COVID-19 Travel Essentials
PLEASE NOTE: Testing for travel (RT-PCR or antigen) is NOT available at the Department of Student Health and Wellness.
- If you are required to test for travel, either by an airline or by the country you are traveling to, you should use a commercial provider (provider list on second page).
- If you are an international student traveling home for a break, make sure to review guidance on the UVA ISO webpage.
- As of Nov. 8th, 2021, all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to boarding an airplane to the U.S., with few exceptions. Plan ahead for showing proof of vaccination if you are returning to the U.S. after international travel.
- UVA Riverside offers asymptomatic testing Monday - Friday that can be scheduled up to a week ahead of time by phone. Lab turnaround for test results are 1-3 days after pick-up.
- NOTE: No lab or clinic will guarantee that your test results will be ready in time for your travel, although most laboratory-processed PCR tests can take 24 - 72 hours.
- Avoid booking your tickets for a late Sunday or Monday departure. Testing on Monday - Thursday is preferable to ensure results are back in time.
- Student Health and Wellness (SHW) will provide letters of recovery for students who tested positive at least 10 days prior to travel, have completely recovered, and have a copy of their lab result. SHW cannot provide letters of recovery to students who are physically located outside the state of Virginia. If you meet the above criteria, please schedule a "COVID Questions" appointment through HealthyHoos.
- Forms for COVID-19 tests will NOT be completed outside of business hours or over the weekend.
- For other useful information regarding COVID-19 and international travel, please review this PDF.
UVA Student Health and Wellness Travel Clinic Resources
- General Travel Recommendations
- Preparing for Travel (2021-2022)
- Travel Recommendations for High Resource Destinations (Europe/Australia/NZ)
- COVID-19: International Travel
- Visiting Friends and Relatives Abroad
- Travelers' Diarrhea
- Packing List for Healthy Travel
- Mental Health and Travel
- Travel Insurance
- Insect Protection
- High Altitude Travel
- Water Disinfection
- Animal Risks While Abroad
- Scuba Diving Safety
- Marine Hazards
General Travel Resources about Health/Safety and Study Abroad
- CDC Travelers Health Website
- State Department: International Travel Warnings and Alerts
- Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): Travel Registration with Embassies
- Students Abroad: State Department Recommendations for U.S. Students Abroad
- UVA Education Abroad Office
Accessing Health Care Abroad
University-Related Travel
- The University of Virginia Policy on Student International Travel requires students who travel outside the U.S. for University-related purposes to enroll in the UVA international health and emergency assistance insurance plan through CISI. See here for more information.
- Traveling for university-related purposes may include but is not limited to study, research, internships, service, conferences, presentations, teaching, performances, recruiting, or athletic competitions. University-related purposes include any travel that is for academic credit and/or utilizes University resources.
- UVA requires all students who engage in travel abroad for university-related purposes to register with the International Studies Office. Registration instructions are available here.
- Signing up for a Student Health and Wellness Travel Clinic appointment is NOT the same as registering your travel with the International Studies Office.
UVA Aetna Student Health Insurance for Travel
- Students may use the UVA Aetna Student Health Plan outside the U.S.
- For more information, visit UVA Aetna Student Health Travel Assistance
- To reach On Call International any time, visit aetnastudenthealth.com or call 1-866-525-1956 (U.S. or Canada) or 1-603-328-1956 (collect — anywhere)
Air Pollution Abroad
- WHO Data on ambient air pollution: interactive maps at country and city level for ambient air pollution
- AirVisual: explore the air aquality around the world
LGBTQ+ Travel
- ILGA: under resources contains maps about sexual orientation laws and other resources
- Equaldex: a collaborative LGBTQ+ knowledge base
- LGBTQ+ Travel Information from the State Department
- For additional information on the state department website, find the country you plan on visiting under Country Information and then go to “Local Laws and Special Circumstances” for specific LGBTQ+ information.
Food Allergies Abroad
- Travel Tips for Food Allergies Abroad: get information about medications and food labeling practices in select countries
- Multilingual App for Food Allergies
- Printed translation cards for food and drug allergies, special diets and medical needs
- Chef Cards from FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education)
- Traveling with Asthma and Allergies