How safe is it to study abroad?
Personal safety issues are entirely dependent on where
you choose to study and how you use your common sense. In many
instances, the area where you’ll be studying may actually
be safer than your home university in the United States.
In general, as you might expect, studying in urban areas often
requires that you take more safety precautions than studying
in rural areas. The U.S. State Department offers free information
on safety services for Americans overseas at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1180.html.
And for country-specific safety information, visit http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html.
For health-related safety information, including which vaccines
are required for visiting a specific country, see the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/.
Where can I find reliable information on the countries
that I’m considering?
Visit the comprehensive and easily searchable archives
of the U.S. State Department at http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/index.html.
Where can I find reliable health information to prepare for
international travel?
For health information, including which vaccines are required
for visiting a specific country, see the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/.