of coverage varies by policy and provider. For instance, some companies may cover medical evacuation if it is deemed to be medically necessary while others may cover such costs if you are dissatisfied with the medical care you receive as a result of a covered injury or illness. Read carefully the information a company provides about the coverage offered by its travel insurance policies; note any restrictions and limitations. The kind of travel insurance, if any, that is best for you will depend on factors such as your travel needs, your family's financial situation, the amount of travel-related risk with which you are comfortable, and the extent to which you want coverage. As with any contractual agreement, carefully read all information, including the fine print!
Some companies that offer travel insurance are:
InsureMyTrip.com allows you to compare prices and policies of travel insurance companies. As with all insurance, be certain to examine the fine print for each policy.
Youth hostels
See the information about hostels, above on this page.
If you are participating in:
- a study/travel course to China, Brazil or Ghana
a semester program in:
- Australia
- Brazil
- England (if studying in the U.K. for more than 6 months)
- France
- Germany
- Japan
- Korea
- New Zealand
- Northern Ireland (if studying in the U.K. for more than 6 months)
- Spain
you must also get a visa in order to enter those countries.
Visas are issued by a country's Embassy in Washington, D.C. or one of the country's Consulates elsewhere in the United States. Application procedures vary from country to country and often change from year to year.
IMPORTANT: Visas are added to a person's passport, so you must obtain your passport first, then submit it to the foreign Embassy or Consulate, along with other materials and an application fee, when you apply for your visa.
Plan ahead! Some Consulates issue visas in one day, other Consulates can take months to do so.
Contact the Office of International Education before you apply for a student visa. You also should contact the country's Embassy or Consulate or visit their web site.
The U.S. State Department maintains a web site with basic information about Foreign Entry Requirements. However, you should always contact a country's Embassy or one of its Consulates for up-to-date information about the requirements for entry into the country. Our country information web page has links to the web sites of foreign embassies for countries in which Randolph-Macon offers international education opportunities.
Voting
Study abroad students may apply to vote by absentee ballot in federal, state, and local elections. For details, contact the board of elections for the state or territory in which you have legal residence:
Weather
American Express has an online Temperature Conversion Chart.
You can check the weather reports for cities and countries around the world on The Weather Channel's web site (click "World" at the top of the home page). You can also check the weather report for the countries listed below. Just click a link.
World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organization is an agency of the United Nations that specializes in health issues. Some of the information provided by the WHO pertinent to study abroad students: