When a non U.S. citizen is accepted into a college, vocational school, or university in the U.S., it’s important that they understand the visa requirements. Last year, the U.S. issued 715,000 student, exchange, and vocational visas. This summer, the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad have seen record numbers of students applying for entry into the U.S. for educational and research purposes.

Take a look at this message from David Donahue, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services at the U.S. Department of State.

The advice mentioned by Mr. Donahue is available at this link.

Related links

• Student Visa Frequently Asked Questions
• EducationUSA

The Department of State recently published an  excellent guide for students abroad, describing what documentation to take with you, what to do in an emergency, and more. This is excellent information for Fullbright scholars, students on cultural exchange and Gilman Scholarship programs.

When traveling far from home, it’s important for students and parents to ensure that the student has health insurance and evacuation coverage at a minimum. Sure, you don’t expect to spend your time in the doctor’s office or hospital, but if you get sick or hurt on your trip, a trip to the local emergency room can run into the tens of thousands of dollars and a medical evacuation could cost over $50,000.

Check out this Medical Information for Americans Abroad brochure for more details.

Student Travel Insurance Plans

Here are just a few travel insurance plans designed specifically with students in mind. These plans are designed to meet the requirements of university and study-abroad programs:

• Liaison Student from Seven Corners – ideal coverage for students for up to 12 months (renewable for additional semesters). Coverage for spouse and children, comprehensive major medical and affordable premiums.
• Student Comprehensive from Travel Insured International – complete travel insurance for students travel in groups, covering cancellation, interruption, medical and more.
• Student Basic from Travel Insured International – strong travel protections, this is ideal for students who have health coverage. Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions available (conditions apply).
• Student Post-Departure from Travel Insured International – for students who need travel insurance protections but don’t need cancellation coverage. Good for domestic trips or trips abroad. Includes medical coverage as well.
• Study USA HealthCare from Travel Insurance Services – for U.S. and non U.S. students, this is basic medical coverage for those who are studying abroad.
• Student Health Advantage from IMG – annually renewable, comprehensive major medical coverage for students to meet visa requirements. Includes coverage for political evacuations and a universal prescription drug discount program.
• Patriot T.R.I.P. Student from IMG – travel protection for a student’s non refundable trip costs, including deposits, flights, and more. This is a cost-conscious travel insurance plan with essential coverage for U.S. students.
• Global Student USA from HTH Worldwide – major medical for non U.S. students in the United States for educational or research purposes. Offers good medical maximums and reasonable deductibles in addition to a few global travel benefits.
• Global Student USA Preferred from HTH Worldwide – major medical with high limits for non U.S. students in the United States for education or research positions. Includes coverage for in- and outpatient treatment, intensive care, hospital room and board, and more. Global travel medical benefits as well.
• U.S. Student Abroad from HTH Worldwide – essential major medical coverage up to $100,000 for U.S. students traveling outside their home country. Global travel medical benefits, including emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, and bedside visits.
• Plus Scholastic from FrontierMEDEX – provides emergency medical evacuation and repatriation for students and faculty who are traveling over 100 miles from home. Ideal for those who have health insurance and need evacuation coverage.

Of course, these are just the plans specifically marketed to and for students. Many of the travel insurance provider’s travel medical plans will be adequate for students as well.

Buying travel insurance for a trip is an absolute must. Many people decide that they don’t want to buy trip insurance because they figure that nothing bad will happen on their trip, but travelers may find themselves in a tight spot without the benefit of general travel insurance or medical travel insurance, should they be involved in an accident or have their personal belongings or travel documents lost or stolen while traveling. If you are traveling, it’s always safer to get travel insurance to protect yourself.

Why is travel insurance so important? No matter how well you plan for a holiday, sometimes, the unexpected can happen. In most cases, accidents happen when you are least prepared. Travel insurance coverage can be specialized to meet the needs of the individual traveler and can be customized to ensure that all needs are met, including medical coverage and compensation for lost of stolen property. For instance, a plan may provide up to $1 million to cover medical bills and air transport to quality medical facilities. The plan may also include something like $800 in luggage protection to replace lost items.

Travel insurance is important, no matter how long or adventurous a trip might be, it is better to be well-prepared than to be overwhelmed with unnecessary medical costs or other taxing situation. If you get into an accident during your travels in a foreign place, the medical charges can financially cripple you if you don’t have any travel medical insurance. This is why it’s necessary to get travel insurance. A small cost upfront is nothing compared to how much you will end up spending on medical expenses or replacing your luggage.

When it comes to buying travel insurance through schools, most often, it is bought as group travel insurance. This makes sense because most students take trips with their classes, meaning that multiple students at a time will need to purchase travel insurance for safety purposes. It should be noted that with these types of policies, there are many different specific instructions that go along with them. At the very least, there will be a group arrival and group departure date, meaning all members of the group are required to both arrive and leave at specific places and times.

The group travel insurance can also cover cancellation or curtailment costs. If circumstances beyond your control keep you from going on the trip, you will be able to reschedule or not have to pay certain fees. Some plans also offer personal liability insurance as part of the package. Most of these plans can be attained either through your school directly or on their recommendation. It can usually be obtained at a discount, too, through the school as part of a special student discount, which is another good reason to get travel insurance when leaving on a school trip.

For student travelers, going away from home can be exciting as well as challenging. When they are on their own, things can certainly get exciting, but when they are confronted with problems, sometimes, the situation can be quite challenging. In any case, here are some useful important things that all student travelers need to know.

Whether traveling to attend school in another place or backpacking in a remote country, students are entitled to special discounts in most countries. For instance, holders of the International Student Identity Card stand to enjoy more than 40,000 discounts across 120 countries. Some of these benefits include: discounts on travel, accommodations, food, entertainment, and shopping. Application is easy and fast.

Since most students are young and restless, they tend to subscribe to the idea that they are immune to illnesses or accidents. Student travelers have to know that unfortunate things can also happen to the smartest and strongest people so it’s best to be prepared. One of the best ways to protect themselves is to buy a suitable travel insurance policy. In fact, students can find cheap travel insurance quite easily. It’s a small price to pay to ensure a worry-free trip.

Students who are traveling to a foreign country are advised to find out the contact information of: the embassy, local hospitals, local police stations, and more. When a situation arises, it’s always good to have all the telephone numbers and addresses ready. Student travelers would also be wise to learn about the local customs to understand the differences and most importantly, respect them. Not restricted to students, some travelers can get so disorientated by culture shock that they are not able to adjust and adapt, suffering as a result of their short-sightedness or stubborn nature. To this end, it’s always best to follow the old time maxim which says, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

When students travel, they have a lot of opportunities to make new friends, and it’s not uncommon that some of them develop lifelong friendships with other travelers or locals. Unsurprisingly, some student travelers even meet their spouses during their trips. While it’s always a good idea to keep an open door if not a window in this aspect, it’s also wise to practice caution. Just as there are well-meaning folks who want to show their good side, there are also well-disguised crooks waiting to prey on student travelers just because they are generally greener. Well, there are no hard and fast rules on the matter: It’s the instinct that has to be sharper. When you feel uncomfortable about something, it’s time to retreat. Learn to see through all the smoke screens to unveil the core motives.

Today, student travelers have greater and cheaper opportunities to explore many countries in the world. As such, they have to practice good conduct and discretion to make the most of their travels.