Emergencies While Abroad

Seeking Help and Assistance While Abroad

Keep your Emergency Contact Card available to easily access your emergency contacts. Both International SoS (ISoS) and the U.S. Department of State have smartphone-friendly apps and websites to support travelers, so familiarize yourself with all of the available resources before you leave. Also, learn how to make a long-distance international call.

Emergency Assistance while Abroad

In the case of a life-threatening injury or emergency abroad, you have a number of support resources available to you. Follow these steps:

  1. Get immediate help. Know the so that you can obtain immediate emergency assistance.

  2. Notify your on-site contact. Know how to reach your faculty director, host institution, or program provider in-country emergency contact. If someone is available to you on-site, you should contact this person as soon as possible so that s/he may assist you.

  3. Contact USF鈥檚 Insurance Provider. Call ISoS for any travel-related health, security, or personal wellness emergency. Your policy benefits will cover you if you become ill, injured, or your program location is deemed unsafe. If you become ill while abroad please contact ISoS through the ISoS Assistance App. You will need to identify yourself and provide them with our USF ISoS policy number (399GDA1018486IT).

    To use USF's health insurance, after consulting with on-site staff, call International SoS at +1-215-942-8478 (collect calls accepted worldwide) 鈥� when calling, reference member ID 399GDA1018486IT.

    We strongly suggest that ALL travelers download the ISoS App onto a phone that they will have with them during travel. Take hard copies of ISoS phone number and USF鈥檚 ID number in case your phone is lost or unavailable.

  4. Contact USF. Should you require further assistance after following the above emergency protocol, please feel free to contact the USF Police Department at +1-813-974-2628.

  5. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy.  Depending on your situation, you may also contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Personnel at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. The Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the U.S. State Department鈥檚 Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at +1-202-501-4444. 

  6. Contact your family.  Be sure to contact your family. If you are involved in any emergency, it is important for you to remain in contact with your family. They will be concerned about your well-being and will be anxious for regular updates from you. There is a limit to the nature and amount of information USF may disclose to your family (and/or designated emergency contacts), so it is best for those interested parties to communicate with you directly. 

Assistance Abroad (NON Life-Threatening Injury or Incident)

If you experience a NON life-threatening incident, such as a travel disruption (missed flight or transfer), a minor medical issue or illness, theft of personal property or documents, conflict with peers or program leaders, or other significant event that negatively impacts your ability to succeed abroad, follow these steps:   

  1. Notify your on-site contact. Know how to reach your faculty director, host institution, or program provider in-country emergency contact. If someone is available to you on-site, you should contact this person as soon as possible so that s/he may assist you. 

  2. Contact USF鈥檚 Insurance Provider. Call ISOS for any travel-related health, security, or personal wellness emergency. Your policy benefits will cover you if you become ill, injured, or your program location is deemed unsafe. If you become ill while abroad please contact ISoS through the ISoS Assistance App. You will need to identify yourself and provide them with our USF ISoS policy number (399GDA1018486IT).To use USF's health insurance, after consulting with on-site staff, call International SoS at +1-215-942-8478 (collect calls accepted worldwide) 鈥� when calling, reference member ID 399GDA1018486IT.

    We strongly suggest that ALL travelers download the ISoS App onto a phone that they will have with them during travel. Take hard copies of ISoS phone number and USF鈥檚 ID number in case your phone is lost or unavailable.

  3. Contact USF. Should you require further assistance after following the above protocol, please feel free to contact your USF Education Abroad Program Coordinator during business hours.

  4. Be aware of the time difference between your location and the time in Florida. In some instances, you may be 6, 9, or 13 hours ahead of the time at a USF campus or your home. While it may be daytime hours for you abroad, back in the United States, it could be the middle of the night. There may be issues that cause you concern that cannot be resolved outside of the normal business hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) including:   

    Assistance with accessing Student Self-Service and other USF accounts
    Financial aid inquiries and assistance
    Help registering for classes 鈥� or access to your academic advisor
    Parking services
    On-campus housing inquiries 

  5. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy. Depending on your situation, you may also contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Personnel at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. The Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the U.S. State Department鈥檚 Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at +1-202-501-4444.