Step 5: Pre-Departure Requirements

Your Program is Going Forward - Congratulations!

Awesome job at recruiting the minimum number of students to make your trip possible! The months prior to your program departure are crucial and many faculty leaders take these months to meet periodically with their students groups as part of the course curriculum. In addition to course meetings with students, groups leaders and participants are also required to complete a series of steps. As the group leader, you should familiarize yourself with the below information and deadlines. The Study Abroad Coordinator will remind faculty leaders about their reporting responsibilities, but ultimately leaders are held responsible for completing the following steps.

Pre-Departure Steps Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

STEP 1: Complete documents post-interviews, preferably 60-90 days prior to departure

• Acuire an MSUB Purchasing Card (connect with your department and the MSUB Business Office to start this process)
• Complete the MSUB Student Travel Authorization Form, and send a completed signed copy to International Studies (OIS).
• Complete the Pre-Travel Authorization Requirements via Chrome River (costs must align with the most recently submitted, approved budget). Make sure to provide an approved copy to OIS.
  • EACH group leader will need to complete their own pre-travel authorization in ChromeRiver. Leaders will need to split the indexes between 1/4 payments (Department, College, OIS, Provost)
  • ONE group leader will need to complete a seperate ChromeRiver pre-travel authorization for the expected group expenses associated with the program. This should be allocated to OIS' Study Abroad index. (inquire directly with OIS)

STEP 2: Complete documents at least 60days prior to departure

• Develop the required Emergency Communication Plan and the International Travel Plan.
• Send these completed documents to the International Travel Compliance Coordinator for review and approval.
• Group Leaders must attend an International Group Leader Orientation and attend a virtual Travel Health & Safety Class (Canada travel exempt). 

STEP 3: Complete Requirements 30 days prior to departure

• International Travel Insurance
  • All travelers are required to have adequate international insurance per MSU International Travel Policy. OIS will order group leader insurance alongside student participant insurance.
  • Complete the GeoBlue Insurance Roster (orange highlighted columns only) and submit to the International Travel Compliance Coordinator for group enrollment. OIS will facilitate this process.
• Student Travelers must attend an International Travel Orientation and Travel Health & Safety Class (Canada travel exempt).
  
  • One orientation conducted by the Office of International Studies is offered each semester, November and April, respectively. For large groups, a special orientation can be scheduled. Group leaders are responsible for ensuring their student participants attend the orientation. Not attending this required orientation can result in rejection of a student's participation in a faculty-led program abroad.
• Register Your International Travel
  • Once your program has been approved, register your international travel on the MSU Global Connections webpage. You can login using your secure NetID and password.
• STEP Enrollment 
  • Enroll in the U.S. Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. 

Additional Resources: 

• Prepare your students 
  • Provide a Group Orientation about the program.
  • Unaffiliated Traveler Approval Form
• Review Travel Health and Safety Resources 
  • MSU International Travel Clinic
  • Center for Disease Control: Travel Notices, Country-Specific Notices, & Immunization Requirements
  • U.S. Department of State Student Abroad
  • U.S. Federal export controls and sanctions: All students, faculty and staff must comply with U.S. federal law regarding export controls and sanctions