Checklist - Pre-departure
- Apply for your passport. For US citizens, a passport can take six to eight weeks to process.
- Check to see if you need a student visa for your program.
- Attend all pre-departure meetings and orientations.
- Make photocopies of your passport, credit/debit cards, insurance cards, other important documents, etc.
- Have extra passport pictures taken for other program-related documents.
- Read all material you receive from the Center for International Education and your program sponsor.
- Schedule an appointment with a travel clinic or family physician for a physical. Have them complete your program's health information form, if applicable. Depending on where you are traveling, you may need a series of vaccinations, which can take up to six months to complete. Review information on the CDC website.
- Make plans to maintain health insurance in your home country, including hospitalization. If you are on a Loyola exchange, you will have health insurance coverage through GeoBlue while you are abroad. Click here for more information about health insurance abroad
- Make logistical arrangements for your time abroad and your return:
o Registration at your host institution
o Financial aid
o Academic plans
o Payment of bills, including program fees
o Flights
o Housing arrangements (if applicable) - Make sure that you review information on housing on your program websites and have this confirmed before you leave.
o Financial aid
o Academic plans
o Payment of bills, including program fees
o Flights
o Housing arrangements (if applicable) - Make sure that you review information on housing on your program websites and have this confirmed before you leave.
o Notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans so they do not freeze your accounts.
o Bring multiple ways to access money while abroad. See money matters for helpful tips.
o Pack
o Absentee voting (if applicable in an election year)
o Income taxes (if applicable)
- Consult with appropriate offices and websites for accurate, official, and up-to-date information related to your trip (i.e., CIE website, US State Department travel advisory and warning web page, CDC website).
- Complete and return forms from your program sponsor and host institution by the dates requested.
- Download the Microsoft Authenticator App BEFORE international travel. This will ensure you can maintain access to your LORA Self-Service while abroad.