Any new international program that is Columbia-Led, Columbia-Facilitated and/or Recognized International Travel that is open to undergraduates of Columbia College, Columbia Engineering and the School of General Studies requires Program Approval.  

Approved programs will be automatically available in the Undergraduate Travel Web App each semester. However, existing Columbia-Led, Columbia-Facilitated and/or Recognized International Travel programs that have changes to program destinations and/or to any of the risk variables must log in to the Undergradute Travel Web App to reapply for Program Approval.

You will receive an email from utrc@columbia.edu when your application is received, as well as when a final determination has been made. You may also check the status of your application or any other required steps of the Program Approval process by logging in to the Undergraduate Travel Web App.

Yes, this is required for all additional destinations you will be visiting while abroad, including travel seven days before or after your program.

You may make edits to to your application for School Sponsorship at any point in the process. Please note that the addition of new destinations will place your School Sponsorship application in “review” status until newly added travel has been reviewed, assessed and approved. If destinations added are of a medium, high or extreme risk rating, your application may require additional steps, including, but not limited to, an International SOS Itinerary Review.

Before planning or booking any side trips/independent travel, students should check with their program to ensure that side trips/independent travel is allowed and confirm any additional requirements the program may have in place for side trips/independent travel.  

Prior to Departure

Any travel information (including air/ground transportation and accommodations) on-hand prior to departure for pre-planned side trips should be included in the School Sponsorship application.

Side trip information entered into a School Sponsorship application will be subject to a standard review. Side trips to medium or higher travel risk locations will be submitted to ISOS for itinerary review. In addition, side trips to high travel risk locations will require that the dean of the student’s respective school, and in extreme travel risk locations the Provost, be notified of the travel. It may also require parental notification due to the risk level and/or safety implications associated with the proposed travel.

While In-Country

Students who participate in unplanned personal travel during a Columbia-Led, Columbia-Facilitated and/or Recognized Travel program have two options for registering their independent travel

• log into your ISOS MyTrips account and add your travel details (transportation & accommodation) to the trip you already have entered for your current travel program. 
• log in to the ISOS Assistance App and “check in” upon arriving at each new destination. Just remember to then check-in when you get back to your program location. 

Side trips to high travel risk locations will require that the dean of the student’s respective school, and in extreme travel risk locations the Provost, be notified of the travel. It may also require parental notification due to the risk level and/or safety implications associated with the proposed travel.

Your application for School Sponsorship must be started and completed in one sitting, therefore please have the following on hand before beginning:

• your UNI;
• the name of the program you will be attending;
• the program type (i.e. study abroad, conference, service-learning, etc.);
• your dates of travel;
• your emergency contact while abroad — name, phone number, email address, and their relationship to you; and
• all locations you plan on traveling to while abroad, including those that are not an official part of the program’s curriculum and/or itinerary — this includes side trips during the program and any pre- or post-program travel occuring within seven days of the program's beginning or end date.

Once you have all of the necessary items, log in to the Undergraduate Travel Web App to begin your School Sponsorship application.

Your additional safety contingencies are safety precautions that may include additional travel insurance, securing a satellite phone and/or consultation with the CU on the Road Travel Medicine Program. If necessary, the list of required safety contingencies will be available in the Undergraduate Travel Web App. When you have completed each contingency, please email utrc@columbia.edu with the proper documentation to have your status updated.

The required Pre-Departure Orientation will be available through the Undergraduate Travel Web App once you have been granted School Sponsorship.

Visit International SOS for a list of countries and their travel risk rating. Visit the International SOS Columbia University member site for more detailed information about your travel location.

Students not in compliance with the Undergraduate International Travel Policy and/or the Columbia University Travel Planning Policy will be reported to Student Conduct for disciplinary action. Additionally, the student may be subject to having their sponsorship and/or program funding revoked and/or their program terminated.

While abroad, travel location(s) may be re-evaluated to have elevated safety concerns. Students will be advised of the risks, including newly determined ones, in their location and, if necessary, they will be provided a recommended course of action which may include departure from the country or region. Schools reserve the right to revoke sponsorship, support and funding should students not follow these recommendations.