Health
An Introduction
At Pepperdine University, our students health and safety is the number one priority; this remains true for the International Programs Office. We strive to keep our students that travel abroad healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. Pepperdine continually monitors all programs in partnership with external organizations. Please see below for more information about health and safety.
Health
Health Insurance
All students must have their own personal health and dental insurance. Students must be ready at all times to pay the necessary co-payment or deductibles themselves (Lausanne students studying in the fall and/or spring semesters are exempt from this requirement because they are automatically enrolled in a Swiss health insurance plan). Students are responsible for checking with their insurer(s) to ensure level of coverage abroad is sufficient. Share planned travel itinerary for most relevant information. Questions to ask insurer(s):
- Does this insurance cover high-risk activities such as parasailing, mountain climbing, scuba diving and off-roading?
- Does this policy cover pre-existing conditions while abroad?
- Does the insurance company require pre-authorizations or second opinions before emergency treatment can begin?
- Does the insurance company guarantee medical payments abroad?
- Will the insurance company pay foreign hospitals and foreign doctors directly?
- Does the insurance company have 24-hour physician-backed support center?
- How are claims submitted?
Depending on the response from your insurer(s), you may want to purchase additional travel health insurance.
The University health plan offered through Anthem (SHIP) does cover students if they choose to go abroad. Those who choose to purchase SHIP will be enrolled for the annual plan regardless of how long they are abroad. Contact Wells Fargo's SHIP program if you have any other questions.
Prescription Medications
If you have pre-existing medical problems you should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Any medications you carry overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Some U.S. prescription medications are illegal in foreign countries and may subject you to arrest. Be sure to check with the foreign embassy of the country you are visiting or transiting en-route to make sure your medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics in that country.
Health Clearance Process
All students are required to complete a health clearance 45-90 days prior to departure. Please check here for a document that outlines the process and needed documents.
Vaccines
All students are required to complete a health clearance process and vaccines should be discussed while meeting with a health care professional. Some countries require foreign visitors to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination (aka Yellow Card) or other proof that they have had certain inoculations or medical tests before entering or transiting their country. Before you travel, U.S. citizens can check country specific information and contact the foreign embassy of the country to be visited or transited through for current entry requirements. Please also check the CDC website for appropriate immunizations.
Travel Assistance Program
Pepperdine provides all program participants with an emergency travel assistance program through International SOS. International SOS provides the following types of support:
- Health, safety, and travel advice
- Cultural advice
- Assistance with passport replacement
- Medical assistance, including on-call doctors and nurses, referrals for medical care, and guarantee of payment for medical expenses
- Emergency assistance
Most of their services are free to Pepperdine students.
International SOS contact information: 1-215-942-8226
Students are also enrolled in an international emergency services policy while abroad (excludes students studying in the DC program while in DC). There is a $100 deductible per incident with a $100k cap. International SOS will coordinate all billing with this emergency services policy. Please contact the International Programs Office for a summary of emergency services document. This policy includes the following:
- Emergency medical evacuation services
- Emergency medical services in the location you are studying/traveling
- Emergency document processing
- Repatriation of remains
Safety
Safeguarding the Pepperdine Community Abroad
- What Pepperdine does to safeguard the Pepperdine community abroad:
- Conduct an international travel safety orientation for students in Malibu
- Offer free self-defense classes
- Provide In-country safety briefings during your orientation
- Campuses equipped with security cameras, secure entry doors and policies that help safeguard the community
- Communicate to students and regularly update emergency plans that cover a multitude of scenarios
- Students have access to a travel assistance program that provides students with select emergency assistance offerings
- We go through an extensive process to assess and approve your educational field trips and faculty-led summer programs through the U.S. State Department and then cross-reference that safety information with global safety experts and local U.S. safety officials in countries you are traveling to. Please click here for more information about how we assess and approve your educational field trip
- International Programs does not allow students during their session on their personal time to travel to countries/regions on the U.S. State Department Travel Warning list and countries on high threat alerts. Pepperdine does not control student travel over and above this point.
What students do to safeguard themselves:
- Ensure you fully and accurately fill out Pepperdine's travel log (you will be trained when you arrive at your location) to ensure that Pepperdine staff know where you are and how we can contact you during travel breaks and weekends
- For U.S. Passport holders: You will enroll and log all travel in STEP (U.S. Department of State Safe Traveler Enrollment Program) which enables you and your loved ones to receive travel advisories and alerts.
- Ensure you have the ability to make phone calls to your family and program director at all times
- Follow safety guidelines from the international travel safety presentation you saw at your Malibu orientation
- Speak with your parents/guardians about an agreeable personal travel itinerary on weekends and travel breaks.
- All students are able to use the Live Safe App which can link students with Pepperdine personnel at anytime provided device has network connectivity
Please note that Pepperdine does our due diligence in regards to community safety and cannot plan for or anticipate every emergency. We, like any other institution, cannot guarantee safety and do everything reasonable to safeguard community members.