International Travel Process

The University of Texas at Austin is committed to making study, research, and other academic pursuits abroad both accessible and safe for faculty, staff and students. As such, we maintain governing policies for official university international travel.

New Travel Guidelines in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The current prohibition on university-sanctioned travel for business or study has been extended through December 31, 2020. Exceptions will be processed by deans or vice presidents for domestic travel and by Texas Global for international travel. Decisions about the policy after January 1, 2021 will be announced on or before October 15, 2020.

Domestic Travel

• Requests for domestic travel will be approved by the college’s/school's/unit’s Dean or Vice President; it is expected that precautions for travel will have been considered with concrete steps planned to mitigate health risks.
• All air travel, hotels, and rental cars must be booked through UT Contracted travel agencies or Concur.
• University funds may not be used to cover cancellation fees for meeting registrations or for travel booked outside of UT contracted travel agencies or Concur.

International Travel

At this time, the US Department of State continues to have a global health travel advisory, level 4 “Do not travel” and the CDC has a global COVID-19 pandemic notice level 3 “Avoid non-essential travel.” As of July 1, 2020, faculty/staff/students (whether paid by UT or external sources) seeking to travel will be able to do so based on the following:

• Faculty/staff/students must petition for international travel through the university’s Restricted Regions process and submit a supplemental COVID-19 travel waiver. Approved travelers will need to follow all quarantine requirements in the destination country and upon return to the U.S., Austin, and the UT campus.
• Visitors/researchers/scholars wishing to travel to campus from abroad will need to seek approval from the corresponding college/school's Dean or Vice President. All visitors will be subject to the same quarantine provisions as UT Austin approved travelers returning from abroad.
• All international visiting delegations coordinated by Texas Global are suspended through December 31, 2020.

Self-Quarantine Guidance Upon Return from Abroad

UT Austin will follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of State. If you travel internationally, follow the guidance below for 14 days, upon your return:

• Stay home (self-quarantine and remain away from others).
• Monitor your health. You can learn more about what do if you become sick after travelling here.
• Practice social distancing. If you go outside, stay away from crowded places, avoid group gatherings, and maintain distance (~6 feet) from others.

 

See all COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Communications.

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Getting Started

1. Check Restricted Regions List

   Check whether the country you are traveling to is on UT's Restricted Regions list. If so, apply for and obtain approval from the International Oversight Committee. 

2. Register Your Travel

   If you are not traveling to a UT Restricted Region and you have not already registered your travel in MyAbroad Portal, register your travel.

3. Sign up for STEP

   Register your travel details and sign up for notifications in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Additionally, log in to the International SOS web page and sign up for email alerts.

4. Review Health & Safety Resources

   Review our Health & Safety Resources to help you prepare for your trip.

For Dell Medical School Residents Traveling Abroad

• Residents are classified as "students" during travel abroad and will need to follow processes as other UT students would, including completion of Restricted Regions forms.
• UT Austin’s medical residents who are engaged in educational activities sponsored by the University while outside of the United States are eligible for our Overseas Insurance.
• If your department is paying for any part of your trip, a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) is also required.

Learn More