Health, Safety, and Insurance
Colorado College covers all students traveling abroad on a CC-faculty-led block or semester (except the Latin American Semester on which students are covered by IFSA’s CISI insurance) under our International SOS/University Health Partners (SOS+UHP) policy. In addition, as of the 2021-2022 academic year, some students participating in CC-approved partner programs that do not already cover them with international health insurance will also be automatically enrolled in CC's International SOS plan. This includes students studying on the following partner programs:
- Aquincum Institute of Technology (AIT) Budapest
- Budapest Semester in Mathematics
- ISDSI Thailand
- Kansai Gaidai Asian Studies Program
- Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS)
- School for Field Studies
International SOS provides worldwide assistance and emergency evacuation services for study abroad participants. The services provided by SOS range from telephone advice and doctor referrals to evacuation by private air ambulance. Colorado College students have access to country-specific information on the SOS website, including recommended vaccinations, safety and security information, and more. The CC membership number for SOS is 11BSGC000027. Enter that number in the membership field at the top of the SOS website to access country-specific information. If you did not get an International SOS card or lost the one distributed at orientation, you can print a new one also from the website using our member number (or make an extra copy to leave with your parents or another responsible party). Note that SOS+UHP only provides coverage outside the United States and, therefore, does not provide coverage for any block or semester taught within the United States.
University Health Partners provides $500,000 of health insurance abroad with no deductible. UHP covers prescription medicine that is prescribed in the foreign country at 100% and does not exclude pre-existing conditions. This will be your primary health insurance while you are on a CC course overseas.
Important notes:
- Students are covered by the SOS+UHP insurance one day before the official course begin date to one day after the official course end date. If you plan to travel independently before or after your course(s), you will need to purchase insurance to cover you during your independent travel.
- You should maintain health insurance coverage in the United States while you study abroad as study abroad insurance only covers you outside the United States. This will cover you before departure, during any unexpected trips back to the United States, and again when you re-enter the United States.
- You must contact International SOS at the number on the card in advance of receiving any care, so they can authorize and coordinate any medically necessary treatment or evacuation while you are outside the U.S. Make sure that you also leave a copy of the card, front and back, or a scan of it with your parents or another responsible party back home, so they can assist with your coordination of care with SOS, should you be unable to call them yourself.
The Colorado College Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is designed to be used while you are on-campus and enrolled in at least one on-campus CC course per semester. If you are studying away from CC for an entire semester or year (on a non-CC program only, which is one led by a partner organization or university and not taught by CC professors), you will not be eligible to enroll in SHIP for the semester(s) you are abroad. One exception to this may be if you are studying within the U.S. on one of the CC-approved domestic semester partner programs, then you may be eligible to maintain your SHIP coverage through a special exception; please check with the Center for Global Education & Field Study.
If you are studying away for less than one semester (a portion of a semester, and taking at least one block during that semester at CC) then you may still enroll in SHIP for that semester.
Any student who is enrolled in at least 1 CC on-campus block in a given semester will be required to complete the SHIP waiver or enrollment process; students who enroll in the SHIP in the fall semester AND remain enrolled in at least 1 on-campus course for the spring semester will be automatically enrolled and billed. For Fall Semester Abroad students, this means that they will not be required to complete the waiver/enrollment process for the fall, but will be required to complete the waiver/enrollment prior to their return to campus in the spring. For Spring Semester Abroad students, they will be required to complete the waiver/enrollment process in the fall, but not in the spring; if they enroll in the SHIP for the fall, they will not be enrolled in the SHIP for the spring/summer.
Students who are studying off-campus can still access the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), as well as the new after-hours counseling and support line through the CC Counseling Center. Licensed counselors are available to talk with CC students anytime for emergencies, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just call the Counseling Center at (719) 389-6093, and press 2 to be put through directly to a counselor.
The SARC can be reached by calling (719) 227-8101, or after hours by calling (719) 602-0960. You may also email sarc@coloradocollege.edu.
Remember that if you need help identifying a care provider in-country (mental health provider, medical specialty), your program / in-country director or faculty member will have suggestions and information. You can also access the CC International SOS advice line for assistance. See the section above on International SOS and member number. If you have trouble navigating this and need assistance, the Center for Global Education & Field Study can help you identify the right steps to take, to help you stay healthy and safe while off-campus.
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