International Travel Compliance

International travelers are defined as all students, staff, faculty or other participants (chaperone, high school students, students from other universities, alumni, or other non students) undertaking international travel under the auspices of the university.

This website is designed to support the international engagement of MSU students, faculty and staff in a responsible manner and to follow requirements and procedures outlined in the MSU International Travel Policy.

University international travel means travel outside the United States organized, sponsored, or supported by the University, or a unit thereof, including travel by international travelers (as defined above) for research, teaching, sabbaticals, conferences, study abroad, internships, practica, student teaching, community or university service, or group travel whether accompanied by a faculty member or not, whether offered for credit or not, and travel by registered student organizations, club sports, or athletic teams. Travel supported, at least in part, by sponsored research grants, contracts, F&A funds, or other university administered funds will be considered travel supported by the University.

Note: The MSU International Travel Registry is managed and maintained by the MSU Bozeman Office of International Programs.

Faculty, staff, and students wishing to travel to countries rated Department of State (DOS) or CDC levels 3 or 4 are required to petition for permission to travel from the MSUB International Travel Safety Review Committee (ITSRC), which is a group of University faculty and/or staff committed to the safety and risk management mitigation for the University. The Committee is led by the MSUB Responsible Official, the Executive Director of the Office of International Studies, and the Bozeman campus Vice Provost for International Programs. Other members include OIS Assistant Director, MSUB Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Director of Student Health Services and MSUB faculty.  The MSUB International Safety Review Committee will meet monthly to review all petitions in a timely manner. 

Submitting a petition involves completing a risk management plan with enhanced COVID-specific risk mitigation and contingency plans. Students participating in an approved program will be required to participate in an online health and safety course and will also complete an enhanced risk management plan. Every approved traveler is also required to sign a COVID-specific additional agreement and acknowledgement of risk, register their travel with the MSU International Travel Registry, and purchase a GeoBlue International Insurance Plan.

MSUB acknowledges that the COVID-19 situation is evolving quickly around the world. As a result, CDC and DOS levels may change with very little notice. The ITSRC is committed to reviewing petitions with a quick turn-around to accommodate these changes.  We recognize the challenging conditions created for our community by the pandemic while acknowledging its uneven impact around the world.