After much consideration, the University of Utah has made the decision to extend the suspension of all university-affiliated student international travel through the upcoming semester, including the cancellation of all Fall 2020 Learning Abroad academic programs.

This decision was made by the university in the interest of the health and safety of our community, taking into account the dynamic nature of the global public health situation, significant current limitations on international travel and the ability to appropriately support students abroad during this time of uncertainty. The U considered a number of additional factors in making this decision, including student traveler health and safety concerns while in transit and abroad, academic programming and student experience limitations in foreign locations, existing travel advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of State, and the difficulty of obtaining visas (both outbound and inbound) and U.S. consular services while abroad. Currently, the CDC cautions against all nonessential international travel, and the U.S. Department of State has not signaled an intent to recall their ongoing Global Level 4 Health Advisory, which recommends that Americans avoid all international travel due to COVID-19.

Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic both inside and outside the United States, and its implications for traveler health and safety, the University of Utah will continue to monitor the situation over the coming months before making any determinations about student travel to international locations for the Spring 2021 Semester.

Due to the current landscape of the domestic (U.S.) COVID outbreaks and respective responses by national, state and local authorities, the university is also suspending inbound student exchanges for Fall 2020 Semester. This decision applies specifically to students who had planned to attend the U in fall 2020 only as exchange visitors. All university exchange partner institutions have been informed of the suspension at this time.

The safety, health and well-being of the U community continues to be the university’s highest priority, and updated information about university travel guidance, directives and protocols regarding COVID-19 can always be found at coronavirus.utah.edu.