Travel and Outside Study Guidance for Taught | Student Progress

Context

This purpose of this guidance is to provide specific information to taught Undergraduate and Postgraduate students who are participating in (or planning to participate in) travel and outside study (off-campus and overseas and outside UK territorial limits) in relation to their academic programme and to highlight key factors for consideration. It is important that students undertake travel with consideration to this guidance and the requirements outlined in the following documents, which detail the University’s framework for travel and insurance abroad:

Travel Abroad Management Standard and Guidance
Insurance Cover Guide and Insurance Certificates

This guidance is of particular relevance to students registered at the Newcastle campus, however, the general principles in this guidance apply to all students, regardless of their location, course or mode of study. (Staff and students should note that there may be particular provisions or different Insurance arrangements at our Newcastle University London or overseas campuses (NuMEd, NUIS etc.) and for students studying at a distance or through e-learning and that advice on these should be sought from the Insurance Office, in advance of any travel).

Definitions

University business

This refers to currently registered students who are undertaking travel as a formal requirement of the programme of study, training or research, or any other academic activity, which has approval as part of the programme of study, training or research.

Off-campus

A location away from the student’s registered Campus, which includes all University buildings/farms/laboratories etc.

Responsibilities

The University encourages student engagement with diverse opportunities available as part of their programme of study, which can include, off-campus / outside placements, study abroad, field work, and medical electives in various national or international locations.

The University will take all necessary and reasonable measures to protect fully registered students whilst they are on University business – this includes active study at the student’s main campus and at any off-campus / outside locations.

The University will take steps to avoid instances where students need to travel as part of their taught programme to locations designated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as ‘advise against all travel’ or the University’s Insurance provider.

This guidance does not apply where:

Students voluntarily choose to travel or participate in activities which do not form part of their programme, or any other approved academic activity – e.g. student holidays or visits to families or to their home country for purposes other than approved University business.
Students are not fully registered and in active study – e.g. where students have suspended study or are ‘external’ candidates or on a leave of absence
International students who have completed their studies and are no longer eligible to remain in the UK (or other university campus) under the terms of their student visa.

Travel Guidance

In accordance with the Travel Abroad Policy, the University allows travel based on the three levels of travel advice provided by the UK Government Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The travel advice may apply to the whole country or more commonly to specific regions or areas within a country. A summary table showing how the FCO classifications control where students may travel is below.

FCO advice categories

Advise against all travel	No student is permitted to travel to these destinations for University business
Advise against all but essential travel	Postgraduate students may travel but the risk assessment must be approved by Pro-ViceChancellor (Registrar for Professional Services)
No specific travel restrictions but traveller must read FCO travel advice before travelling	Students may travel having regard to the travel advice

FCO travel advice can change at short notice. The FCO classification on the departure date determines whether travel can continue. This may mean in isolated cases that travel has to be postponed or cancelled, if the category changes in response to local events. If a student’s home country is classified as ‘advise against all travel’, they should consult their academic supervisor in the first instance and it is likely that consultation will be required with the Insurance Office and the Occupational Health and Safety Service (OHSS) to discuss the individual circumstances.

There are a small number of countries where automatic insurance cover does not apply. In addition, the Insurance Team must be notified about travel on University business to any sanctioned country by completing a sanctioned countries questionnaire and returning this to insurance@ncl.ac.uk. In these situations travel cannot proceed without specific approval from the Insurance Office.

Students who choose to travel (for family or personal reasons) to a home country where the FCO advises ‘against all travel’ or ‘all but essential’ travel, should take particular care to ensure their personal safety, including ensuring that their own insurance cover is in place (if relevant). Students are advised that it might become difficult to return to the UK to resume study due to changes in political regimes, entry requirements or other natural disasters.

Insurance

University insurance cover will normally apply for all pre-authorised ‘University business’, even if the University is not directly funding the activity. Insurance cover is provided according to the Insurance Policy and associated provisions in force at the time of travel. Further information is available on the Insurance and Operational Risk webpages.

For clarity, please note the following points of exclusion:

If a student books travel to a country where at the time of booking there is an advisory by the FCO ‘against travel’ then no insurance would apply if that remains in place at the point of their trip.
Where students are travelling on pre-approved University Business to a country not automatically covered by the University insurance, the University may require the student or their school or institute to fund alternative insurance arrangements before travel.
The medical costs incurred by students whilst in their home country are not covered, even if the student is travelling on pre-authorised ‘University business’. Students travelling to their home country are expected to access the health provisions of their home country in the normalway.
Family members accompanying the students from Newcastle to another country are not covered by the University’s insurance: families should take out their own travel insurance for thispurpose.

Insurance for medical electives will only be covered for approved placements and staff and students should refer to the University’s detailed policies relating to Travel, Insurance, Health and Safety and Risk assessment protocols, policies and forms, arrangements for elective programmes for MB BS and BDS students.

Travel and Outside Study Guidance for Taught Programmes

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