All Group Leaders should address the following items with their group before departure.

Health and medical information
We recommend that travelers be aware of health- and disease-related issues unique to their intended destination. Please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its specific section "Traveler health" before you depart.

Medical needs
Group Leaders have a responsibility to be familiar with the health and medical background of their travelers. Ask your Program Consultant for our Health and Medical Profile form to collect this information from students, should your institution not have a process to collect this information. Travelers' health and medical information does not need to be submitted to EF Study Abroad prior to travel.

Prescriptions
All prescriptions should be filled, up-to-date and in the original packaging. Travelers should pack their prescriptions in their carry-on bag with copies of the prescription paperwork. Travelers are responsible for understanding if the prescription drug(s) they are taking are legal in the destination they’re traveling to and if they require documentation to travel with the prescribed drug(s). For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page for Traveling Abroad with Medicine.

Travel protection
Travelers can choose to enroll in one of the Global Travel Protection plans, both of which are designed specifically with EF travelers in mind. Travelers should also bring their U.S. health insurance information with them on the program.

Dietary restrictions and health concerns
Travelers should speak to their Group Leader about any relevant medical or mental health history, including dietary or health-related concerns that might affect them on the program. Early disclosure allows our Group Leaders to be prepared to respond and can relay that information to the Field Director. For example, if a traveler carries an EpiPen for a peanut allergy, the Group Leader should know where to find it and how to administer it in the event of an emergency.

EF works to accommodate dietary restrictions for included meals as well; for example, your Field Director will reach out to each restaurant individually to ensure they are providing an appropriate meal. For this reason, travelers should email [email protected] or call us at 877-485-4184 to alert EF of any allergies or dietary restrictions that require accommodation. However, travelers are responsible for communicating dietary and allergy restriction requests directly to the airline. If EF is arranging your airfare, your flight information will be released in your online account 21 days prior to departure, at which time you can contact the airline directly to submit your meal request. Travelers with strict food requirements are advised to bring suitable snack options.

Emergency contacts
Travelers should confirm that we have the correct emergency contact details on file. Log in and visit your Profile page at efstudyabroad.com/personal/profile, then scroll down to the “Contact Information” section and double-check that the info we have for your emergency contact is complete and accurate. (Make sure the person you choose will be reachable for the duration of your program and isn’t traveling with your group.)