How to Stay Healthy & Safe While Studying Abroad [ASA Health & Safety]

How to Stay Healthy & Safe While Studying Abroad

Health and safety is the number one priority of all parties involved in sending a student to study abroad: ASA, Site Directors, their parents and the students. Because of how concerned with our with our students’ health and safety, we wanted to ease everyone’s minds with information on the resources and tools students are equipped with while abroad.

These resources and tools include:

• Medical Insurance

  • Included in fees

  • No copay or deductible

  • Detailed description of coverage can be found on ASA’s website

• Safeture App

  • Allows you to contact emergency services anywhere in the world

  • Gives your exact location to emergency services and ASA

  • Notifies you of any crisis near you in real time

  • ASA will email you our subscription code shortly before your program start date

• ASA On-Site Staff

  • Site Directors are on-site in all locations & are there to support students locally throughout their stay & are available 24/7 in case of emergency

  • Staff page on our website has photos of our Site Directors

• Emergency Contacts

  • ASA Site-Specific Guide has Site Director’s phone # as well as the number for local police, ambulance, US Embassy & other emergency services

  • ASA U.S. 24/7 Emergency cell: 857-366-6821

  • Your medical insurance card will have a 24-hour emergency # as well

As far as health goes, students who require prescriptions for any number of reasons usually find it easier to bring their medications with them abroad, because many pharmacies do not permit patients to fill prescriptions written by doctors outside of their country. Since there are many luggage limitations when flying, here are some things to note for bringing medication abroad: 

• Prescription medication

  • Bring enough to last entire program

  • Not all medications are available abroad

  • Contact your doctor 6 weeks before departure to make sure you can do this

  • Pack medications in their original containers & put in your carry-on

  • Pack doctor’s note confirming that medication is prescribed to you, the dosage, the medical condition & your doctor’s contact info

• Over-the-counter meds

  • Bring anything you’re used to taking at home with you abroad because your favorite formulations may not be available abroad

    • Includes: allergy, cold/flu, stomach, etc. medicine

While insurance, safety apps, contacts and medications cover the major aspects of health and safety, there are many other variables that play into keeping students safe and healthy while abroad. 

One thing that not many people would think to do is to check with your parent and/or doctor back home if you are sick abroad and prescribed something new in your host country. Some countries abroad are more willing to prescribe more intense medications or have different types, so it is also best to run it by your primary care physician in the U.S. (or have your parents run it by them if you cannot contact them). 

Another tip we have (for iPhone users)  is to share your location indefinitely with your friends abroad on iMessage. Even if you are using a different sim card, they will still be able to track your location using their data or WiFi (if they don’t have a plan with much data). While the Safeture app gives your location to ASA and emergency services, it is beneficial for those that are constantly around you to have your location in case you are separated from them and not answering your phone. Better safe than sorry!