American Councils places great emphasis on the safety and well-being of our participants throughout their program abroad. Our staff takes great care preparing for all program contingencies and have put into place numerous procedures and policies that ensure participant safety on our programs, including:
Employing knowledgeable resident directors and overseas staff to assist participants and provide 24/7 emergency support
Registering Americans traveling overseas with U.S. Embassies
Closely monitoring U.S. Department of State travel advisories and maintaining supplemental local organizational resources to assess safety risks
Providing participants with informative and concrete health and safety information in pre-departure materials and orientations
Enrolling participants in comprehensive accident and illness insurance for the duration of their program
Overseas Safety
In many respects, the cities where we place students are similar to large U.S. cities, and share a similar level of risks. We also understand that emergencies may happen and may occur where participants are less familiar with their surroundings. Therefore, American Councils takes great care to share information with student finalists and participants, through:
Written materials
Links to the U.S. Department of State travel advisories
CDC health recommendations
Pre-departure and in-country orientations
We work closely with U.S. embassies, the U.S. Department of State, local partners and institutions, travel experts, and insurance companies to assess situations and to make informed decisions should an unstable situation arise.
Health Issues
While American Councils is deeply committed to preserving the health and safety of our participants, our ability to do so depends in part on the open communication and mature, responsible decision making of our participants. Program participants with specific health concerns should contact our office directly to discuss how we can best ensure they receive the support they may require overseas; they should also fully disclose this information on the American Councils Health Information Form that students are asked to complete after admission to our programs. (This information is kept in strict confidence and has no bearing upon selection.) Providing detailed, comprehensive information about one's health history and one's potential needs while abroad is a critical first step toward success on our programs.
Getting Started
