The Hidden Dangers of International Student Travel and Study Abroad
While the benefits of international study are well known, the risks are often underestimated or misunderstood. International travelers, especially younger students face unique threats including political instability, natural disasters, scams, transportation hazards, and even targeted exploitation.
Many lack the maturity, experience, or situational consistent risk awareness to make sound decisions in unfamiliar cultural and legal landscapes.
This article explores these dangers, highlights lessons learned from real incidents, and outlines key strategies aligned with ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management principles that institutions can adopt to better prepare, monitor, and protect their students and staff abroad.
1. Behavioral and Developmental Risks
Many college students exhibit impulsive or thrill-seeking behavior. Alcohol consumption, unsanctioned excursions, and disregard for local laws can quickly escalate into accidents, arrests, or medical emergencies. Institutions should require behavioral contracts, reinforce cultural norms and legal expectations, and ensure 24/7 communication protocols are in place.
2. Supervision and Accountability
Inadequate supervision remains one of the most consistent risk factors in international programs. Students who ‘slip away’ from group activities or violate curfews can easily become victims of theft, assault, or disappearance.
Mitigation measures include maintaining a high adult- to-student ratio, implementing scheduled group check-ins, and using GPS-based travel safety apps for location verification and emergency alerts.
3. Medical Emergencies and Insurance Gaps
Without parents or familiar medical systems, even minor injuries can become critical abroad. Institutions
should collect medical history forms in advance, ensure international health insurance coverage, and verify access to telehealth or in-country medical resources. Students should also be briefed on medication legality and health system differences at their destination. Medications used in the United States may be considered illegal in other countries.
4. Scams, Theft, and Petty Crime
Common tourist crimes such as pickpocketing, ATM skimming, and fraudulent taxis can derail a trip. A stolen passport or credit card may leave a student stranded.
Training on situational awareness, digital document backups, and safe money-handling practices can reduce these risks.
5. Sexual Harassment and Exploitation
Young travelers, particularly women, may be targeted due to perceived naivety or cultural misunderstandings. Institutions must provide pre-departure sexual harassment prevention training, local emergency contact numbers, and clear reporting procedures for incidents abroad.
6. Political Unrest and Terrorism
Even peaceful regions can change overnight. Civil demonstrations, terrorist acts, and governmental instability can trap travelers or restrict movement. Campus safety leaders should ensure travelers are enrolled in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and that their itineraries include contingency and evacuation plans.
7. Natural Disasters and Environmental Hazards
Earthquakes, floods, or heat waves can strike without warning. Students must be briefed on climate conditions, emergency shelters, and local hazard communication systems. Being cognizant of seasonal travel which may involve typhoons and other hazardous weather conditions, is a good preventative measure.
8. Transportation Risks
Globally, road crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers. Poor infrastructure, unregulated taxis, or substandard airlines are common hazards. Travelers should use vetted transportation providers and be prohibited from driving abroad unless properly trained and insured.
9. Psychological Fatigue and Cultural Stress
Jet lag, culture shock, and schedule overload lead to fatigue, impaired judgment, and emotional distress.
Institutions should plan rest periods, provide mental health resources, and conduct post-trip debriefings to address residual trauma or adjustment difficulties.
10. Institutional Risk Management Framework
Effective mitigation requires an enterprise-level Travel Risk Management (TRM) program consistent with ISO
31030. Key elements include a written travel safety policy, clear governance, destination threat intelligence, prevention protocols, and continuous monitoring and emergency support capabilities. Fee-based organizations can provide global threat monitoring, in-country response coordination, and 24/7 traveler assistance. Services like this are often covered by travel insurance policies.
11. Technology and Digital Security Risks
Modern travel safety extends beyond physical well-being-it includes digital security. Students abroad often rely heavily on mobile devices, laptops, and open Wi-Fi networks for navigation, communication, and coursework, which exposes them to cyber theft, tracking, and data compromise. Key safeguards include the following:
Use of Faraday Bags or RFID blocking cases to shield devices and passports from unauthorized scanning or geolocation tracking.
Pre-travel device preparation such as data backup, removing sensitive files, and enabling multi-factor authentication.
Use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) for accessing institutional systems or public wifi, and institutional cyber awareness, briefings to educate travelers on phishing and spoofing threats.
12. Mobile Safety Applications and Real-Time Monitoring
Technology can significantly enhance traveler protection when properly deployed. A travel safety app such as those providing 24/7 monitoring, geolocation check-ins, real-time threat alerts, and emergency assistance. This is a critical layer in an institution’s Travel Risk Management program.
13. Inclusion of Campus Public Safety Leaders in Travel and Crisis Committees
A frequent oversight in higher education is the exclusion of campus public safety leaders from international travel or crisis planning committees. These professionals are often called for assistance only after an incident occurs overseas involving students or faculty members. Their absence during the planning phase leaves a critical gap in institutional preparedness.
Campus safety leaders bring a unique operational and situational awareness perspective. They often have relationships with partners such as the FBI (each institution has an assigned liaison), the U.S. Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These relationships expedite communication, intelligence sharing, and coordinated response during international crises.
Institutions should ensure their Public Safety and Emergency Management departments are active participants in travel policy development, risk assessments, and crisis planning. Collaboration with institutional insurance carriers— who provide international travel insurance, security briefings, telehealth, medical evacuation, and repatriation services -enhances unified response protocols.
Practical Pre-Travel Readiness Checklist
Campus safety and risk managers should ensure that every outbound program incorporates the following baseline measures:
• Registration of travelers with the U.S. Department of State STEP program
• Verification of international health and emergency coverage.
• Issuance of emergency contact card with institutional and embassy numbers.
• Itineraries, lodging, and contact lists.
• Review of destination hazards before travel.
• Require installation of approved travel safety apps like the Horus-l app.
These steps help standardize preparedness and align the institution’s duty of care with ISO 31030 guidance.
Post-Incident Guidance. When an incident occurs abroad, the following actions should guide institutional response:
• Ensure personal safety and contact local authorities immediately
• Notify the program leader or institutional emergency contact.
• Document incident details such as time, location, witnesses, etc.
• Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
• Activate insurance and repatriation assistance services
Integrating these steps into institutional emergency plans supports rapid, coordinated responses that protect lives and institutional reputation.
Conclusion
Study abroad and international travel enrich students’ lives and broaden institutional horizons, but they also expose institutions to significant safety, reputational, and legal risks.
Campus public safety leaders play a critical role in ensuring that these experiences remain positive and safe.
Through proactive planning, strong interdepartmental collaboration, and adherence to established standards like ISO 31030, institutions can better anticipate, mitigate, and respond to global threats. The message is simple but vital: prepare, monitor, and debrief. Risk cannot be eliminated, but with vigilance and preparation, it can be managed.
Author Biographical Sketch
Dr. Lewis A. Eakins PhD, with over 45 years of law enforcement, security, and emergency management experience, is a Senior Intelligence Advisor for Horus North America (HNA). HNA provides international travel safety and threat/risk assessment services for institutions of higher education worldwide.
Dr. Eakins was formerly the Vice President for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness at Ivy Tech Community College System of Indiana. He has served as a Regional Board member and Board member at-large for lACLEA, and he has held committee leadership positions with the organization, presented at their annual conferences, and currently conducts training on a variety of subjects.
He has undergraduate degrees in Police Science, Criminal Justice, and Business Administration; an M.S. degree in Security Management from Bellevue University; and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Homeland Security and Coordination from Walden University. He is Board Certified in Security Management by ASIS International.