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COVID-19 Information for On-site Programs
Updated for Spring/Summer 2023
American Councils Study and Research Abroad COVID-19 Protocols and Policies
While the coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed our work, American Councils Study and Research Abroad remains committed to delivering high quality, intensive, immersion based overseas programs for U.S. students and scholars abroad. Indeed, even as the global pandemic has complicated overseas programming, it has simultaneously demonstrated how profoundly interconnected the world has become, and how vital it is for us to better understand people, languages, environments, and cultures other than our own.
To that end, American Councils Study and Research Abroad continues to review conditions and developments in the countries and communities where each of its overseas programs is located. This review includes close monitoring of the most current information available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of State, the Overseas Security Advisory Councils (OSAC), U.S. Embassies, the World Health Organization, and overseas staff and partners. Protecting the health and safety of participants, faculty, and staff is American Council’s first priority in all decisions regarding a program’ status or content. Program applicants should contact American Councils regarding the status of specific program sites.
American Councils Study and Research Abroad has developed extensive additional program policies and protocols as part of its commitment to protecting the health and safety of our participants, instructors, staff, host families, and language partners, as well as the larger communities supporting our students abroad. These protocols are designed to minimize the risk of student exposure to COVID-19 and to provide comprehensive, expert support to students in the event of infection or illness. American Councils continues to refine and develop these protocols in response to updates and recommendations from the CDC, on-site staff, university partners, U.S. Embassies, the U.S. Department of State, OSAC, and additional sources. Protocols may vary between locations depending on available resources, cultural norms, and local COVID-19 policies and requirements.
A summary of current protocols and policies appears below. We strongly encourage all potential participants to closely review this information with their family members before deciding to join an American Councils Study and Research Abroad program.
Please note that these policies and protocols apply only to American Council Study and Research Abroad programs.
Vaccine Requirements for Students
To help ensure the health and safety of program participants, host family members, faculty, language partners, tutors, and staff, and to protect the communities at large hosting our overseas programs, American Councils Study and Research Abroad requires that all participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before departure to their overseas site. To be fully vaccinated, a program participant must have completed a full course of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine. In addition, American Councils strongly encourages all program participant to receive vaccination boosters, as recommended by the CDC, to ensure maximum protection against the corona virus.
Download the American Councils Study and Research Abroad Vaccination Policy
Vaccination Requirement for Onsite Personnel
The following program personnel will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19:
All American Councils staff working directly with program participants
All adult host-family members
All faculty teaching program participants
All language partners
Classrooms and Campus
Students are strongly encouraged to wear masks in class and on campus at all times. Students may at times be required to mask in class if program administrators determine there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection at their program site. This decision may be made in response to such events as (but not limited to) the following: COVID-19 infection rates significantly increase in the host country or host city; a student, faculty member or staff person tests positive for COVID-19; a student, faculty member, or staff person reports that they have been in contact with a person or persons who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Students and faculty will mask during all group events and classes for the first five days of the program. At the end of the fifth day, students will take an antigen test to confirm that they are COVID negative. If a student tests positive for COVID, the student will quarantine as described below (please see Quarantine).
Students, faculty, or staff presenting potential COVID symptoms, including an elevated temperature, will be required to self-isolate and complete COVID-19 testing before they resume classes or group activities.
Host Families
Students will not be permitted to invite guests to their host-family residence unless all members of the host family explicitly agree in advance. Students will be asked to confirm that their schedules and social activities are acceptable to their hosts. Host families will be required to consult with American Councils and their student-resident before making plans for guests to visit.
Nightlife and Social Activity
Students may be required to avoid crowded venues, including bars, nightclubs, and sporting events if program administrators determine there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection at their program site. This decision may be made in response to such events as (but not limited to) the following: COVID-19 infection rates significantly increase in the host country or host city; a student, faculty member or staff person tests positive for COVID-19; a student, faculty member, or staff person reports that they have been in contact with a person or persons who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Travel Outside and Within the Host City
Depending on conditions in-country, program travel and cultural activities may be limited to the host city in order to minimize the risk of infection and to ensure access to medical care at all times. Students may not be permitted to travel outside the host city if program administrators determine there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection at their program site. This decision may be made in response to such events as (but not limited to) the following: COVID-19 infection rates significantly increase in the host country or host city; a student, faculty member or staff person tests positive for COVID-19; a student, faculty member, or staff person reports that they have been in contact with a person or persons who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Insurance
Students are enrolled in comprehensive insurance covering accident and illness, including treatment for COVID-19. COVID-19 testing is covered by the American Council insurance plan if it is required by a treating medical physician. American Councils medical insurance covers the cost of emergency medical evacuation; however, due to airline restrictions and other prohibitions on travel, it may be impossible to arrange for the evacuation of a person testing positive for COVID-19.
Quarantine
If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they will immediately begin to quarantine. In most locations, the student will remain at the host family, if the family is prepared to continue housing them. During the quarantine period, the student will remain in their room (including for meals) and will mask at any time they leave the room (e.g. to use the bathroom). If the host family is unable or unwilling to continuing housing the student, American Councils will arrange alternative housing for the quarantine period. If a student’s host family is willing to continue hosting the student during the quarantine period, American Councils will not cover the cost of alternative housing if the student chooses to quarantine outside the host family residence.
American Councils will fully abide by all host-country laws and regulations governing COVID-19 treatment and quarantine. In some locations (e.g., Taiwan), government regulations may require that all persons who test positive for COVID-19 immediately enter a government-run treatment facility, where they will be closely monitored and provided meals and medical attention.
Throughout the quarantine period, American Councils onsite staff will maintain regular contact with the student to ensure they are comfortable, have received all meals, and are able to access classroom materials. Onsite staff will provide daily updates on the student’s condition to the program’s manager in Washington, DC. American Councils will arrange for a medical professional to consult with the student at the start of quarantine period and to monitor their condition regularly. When the student no longer tests positive for COVID-19, they will rejoin group activities.
Hospitalization for COVID-19
In the unlikely event that a student requires hospitalization for COVID-19 treatment, American Councils will support them to the fullest degree possible by seeking to ensure access to the best available care; monitoring the student’s condition remotely through daily calls; and maintaining communication with the student, care providers, family members, and home university staff. However, American Councils staff may ultimately have little or no ability to determine the location of the student’s treatment and staff may be unable to visit the student due to local laws and regulations governing treatment of COVID-19 patients. American Councils may be unable to evacuate any person who has tested positive for COVID-19 due to airline restrictions and other prohibitions on travel.
If you have questions about these protocols and policies or wish to discuss the status of your proposed program site, please contact American Councils Study and Research Abroad, at: outbound@americancouncils.org.