Office of Risk Management and Environmental Health and Safety

International Travel

The University of Northern Iowa engages in a variety of international activities including faculty-led academic programs, exchange programs, research, service, outreach, athletic competitions and recruitment. 

Approval Processes

Student Approval Process

Students are responsible for ensuring they have taken the necessary steps before undertaking any UNI-sponsored international travel.

Study Abroad Center

UNI students taking part in UNI-sponsored international travel for non-academic credit must make use of the UNI International Travel Registry. Study Abroad Center staff will then enroll the student for travel insurance and the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

UNI students taking part in UNI-sponsored international travel for academic credit must make use of the Study Abroad Application Portal. Study Abroad Center staff will then enroll the student for travel insurance and the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

If during the course of UNI-sponsored international travel a student will travel to a region of the world that is under a travel advisory by the U.S. Department of State of either Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or Level 4 (Do Not Travel), the Study Abroad Center will make a determination if the student’s travel is appropriate.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact Study Abroad at 319-273-7078 or email study-abroad@uni.edu.

Employee Approval Process

Employees are responsible for ensuring they have taken the necessary steps before undertaking any UNI-sponsored international travel. This includes submitting a trip in ProTrav, completing the UNI Travel Registry, enrolling in U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, addressing IT-Security and export control concerns, and seeking ITOC approval if required. For additional information regarding the approval process view UNI's International Travel Safety Policy.

Supervisor Approval

Authorization for travel should first be secured from the employee’s immediate supervisor and department head or dean.

ProTrav

The Office of Business Operations (OBO) is the designated university office to administer travel reimbursement guidelines and procedures. Individuals traveling for international university business must receive approval from their department and/or other appropriate university officials prior to incurring any expenses. Travel requests must be approved using the electronic ProTrav trip request form. ProTrav workflow will systematically route the trip for approval, but it is the end users’ responsibility to ensure that proper approvals are received. Instructions on how to create a trip in ProTrav can be found in the ProTrav Travel Training Document. Additional information from OBO can found in their Travel Guidelines and Travel - Know Before You Go page.

If you have any questions about ProTrav or travel reimbursement guidelines and procedures, please contact OBO at 319-273-2162 or email protrav@uni.edu.

International Travel Registry

UNI Study Abroad oversees the university's International Travel Registry. Individuals traveling for international university business must register their travel plans on this registry so that their whereabouts will be known in the event of an emergency. Travelers will be required to sign a waiver of liability and hold harmless agreement as part of this step.

If you have any questions about the International Travel Registry, please contact Study Abroad at 319-273-7078 or email study-abroad@uni.edu.

U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

All employees who are eligible must enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Enrolling in this free service allows travelers to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in their destination country and helps the U.S. Embassy contact them in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.

Sponsored Projects and Grants

If an employee’s travel is related to a sponsored project or grant, the employee must contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs prior to travel to ensure international travel is permitted under their sponsored project or grant. Any travel permitted under a sponsored project or grant must still be approved by the university.

If you have questions about sponsored projects or grants, please contact Michele Mullings-Shand at (319) 273-6418.

Information Security

If UNI employees must take an electronic device abroad for purposes of communication, data transfer and/or data storage, they must contact IT Information Security prior to travel to discuss their data needs while abroad.

If you have any questions about IT Information Security, email security@uni.edu.

International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) Review

Any employee traveling to a region of the world that is under a travel advisory by the U.S. Department of State of either Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or Level 4 (Do Not Travel) should complete the International Travel Oversight Committee's (ITOC's) Travel Request Form. The ITOC will undertake a risk assessment and make a recommendation to the employee’s division head regarding if the travel request should be approved or denied.

If you have any questions about the ITOC review process, visit the ITOC website or contact Joseph Rayzor, Director of Risk Management, at 319-273-3319 or joseph.rayzor@uni.edu.

International Insurance & Travel Assistance

Student Insurance & Travel Assistance

Health Insurance Coverage

Cultural Insurance Services Inter­na­tional (CISI) pro­vides international health insurance and emergency ser­vices for University of Northern Iowa employees traveling internationally. Information regarding CISI can be found on UNI Study Abroad's CISI page.

Travel Assistance

CISI pro­vides emergency ser­vices for University of Northern Iowa students traveling internationally. Information regarding CISI can be found on UNI Study Abroad's CISI page.

Employee Insurance & Travel Assistance

Workers' Compensation

Employees who are injured on the job should report the injury to their supervisor, no matter how minor the injury may be. Additional information regarding workers' compensation can be found on the Human Resource Services website.

Health Insurance Coverage

Information regarding international travel and UNI's two health insurance plans can be found on HRS's My Benefits page.

In addition, Cultural Insurance Services Inter­na­tional (CISI) pro­vides international health insurance for University of Northern Iowa employees traveling internationally on university business. Information regarding CISI can be found on UNI Study Abroad's CISI page. If you have any questions regarding CISI, please contact Study Abroad at 319-273-7078 or email study-abroad@uni.edu.

Travel Assistance

CISI pro­vides emergency ser­vices for University of Northern Iowa employees traveling internationally on university business. Information regarding CISI can be found on UNI Study Abroad's CISI page. If you have any questions regarding CISI, please contact Study Abroad at 319-273-7078 or email study-abroad@uni.edu.

Prepare for a Crisis Abroad

Write down, or save in your cell phone, these numbers:

Review the following resources from the State Department