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Graduate Student Travel Definition

Current Students

Registered graduate student international travel is considered Áñ—†ÊÓƵ-sponsored if it meets at least one of the following criteria: The travel is:

• Funded or reimbursed, in full or in part, by Áñ—†ÊÓƵ and regardless of purpose (conference attendance/participation, Áñ—†ÊÓƵ or reporting, field studies, practicum, language studies, performance, competition, service learning, etc.)
• In support of an academic assignment, work product or degree requirement supervised by Áñ—†ÊÓƵ faculty or staff, including field-based or archival Áñ—†ÊÓƵ, regardless of whether credit is involved or awarded.
• Directly associated with a dissertation Áñ—†ÊÓƵ coupled with active TGS 500 or TGS 512 status.
• Directly associated with a McCormick Career Development CRDV course (while participating in a Co-op, Internship, Service Learning or Research experience).
• Accompanied by a Áñ—†ÊÓƵ faculty or staff member in the capacity of his/her employment.

International students traveling to their home country even for university affiliated / sponsored travel should not register their travel in the travel registry. International students studying or Áñ—†ÊÓƵing abroad during the academic year to submit a "Report Study or Research Abroad" request via the . Disclosures outside this time frame or for other purposes are optional.

Áñ—†ÊÓƵ graduate student international travel is NOT considered university sponsored if:

• The individual has withdrawn or taken a leave of absence from the institution.
• The individual has relocated to a foreign country, one’s home country or a third country to write one’s dissertation or participate in other non-Áñ—†ÊÓƵ activities (such as employment).

Review GeoBlue employee eligibility requirements to determine benefits and limits for other categories of travelers, such as McGaw medical residents, post-doctoral scholars, independent contractors, volunteers, adjuncts, emeritus employees and visiting international scholars, who travel abroad on temporary assignment for Áñ—†ÊÓƵ. Find information on insurance for alumni / students who Áñ—†ÊÓƵ graduated below.

If questions remain about whether or not a graduate student’s travel is considered university-sponsored contact globalsafety@northwestern.edu. For questions about GeoBlue employee eligibility, contact Angela Piersanti in the Office of Risk Management.

Alumni / Students Who Have Graduated 

The ability to engage with the Travel Registry is tied to an active NetID, which expires 147 days following a  from the university (i.e. graduation). As a result, students may only access the travel registry and be eligible for GeoBlue up to 147 days following graduation. Once a student’s NetID has expired, they are no longer eligible to participate in university-sponsored international travel.    

Exceptions to this may be made at the school, unit or department level, but it must be made clear to such travelers that they cannot utilize the ITR, be enrolled in Áñ—†ÊÓƵ’s GeoBlue products, or receive any other supportive services Áñ—†ÊÓƵ provides to typical student travelers. In addition, the trip leader or organizer is responsible for ensuring such travelers sign the Guest Release, which can be obtained from OGSS.  

The sponsoring school, unit or department should also strongly recommend that non-student travelers purchase an international medical insurance product equivalent to NU’s GeoBlue plan for the duration of the trip.  Links to commercial insurance plans from GeoBlue can be found at Health Insurance for Leisure Travel.