Global Safety
The mission of Global Safety is empowering Penn Staters to explore the world. Our office works to help students, faculty, and staff achieve this goal by mitigating potential health and safety risks.
Planning A Trip Abroad
All students, faculty, and staff traveling either in a group or individually for university purposes (with a club, organization, team, college, or department) or with university funding must record international travel in the GSN database prior to departure as outlined in the university’s International Travel Requirements Policy. Complete a new travel record for each of your university-affiliated international trips at least 30 days before you depart. For each travel record, the GSN system will identify which forms you need to complete. Once you have completed all of the web-based forms in the GSN system for your trip, and completed a pre-departure orientation (if applicable), your record will be reviewed for completeness by university experts and you will receive a GSN confirmation email. The review process may take up to a few weeks before you receive your final confirmation.
Where To Record Your Travel
The Global Safety Network (GSN) Database is where all university affiliated travel that is not completed through Education Abroad should be recorded. This includes travel that is paid for by or represents the university (this includes research, field work, conference, strategic partnership, site visit, volunteer/service learning, and guest lecture travel). Personal travel should only be entered into the GSN database if part of a university-affiliated trip.
Education Abroad’ s database is part of the Global Safety Network. Students and faculty going abroad on any approved Penn State education abroad program will complete an application and/or registration via the online system utilized by Education Abroad and will not have to separately register their study abroad travel plans in the GSN database. For more information on how to apply or enroll in an education abroad program, please visit the Steps to Study Abroad page. For questions about how to record your education abroad travel plans, please contact Education Abroad.
University Restricted Travel
As part of the vision of Penn State as a global university, we work with students, faculty, and staff to support safe international experiences to a wide range of countries, including some that are higher risk. The following restrictions have been instituted in an effort to help reduce the potential for risk. Please note that restricted does not mean prohibited and Global Safety routinely works with travelers to promote the maximum opportunities for global engagement. Please refer to the university’s International Travel Requirements policy for additional information. Travel to restricted destinations requires petition approval process and should be submitted more than 30 days before departure to be reviewed by the International Restricted Travel Committee on a case-by-case basis.
The countries considered restricted by the University is a dynamic list developed based on a variety of sources which include:
- The Insurance Industry’s List of Restricted Countries
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control Travel Health Notices
- U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories
- Risk ratings from our international insurance provider
- A small number of additional countries that continue to pose health, safety and security risks not otherwise captured above.
- Some countries have specific regions which are considered restricted
The Restricted Country List is reviewed regularly and is subject to change at any time.
Please contact Global Safety to determine if your desired location(s) for travel is currently a restricted country or region.
Emergency Preparedness Workshops
Penn State Global offers Emergency Preparedness Workshops to cover insurance issues, emergency response protocols and Penn State Global resources available for those planning to travel to an international destination. The workshops generally take one hour. Both the online module and the Pre-Departure Orientation for Leaders address procedures for medical, political, and natural disaster emergencies as well as managing day to day risks while traveling internationally.
There are separate sessions for those Leading, Supervising, or Chaperoning Groups and sessions for Group Participants and Individuals.
If you are unsure if you need to attend, please contact Global Safety.
Group Travel Information
All student group travel abroad is governed by University Policy FN-20 and must be approved in advance through the appropriate channels. Group leaders should contact Global Safety regarding steps to creating a group trip.
Recognized Student Organization Group Travel
- International travel that is sponsored by a recognized student organization must meet specific requirements.
University Sponsored Group Travel (Non-Academic)
- Faculty/staff leading a student group on a non-credit trip abroad will work with Risk Management and Student Activities. All non-credit international group travel must be approved in advance by the associate dean or director of academic affairs of the sponsoring college or campus.
University Professional Groups
- Faculty/staff leading a group of professionals on a non-credit trip abroad for research or field work purposes. These individuals are not necessarily affiliated with Penn State but can be included in our international travel health insurance for a nominal fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us
Global Safety – Mauricio Jimenez | Monique MacAllan | Claire Preston
427 Boucke Building
Phone: +1-814-863-8788
Email: globalsafety@psu.edu
In the event of a life safety emergency, please contact the Global Safety 24/7 phone.
