Covid-19 and Study Abroad

Please read the government rules on travelling from England to outside the UK, University decisions to grant students permission to travel abroad for work placements, study abroad or other activities will be assessed on a country-by-country basis. Our decision will be informed by:

• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance;
• guidance from the University’s Insurance provider; 
• Government and institutional policies in the host country.

If you are due to go abroad in academic year 2021/22 you must follow the process outlined below for the activity you are undertaking:

• Study Abroad: Once your Study Abroad placement has been confirmed by the host institution, you must complete the required documentation, including Risk Assessment, and gain approval specific to your circumstance before booking any travel. It is recommended that this is done at least 28 days in advance of travel, where possible.  Completion and approval of the updated Risk Assessment & Health and Safety Form that has been provided to you is mandatory, even if you have already been accepted to study abroad by one of our institutional partners.
• Work Abroad: Students wishing to undertake overseas work placements which are part of their course will need to seek formal approval and follow the Enhanced Risk Assessment process in place for their school. Please contact your Placement Tutor or coordinator for more information or email placements@reading.ac.uk   Please inform us as soon as possible as it can take a minimum of 6 weeks to approve an overseas placement. Find out more.

1. Review all the information on this page before starting the process.
2. Obtain and review information on the country or countries you plan to visit on the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website. Undergraduate students studying abroad for a semester or a full academic year as part of their degree will receive further information from the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office and their School.
3. Complete the Risk Assessment for Study Abroad for the Academic Year (the Erasmus and Study Abroad Office will share this with undergraduate students planning to study abroad for a semester or a full year) normally no later than 28 days in advance of travel.
4. Submit the completed form to studyabroad@reading.ac.uk, who will liaise with the relevant colleagues for approval.  If your study abroad is with Modern Languages (Department of Languages and Cultures ) then submit the form to yearabroad@reading.ac.uk. 
5. Once you have received your signed Risk Assessment form, you should complete the necessary logistics, such as travel booking, visa (if required), accommodation, transport, personal health planning, purchasing additional insurance if required etc. 
6. Complete the Overseas Travel Form on RISIS when your travel details are finalised before you travel (and keep up to date if there are any changes).

Please note: Postgraduate students should follow the procedure outlined in the Code of Practice 38. 

Before you travel, you should monitor the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website regularly to keep up to date with the latest information for the country you are planning to visit. If the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice changes for the country you are travelling to prior to your trip, you must re-submit your Risk Assessment form for re-consideration. If the advice changes while you are already overseas, you will be covered by University Insurance and we will contact students affected to provide further information about recommended next steps.

You must seek approval to travel by completing the Risk Assessment process outlined above, before you travel. Once we have received your Risk Assessment, we will review it alongside the information obtained and forward to insurers for review. It is possible that certain elements of the policy may not be covered in these circumstances or there may be an additional premium required. We will let you know once the decision has been made by the insurance company. You should not travel until we have confirmed this.

Delaying your study abroad placement will be a decision for your School, and the host institution. Each partner institution is implementing their own policies regarding delayed attendance, and you should follow their instruction. It might be possible to study online from your home to start with, and then travel, however some institutions will only allow you to study online for the whole semester or be present for the whole semester. Do your research early about what is possible. Deferring your study abroad placement is not normally possible. You will need to discuss this with your Study Abroad Coordinator first and foremost at the earliest opportunity, and then the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office (voluntary mobilities).

In general, it is not possible to change institutions as quotas have already been agreed with our partners. Students on compulsory mobilities should contact their School Study Abroad Coordinator. Students on voluntary mobilities you should contact the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office (studyabroad@reading.ac.uk).

You should update your Study Abroad Coordinator and the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office before you make any decision, and they will provide you with guidance about next steps:

• You must inform the host institution at the earliest opportunity to try to avoid any charges being levied.
• You may need to reserve or extend your accommodation in Reading – if you are in halls please contact accommodation@reading.ac.uk.
• You will need to confirm that you are registered on sufficient modules – your Academic Tutor and Study Abroad Coordinator can assist you.
• Erasmus and Study Abroad Office (ESAO) will update Student Finance, but it is likely that you will need to complete a form, so we recommend you confirm the decision with them.

Whilst our priority remains student well-being and welfare, there may be academic and financial consequences if you decide to leave your placement if the University of Reading has not recalled students or the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office changes its guidance. Please consult with your Study Abroad Coordinator at the earliest opportunity.

Any students on programmes with integrated study abroad (i.e., a compulsory part of the degree) who do not wish to travel will be supported in their decision and might be offered alternative options, where possible. If you have any questions, please contact your Study Abroad Coordinator, or the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office (studyabroad@reading.ac.uk).

This will depend on whether your host institution is able to allow you to study remotely online, and what impact your study abroad placement will have on your degree programme. You should contact and discuss this with your Study Abroad Coordinator before you make any decision.

The normal expectation is that you would return to the UK or home country. However, it is understood that there could be valid reasons why you might wish to remain in country. You would need to discuss your decision with your School and complete a further risk assessment. There could be insurance and financial implications if you decide to remain in country in this circumstance.

The Erasmus & Study Abroad Office will update eligible students of any developments. If funding is available and awarded, it is likely to be affected by an early departure, but it will depend on the timing and circumstances. It is likely that you may need to repay back funds. Please contact the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office (studyabroad@reading.ac.uk) for more information.

If you receive a positive test result for COVID-19 you must follow the steps to notify the University so we can support you. It is also important that you inform your Study Abroad / Placement contact for your School as well as placements@reading.ac.uk/studyabroad@reading.ac.uk . If you, or anyone you live with has symptoms of the virus, you must self-isolate in line with government guidelines which also includes guidance from the country you are located. If you start to feel ill while abroad, contact your host institution and follow guidance provided to you. They can provide you with local, up-to-date and in-country guidance. In addition, please update your Study Abroad Coordinator here at Reading, especially if you think that this could impact on your studies abroad.

Each country will have different policies, which might be different between various regions within that country. It is important that you keep up-to-date and follow the instructions provided to you by the host institution, the government advice provided by the host country’s government and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guidance.

First and foremost, you should follow the local and / or national advice provided by the host institution and local authorities.  In addition, you should:

• Ensure you stay safe
• Share this local information with the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office as soon as possible

You should also ensure that you access the various Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office information sources for your country, and the information on the Healix Travel Oracle app. Do not make any decisions without consulting your Study Abroad Coordinator and the host institution.

Government guidance is being changed in light of the Omicron variant. Please keep up to date with the UK government (and devolved government) guidance as this can change at short notice.

• Travel to England
• Travel to Northern Ireland
• Travel to Scotland
• Travel to Wales

The Student Finance Travel Grant team (part of Student Loans Company) have advised the following regarding the COVID-19/PCR tests. Applicable for any students who meet the travel grant eligibility criteria:

“The cost of mandatory COVID-19/PCR tests on entry and exit, imposed by the local government, can be paid for under the travel grant. (Costs for these should be kept a low as possible, i.e., avoiding inflated costs charged by private clinics where possible).

Travel costs to and from test centres cannot be claimed. Mandatory quarantine costs imposed cannot be covered under the travel grant. (Accommodation costs associated with Quarantine will not be covered under the travel grant. Costs incurred as a result of having to quarantine are not covered under the travel grant).

In situations where students have had to change flight date/purchase a new flight to return home early due restrictions imposed by local government, these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Student Finance Travel Grant Team.”

Students need to liaise with Student Finance Travel Grant Team authority directly for more information about your situation and to make a claim, if required.

Your host institution or organisation is your first port of call if anything happens. However, you remain a University of Reading student and therefore can access relevant support here. See the Health and Well-being pages to find out what is available to you. You can also contact the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office and your school for assistance, or your Study Abroad Coordinator.

Your primary contacts while in country are:

• Host Institution: In-country support eg, study programmes; accommodation issues; arrival information; welcome week etc, as well as local guidance on COVID-19 measures
• Study Abroad Coordinator: All academic matters about studying abroad (before, during and after); any concerns / personal matters whilst abroad. 
• Academic tutor: Personal matters; academic information about studies at Reading. 
• ESAO: Erasmus+ / Study Abroad admin and paperwork; UoR/Erasmus/Student Finance grants; additional point of contact.

If you are concerned about your personal situation before you travel, please contact your Study Abroad Coordinator and / or the Erasmus & Study Abroad Office to discuss.