Study abroad and exchanges
Cohorts abroad, looked after door to door
Faculty-led programs, semester cohorts and exchanges move many people across borders on the same days. A travel program keeps the arrivals, the changes and the incidents in one place, with your global programs office in charge.
Westbrook University (example) · Global programs
Spring semester cohort · Arrival window
Program types
How institutions send students abroad
Faculty-led programs
A faculty director and a cohort traveling together for a short course or summer program.
Semester and year programs
Students arriving within a window, often from different home cities.
Exchanges
Outbound students, and incoming partners, guests and visiting faculty booked as guest travelers.
Field schools and service programs
Remote sites with ground transfers and changeable plans.
Planning
A program, from approval to return
Program approval
Set the program up
- Institution approves the program and its risk review
- Code for the program and its budget
- Restricted destinations set in your policy, if your institution uses them
Months before
Students prepare
- Students and the institution handle visas, health advice and insurance, from official sources
- Travel team plans group flights or an arrival window
Booking
Book the travel
- Group or individual flights, coded to the program
- Arrival transfers pre-booked
- Itineraries that fit visa dates and entry rules
Arrival
Get everyone in
- Arrivals tracked against itineraries
- Delays and missed connections rebooked by a person
While abroad
Stay in touch
- Incident monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- When an incident is confirmed: first contact attempt within 30 minutes of an incident being confirmed
Return
Bring everyone home
- Return flights, changes and early returns handled by the travel team
- Refunds and unused credits tracked
Who does what
Your office leads. We handle the travel.
| Task | Your institution | silentVIP |
|---|---|---|
| Program approval and risk review | Global programs office | — |
| Visas and entry permissions | Students and the institution, with the destination’s embassy | Fits travel dates and documents to them |
| Health advice and vaccinations | Students, with clinicians and official sources | — |
| Insurance, assistance and evacuation | Institution’s insurer or assistance provider | — |
| Flights, rail, hotels and transfers | Sends dates and the cohort list | Books, changes and supports |
| Incident response | Decides and communicates with students and families | Finds who is affected and makes a first contact attempt within 30 minutes of an incident being confirmed |
Official sources
Where to check before students go
- US State Department travel advisories
- Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for US citizens
- CDC Travelers’ Health destinations
- The destination’s embassy or consulate for visas and entry rules
Questions
Common questions
Do you arrange student visas?
No. Visas and entry permissions are for students and your institution to arrange with the destination’s authorities. We make sure itineraries and dates fit them.
Can students fly from different cities?
Yes. Each student can have their own itinerary within an arrival window, all coded to the same program.
What happens if there is an incident near our program?
Incident monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When an incident is confirmed, the team identifies travelers in the area from itineraries and makes a first contact attempt within 30 minutes of an incident being confirmed, and keeps your office informed.
Can we book visiting faculty and exchange partners?
Yes, as guest travelers, billed to the right department and project.
More in Education
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