Health and safety

Visit your local travel clinic to find out if you require any shots for travel to your selected country. Visit your dentist before you leave, especially if you are away for a semester or more, as it may be a expensive hassle to get dental work done abroad.

For health and safety tips, visit Your Way: A Canadian’s Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad.

If you are travelling on a field trip, your trip director should have a basic first aid kit; however, this will not include everything so make sure you pack items you will need.

All travelers should make a first aid kit for their specific needs, which could include some of the following:

Advisories & Waivers

While the international locations that you visit are usually stable and peaceful societies, events can happen that make it dangerous to complete your planned trip. When making the decision to cancel a trip due to unsafe circumstances, Douglas College relies on travel warnings issued by the government of Canada and current news reports.

When booking your flight, book a refundable ticket. If a trip is cancelled for safety reasons once it has been confirmed and you have bought your ticket, Douglas College will only reimburse the refund penalty portion of your ticket if this is not covered by your own travel insurance. Douglas College will not reimburse you for the full ticket cost if you have bought a non-refundable ticket.

Douglas College will also not reimburse any other costs associated with your preparation for the trip, including but not limited to immunizations, insurance, and personal purchases. Douglas College will also not reimburse funds for activities or arrangements you had booked in addition to your trip.

Travel is not always a smooth process and that part of your learning experience is to plan for and deal with the real-life issues that arise.

For travel advisories and information on safety issues abroad visit the Travel Reports & Warnings section of the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website.

All Douglas College students and faculty who are travelling abroad on exchanges, field schools, or service learning/volunteer activities must register with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

Emergency contact information

If you are studying or working abroad through a college sponsored activity, we need your emergency contact information. Douglas College will get in touch with your emergency contact as soon as possible if there’s a threat to your health and safety abroad.

Make sure your emergency contact person is readily available during your period abroad to communicate with Douglas College. Your contact person should be in a position to make decisions and deal with processes related to health and health insurance, as well as legal or financial issues, so make sure they have copies of:

•  The signature page of your passport with your passport number
• A power of attorney to act on your behalf
• Copy of your medical and travel insurance
• Passwords
• A detailed copy of your itinerary with accommodation contact information

Insurance

Douglas College International can make arrangements for the purchase of medical insurance at an attractive rate, so contact Douglas College International for further information.

To study abroad with Douglas College, you need to have enough travel medical insurance, which must be spelled out on your application form, as well as copy of your current insurance card or letter from your provider saying you are covered for international travel.

If you cancel your travel for any reason, Douglas College is not responsible for any costs associated with your planning and preparation for that trip. Consider buying travel insurance to cover cancellation of your trip due to illness or personal circumstances.

Douglas College is also not responsible to cover costs associated with the inconveniences of travel which includes but is not limited to unforeseen costs associated with events such as flight delay, lost or stolen luggage or other personal items, or currency fluctuations. You can purchase travel insurance to mitigate some common problems, or your home owners/renters insurance may provide some coverage.

Communications

Check with your mobile provider before you leave, because while your cell phone may work overseas, you can rack up a massive bill from roaming charges. Be aware of the costs of calls, data, and messaging during your time abroad.

Many seasoned travelers buy inexpensive reconditioned cell phones with local SIM cards when they are travelling abroad. By using phone cards, you can phone local and international numbers cheaply with no surprise bills when you return home.

Many hotels provide access to the internet if you choose to take your computer, some are free and some charge. You may also be able to use the internet at select cafes, airports/train stations, and at the institution that you will be visiting. However, laptop security is an issue so never leave your computer unattended or unsecured, including in your hotel room.