Guidance on international travel for university activities

Support and resources are available for students, staff, faculty and librarians travelling internationally for university-related activities such as conferences, study abroad programs, internships, research or fieldwork. Recently, concerns about travel to the United States have been raised by some members of our community. This page provides specific resources and guidance for navigating travel to the U.S.

The university continues to monitor updates and advice from the federal government and other sources regarding international travel. We will continue to keep these resources and guidance up to date.

a crowd of people walking along a front campus pathway

Before leaving on an international trip

Before leaving, all travellers should refer to Global Affairs Canada for travel advice and advisories by destination.
- Note that required documentation for travel is regularly updated, including, most recently information on travel to the United States. These changes may affect your current or future stay. In particular, Canadians and other foreign nationals visiting the United States for periods longer than 30 days must be registered with the United States Government. Carefully review the Entry and Exit Requirements section for further information.
Review guidance for safeguarding your data while travelling. Students, staff, faculty members and librarians with specific concerns about data security can contact their local helpdesk. Researchers looking for security advice can request a consultation session with the Research Information Security team.

Students

U of T Safety Abroad is dedicated to supporting safer student experiences abroad on university activities. Prior to travel:

Students travelling for university-related activities outside of Canada should register their travel through Safety Abroad, no matter where they are travelling to.
Review Safety Abroad Resources and the resources available in an emergency. For individual guidance and support, undergraduate and graduate students can contact Safety Abroad at the Centre for International Experience at safety.abroad@utoronto.ca.
If students choose not to travel due to identified risks and need support with next steps, including already incurred costs:
- Undergraduate and graduate students should contact safety.abroad@utoronto.ca for guidance.
- Graduate students who have received a conference or travel grant from the School of Graduate Studies but did not travel should contact travelgrant@utoronto.ca for guidance.

Faculty members, librarians and staff

Three staff members sit at a table talking

To ensure access to critical support while travelling for university activities, faculty members, librarians and staff should register for the International SOS program, which provides 24/7 travel advice. 

Faculty members can discuss specific travel concerns with their Chair or Dean. Chairs and Deans can contact the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life at faculty.immigration@utoronto.ca for support on a case-by-case basis.
Staff can discuss specific travel concerns with their managers and/or Divisional HR Office.
U of T Student Safety Abroad at the Centre for International Experience provides guidance for staff and faculty members who are working with students travelling internationally.