Travel Guidance

• International UCSF-sponsored travel requires approval. Travel to other states and U.S. territories does not. 
• Allowable Travel Defined: Travel for UCSF-sponsored clinical work, research or conferences that are approved by the designated individual at UCSF's Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS), School of Dentistry, School of Medicine; School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, or the Graduate Division. 
• Approvers for Students: Approvers are listed on each of the two Student International Travel Approval forms, which are used for low-risk or high-risk travel.  
  • Low-Risk Destinations are defined as those with a U.S. Department of State Security Rating of 1 or 2, and Crisis24 Horizon Overall Rating of 1-3.25. High-Risk Destinations are defined as those with a U.S. Department of State Security Rating of 3 or 4, and/or a Crisis24 Horizon Overall Rating of 3.5-5. 
  • If a destination is considered high-risk according to travel risk ratings of the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and/or the United Kingdom, a high-risk travel form and related processes may be required by the approver, even if the US DOS and Crisis24 Horizon ratings are low-risk.
  • High-risk destinations will continue to require approval at the dean/designate level. Note: high-risk destinations are rarely approved.
  • Low-risk destinations will require approval by defined individuals selected by each of UCSF's four schools, the Graduate Division or IGHS, according to program involvement by the student

• The student should complete the appropriate form according to the risk rating of their destination: the Student International Travel Approval Form – Low Risk or the Student International Travel Approval Form – High Risk. ​If you have not heard about your approval within 10 days after your request, notify Travis Pentz, and include these details: Dates of trip, location of trip, your designation (Student), and to whom the Travel Request was submitted.   
• The student must attach and email the form to the correct approver listed on the Student International Travel Approval Forms. Broader approval may be granted for multiple travel events for an individual traveler in one identified country at the discretion of the Approver and within a clearly defined period of time, and according to the laws and regulations of that country.  
• The Approver receives and reviews the Request. Based on the travel itinerary and justification, the Approver accepts or does not accept the Request, and signs and dates the form. For high-risk destinations, approvers may require an additional risk evaluation before making a decision, and they will notify the Program Director for Global Engagement, Risk, and Education, who will contact the student for a brief Travel Risk Review.   
• Each approver must keep a copy of all requests (whether approved or not) in case of emergency. A copy of all High-Risk forms, both approved and denied, should be emailed to Travis Pentz.
• The approver sends a signed, approved copy back to the student, who takes the document abroad to use the links in case of emergency. The approver must also email an unapproved copy back to the student without a signature and with an explanation.
• If the approval form is returned to the student without a signature and without an explanation, the student should reach out to the approver to understand the issue. 

For additional guidance and resources related to health, safety, insurance, and emergency response, review the Health, Safety, and Security page and Risk Advisory and Insurance Services' Travel Resources page.

• International UCSF-sponsored Resident travel to high-risk locations requires approval. Low-risk travel and travel to other states and U.S. territories do not. 
• Allowable Travel Defined: Travel for UCSF-sponsored clinical work, research, or conferences that are approved by the designated individual at UCSF's Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS), School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, or the Graduate Division. 
• Approver for Residents: The approver for Residents is the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education.
• Low-Risk Destinations are defined as those with a U.S. Department of State Security Rating of 1 or 2, and Crisis24 Horizon Overall Rating of 1-3.25. High-Risk Destinations are defined as those with a U.S. Department of State Security Rating of 3 or 4, and/or a Crisis24 Horizon Overall Rating of 3.5-5. 
• If a destination is considered high-risk according to the travel risk ratings of the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and/or the United Kingdom, the approver may require a high-risk travel form and related processes, even if the US DOS and Crisis24 Horizon ratings are low-risk.

• Residents traveling to high-risk destinations should complete the  International Travel Approval Form – High Risk. ​If you have not heard about your approval within 10 days after your request, notify Travis Pentz, and include these details: Dates of trip, location of trip, your designation (Resident), and to whom the Travel Request was submitted.   
• The Resident must attach and email the form to Travis Pentz, who will contact the Resident for a brief Travel Risk Review.   
• Broader approval may be granted for multiple travel events for an individual traveler in one identified country at the discretion of the Approver and within a clearly defined period of time, and according to the laws and regulations of that country.  
• The approver must keep a copy of all requests (whether approved or not) in case of an emergency. A copy of all High-Risk forms, both approved and denied, should be emailed to Travis Pentz.
• The signed, approved copy will be returned to the Resident, who takes the document abroad to use the included information in case of emergency. The approver must also email an unapproved copy back to the Resident without a signature and with an explanation.
• If the approval form is returned to the Resident without a signature and without an explanation, the Resident should reach out to the approver to understand the issue. 

For additional guidance and resources related to health, safety, insurance, and emergency response, review the Health, Safety, and Security page and Risk Advisory and Insurance Services' Travel Resources page.