Travel Resources

Pre-Departure Orientations

EdAbroad mandatory Pre-Departure Orientations for study abroad, Global Learning faculty-led, exchange, and internship participants departing in summer quarter, fall quarter/semester, or academic year 2024-25.

Pre-Departure Steps to Complete:

  1. Review all the content in the pre-departure canvas course.
  2. Attend both the mandatory pre-departure sessions in person.

Wednesday, May 22 - Session 1

  • In-person: 4:30-6:30 pm in Fraser Hall 101

Thursday, May 23 - Session 2

  • In-person: 4:30-6:30 pm in Fraser Hall 101

Suitcase to Briefcase: International Careers

EdAbroad and Career Services Workshop: Suitcase to Briefcase: Your Ticket to Pursuing International Careers

Air Travel

Accommodations

  • Go Overseas: Everything You Need to Know About Study Abroad Housing
  • Airbnb: Rent from people around the world
  • TripAdvisor Reviews on hotels, trip planning, things to do all around the globe
  • Bakpak Guide to Europe: Download free copies of Europe Hostels & Travel Guides
  • Casamundo: More than 50,000 holiday homes throughout Europe!
  • Couchsurfing: Connect with new friends all around the world
  • Hotel Tonight: Good deals on last minute hotels
  • Hostelling International: Discover the real hostel experience
  • Hostelworld: Meet your people
  • HouseTrip: offers an alternative to hotels, providing space, flexibility, privacy and value
  • Travel Startups: These 12 startups help you book flights, find the right hotel room, assemble an itinerary and save money — they'll help you land amazing vacations at better prices than ever
  • WWU Off-Campus Living 
  • A Guide to Housing: Navigating your Housing Situation Before & After you Study Abroad
  • WWU Off-Campus Housing Marketplace Tour: How to search for roommates/lease takeovers, or short term housing
  • On Campus Housing (Residence Halls) Timeline for Housing applications on campus
    • Students studying abroad fall quarter will want to cancel for fall during spring quarter to avoid late fees. They can reapply for winter quarter housing Oct. 15.
    • Students studying abroad during winter quarter would move out of housing at the end of fall, and reapply for spring quarter January 15. 
    • Students studying abroad during spring quarter would move out of housing at the end of winter and reapply for fall housing Feb. 1.
  • WWU EdAbroad can notify University Housing to break your housing contract if you are currently living on campus and need to move out mid year to study abroad, email EdAbroad@wwu.edu for assistance.
  • Questions? Contact Housing@wwu.edu or call 360-650-6565.

Rail Travel

Ferry/Boat Travel

Insurance

Western Washington University’s Education Abroad (EdAbroad) requires that participants engaged in international educational activities provide evidence that they have obtained appropriate study abroad health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) prior to travel outside the U.S. Western requires evidence of health insurance (copy of insurance confirmation letter and/or I.D. card) and a completed Health Insurance Questionnaire in the online EdAbroad application. 

While the participant is ultimately responsible for determining if an insurance plan meets their personal needs, the plan should provide the following minimum amount of coverage:

  • Medical expense coverage of $500,000 per injury or sickness.
  • Accidental death & dismemberment indemnity in the amount of $10,000, except $25,000 during airline travel.
  • Repatriation expense benefits of $100,000.
  • Medical evacuation benefits of $500,000.
  • Visit by family or friend including airfare, lodging and meals up to $20,000.
  • Political and natural disaster evacuation of $100,000.
  • 24-hour emergency medical and travel assistance.

Where can I purchase this insurance? **

Additional Considerations:

  • If the participant maintains a personal health insurance plan, it is important to contact plan representatives, in advance, to know what coverage is available while abroad. Also, what notifications and procedures are required to access plan benefits.
  • Participants must be financially prepared to pay for healthcare services up front while abroad. Most plans will follow a “pay and claim” scenario. In other words, the participant will pay for the medical services and then submit a claim form and all relevant invoices to the insurer. Claim reimbursement will be made directly to the participant.
  • The participant is personally responsible for expenses related to trip cancellation, trip interruption and/or trip delay, which includes the expenses of unplanned quarantine and trip delay due to travel during an epidemic or pandemic. The participant should also consider a plan(s) that covers these potential expenses.

Many of the education abroad programs that are offered by EdAbroad provide study abroad health insurance as part of program benefits, see below. For those programs, the participant will NOT need to purchase additional insurance to meet the requirements above. If you have any questions, please contact WWU’s Education Abroad office at (360) 650-3298 or WWU’s Risk Manager at (360) 650-3065.

**Participants in the programs listed below do NOT need to purchase additional insurance: 

Academic Programs International (API), American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), CEA Study Abroad, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), International Studies Abroad (ISA), Institute for Field Research, SAI Programs, School for International Training (SIT), University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), Wildlands Studies, and WWU Global Learning Faculty-led Programs.

The University policy POL-U2105.01 Traveling Abroad for Educational Experiences applies to travel abroad for students, faculty, and staff.

Other resources:

Foreign Consulates & Embassies

Other