Travel Health Alerts
Important
Stanford recommends, but does not require, that international travelers test themselves using a rapid COVID test on day 0. Travelers who are experiencing symptoms of illness should mask until receiving a negative rapid COVID test on day 5.
Students planning travel or returning to campus should review the Student Affairs Travel & Return Testing Guide.
Health Advisories: The CDC has issued a Level 2 Alert regarding Ebola in Uganda. Additionally, the CDC maintains a Level 1 Watch for Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) in multiple countries.
Please note: Reimbursement for any mandatory quarantine expenses associated with university-sponsored travel is the responsibility of the sending unit or department.
CURRENT STATUS
Faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students are permitted to travel both domestically and internationally without requesting an exception. Field research involving human subjects no longer requires prior approval.
All undergraduate international travelers who have not been fully vaccinated or boosted and have a university-approved exemption should work with their sending program/unit and must comply with any mitigation strategies recommended by the university.
With limited exceptions, travel for undergraduate students is not permitted to countries, regions or cities where the International SOS travel or medical risk rating is “High” or “Extreme.” To determine a location’s International SOS medical and travel risk ratings, please visit this page.
ALL TRAVEL: As noted above, all campus units that fund or sponsor travel for business, research, study abroad and experiential learning opportunities must be prepared to fund and support any mandatory quarantines associated with university-sponsored travel. All undergraduate travel requires a plan for participants that become COVID positive and need to isolate in place.
TRAVEL BOOKING ADVICE
Travelers are strongly advised to verify travel entry requirements through the Centers for Disease Control and the country of destination.
Students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral scholars booking air fare for university-sponsored travel must utilize a Stanford Travel booking channel in order to ensure reimbursement.
Travelers now have the option of booking hotels outside of the Stanford Travel program and instead use the itinerary-forwarding service. Since booking a hotel through Stanford Travel affords some safety benefits and administrative efficiencies, Stanford Travel remains the preferred option. Regardless of the mode of booking hotels, travelers must continue to adhere to Stanford’s lodging policy.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ASSISTANCE
Travelers may benefit from global travel risk assessments and mitigation recommendations. This service is available through the Global Risk office (globalrisk@stanford.edu) and is particularly useful for:
(1) Travel to higher-risk destinations (based on information from the U.S. Department of State, Centers for Disease Control, International SOS or other reliable sources of information for health, safety or security risks),
(2) Group trips that include five or more travelers, and,
(3) Travelers with particular vulnerabilities.