Most program providers will build in insurance coverage as part of their program fee.  Some programs, however, do not and encourage students and their families to make certain that their private insurance will provide adequate coverage while the student is abroad.  In either case, Denison covers all students participating in an international off-campus program with supplemental international emergency medical and evacuation insurance coverage. All students at Denison must be covered by domestic health insurance for ongoing and chronic conditions and non emergency health events.

 

We insure our students through EIIA International Travel Insurance.

It is also highly recommended that at least one parent/guardian obtain a passport so that travel will not be unduly delayed in the case of a medical or personal emergency.

Denison's ITS Team offers the following advice to students and faculty traveling internationally.  We ask that you note the precautions listed below regarding the risks you face using electronic devices abroad.

Computers

Best - Travel With Less Data
Take a new of freshly rebuilt computer and only load the data you will need for your term abroad.  Encrypt the computer and if possible, travel without USB drives.  

Good - Travel Encrypted
If you must take your regular notebook computer, verify that all software is up to date, that your data is backed up and encrypted, and remove data this is classified.  

Cell Phones

Best - Find One There
Use a phone you won't need to use again.  This might be a loaner you borrow in the country, an unlocked phone with a local SIM card, or a phone you buy or rent at the airport or hotel.

Good - Have a Plan
If you must use your own phone, back it up before you leave and ensure it is updated and secure.  When you return, reset your device to factory defaults and restore from your backup.

Precautions when Traveling

• Don’t plug your phone into charger kiosks, there could be a hostile computer on the other end of that innocent-looking wire. 
• Watch for those looking over your shoulder or potential thieves.
• Don’t leave your devices unattended. Hotel safes should not be considered secure.
• Use a Duo configuration other than phone call or text, such as the Duo mobile app or a U2F token. 

Special Considerations for China

• Access to services we expect, like Gmail, G Suite, and Wikipedia, are often filtered or blocked. 
• Skype connections may be monitored by the government.
• Those using VPNs report that they are often cut off for hours at a time, or blocked.
• Hotel staff and government officials can access hotel room safes.

When You Return

• Change your BigRedID password.
• If you brought your computer, save any documents created while traveling to an external source, and wipe/restore the computer.

AlertTraveler® is an app that becomes available for download once your travel is confirmed, approximately 30 days before you depart. Using GPS and the information from your application, AlertTraveler® provides you with country and city intelligence, safety and security alerts, and an instant check-in option when you are in trouble. 

Please see the bottom of this section for video resources as well.
 

Installing AlertTraveler® (iOS devices)

Go to the Apple App Store on an iOS device and search for AlertTraveler® by name or follow this direct link. Once you find the app, download and install it on your iOS device. You will need to obtain an AlertTraveler® password before configuring the app (see "Registering AlertTraveler®" below).  

In order for AlertTraveler® to be fully functional, allow Notifications, Location Services, and Health and Motion Services. In order to enable these services, you should respond as indicated below to the following messages during initial activation:

• "AlertTraveler Would Like to Send You Notifications"  - Tap "Allow"
• "AlertTraveler Would Like to Access your Motion & Fitness Activity" -   Tap "OK"
• "Allow 'AlertTraveler' to access your location while you use the app" - Tap "Allow"
• "Background location is not enabled" - Tap “Settings then tap "Location" and then select "Always".

​Note: If you need to revise these settings, you can go to the iOS Settings app and select AlertTraveler® where you can configure each of these services.

 

Installing AlertTraveler® (Android devices)

Go to the Google Play store on an Android device and search for AlertTraveler® by name or follow this direct link. Once you find the app, install it on your device. You will need to obtain an AlertTraveler® password before configuring the app (see "Registering AlertTraveler®" below).
 
In order for AlertTraveler®to be fully functional, you should allow location services. In order to enable these services, you should respond as indicated below to the following message during initial activation:

• "Allow AlertTraveler to access this device’s location?" - Tap "Allow"

Note: If you need to revise these settings, you can go to the Android Settings app, the "Apps" section, select AlertTraveler®, and open the "Permissions" section where you can enable or disable this setting.

 

Registering AlertTraveler®

There are two ways to register for the app:

Use a Password Generated Through the Portal

From the Applicant Home, click on the "AlertTraveler®" menu.


The left side shows the activation information while the right side shows the country intelligence options based on your program information (location and dates of travel).


In order to activate AlertTraveler®, you must create an AlertTraveler® password using this panel.  Clicking “Generate” in this panel will create a password that is valid for 48 hours. You will then enter your email address and generated AlertTraveler® password, as shown on that panel, to log in to the AlertTraveler® mobile app. This panel can also be used to generate an email for a forgotten password using the "Email me my password" link. Note: you can also use the button here to email the password to yourself.
 

Automatically Register by Logging in With Your Mobile Device

If you are on your mobile device when you log in to the portal, you can simply tab the "Login to AlertTraveler" button to automatically register without the need to generate a code. Note: If the AlertTraveler® app has not been installed, this button will take you to your respective app store in order to install it.

 

App Subscription & Expiration Details

App Access

Once activated, you have 365 days to use the app from the date of eligibility.  
 

App Activation Only Required Once per Traveler

One and done! No matter how infrequently you travel, you only need to activate the AlertTraveler® app one time to use for all future travel. Individual AlertTraveler® licenses are still good for a year, but will automatically renew when a new trip is registered, eliminating the need to re-register the app.

 

Video Resources

 

What is AlertTraveler?

What is AlertTraveler? from Terra Dotta, LLC on Vimeo.

 

Downloading and Activating AlertTraveler

Downloading & Activating the AlertTraveler App from Terra Dotta, LLC on Vimeo.