U-M Travel Warning destinations: The following countries are under a U-M Travel Warning, meaning undergraduate students and graduate students on UMRT must follow the Safety Plan approval process. Last updated January 15, 2021.

1. Antarctica
2. Australia
3. Barbados 
4. Brunei 
5. Dominica 
6. Greenland
7. Hong Kong
8. Macau  
9. Mauritius 
10. New Caledonia 
11. New Zealand 
12. Palau 
13. Saint Kitts and Nevis 
14. Saint Lucia 
15. Saint Vincent and The Grenadines
16. Singapore
17. South Korea
18. Taiwan 
19. Thailand

Note 1: Each country links to the U.S. COVID-19 page for each country which provides links to entry requirements / restrictions. 

Note 2: The International Travel Oversight Committee reviews U-M Travel Warning and Restriction destinations on an iterative basis using a variety of sources, including: US Department of State Travel Advisories, CDC COVID-19 Risk Ratings, other non-U.S. government advisories, and U-M’s assistance provider’s risk ratings.    This Travel Warning list is subject to change and all travelers should build flexibility into their travel planning in the event that they must cancel.  Any country on this list may become a U-M Travel Restriction if the COVID-19 situation in that country deteriorates, which would make the country a U-M Travel Restriction. Undergraduate U-M Related Travel is prohibited to a U-M Travel Restriction. 

U-M Travel Restriction destinations: Every country not listed as a U-M Travel Warning above, including the U.S. territories and the high seas, is under a U-M Travel Restriction until further notice, meaning undergraduate students prohibited from travel and graduate students on UMRT must follow the Safety Plan approval process.

Note: The International Travel Oversight Committee reviews U-M Travel Warning and Restriction destinations on an iterative basis using a variety of sources, including: US Department of State Travel Advisories, CDC COVID-19 Risk Ratings, other non-U.S. government advisories, and U-M’s assistance provider’s risk ratings. 

Following President Schlissel’s April 20th COVID-19 update, all non-essential expenditures, including travel, are to be suspended until further notice.

To travel for essential business reasons, faculty and staff should:

• Request approval from their school/college/unit
• Register travel in the U-M Travel Registry
• Ensure that the activity follows relevant health, security, and immigration regulations, including those related to COVID-19 health regulations and exit and entry requirements.

COVID-19 specific travel resources are available at the bottom of the COVID 19 & Travel webpage. Feel free to contact umich-itoc@umich.edu for additional information or to request country specific travel health and safety reports.

Travel to a U-M Warning or Restriction destination: In instances where international travel is essential to the graduate student’s academic progress and where the research can only be completed at a specific location, graduate students can apply to the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) for travel approval. Approval will only be granted to graduate students who meet all of the following criteria and are able to:

• Complete an Individual Safety Plan for International Travel application to be reviewed by ITOC. See an example Safety Plan here. 
• Register travel with the U-M and obtain U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance: https://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/register-your-travel/
• See Safety Plan approval process for details.
• Ensure that the activity does not violate any local, federal, state, or other guidelines, rules, orders, regulations, laws, and the like. Depending on the location, considerations may include admissible activities for leaving your home, public health guidelines (social distancing, capacity limits for enclosed or open spaces, facial coverings), entry and exit regulations of your destination country/s, etc. Resources are provided on the U-M COVID-19 & Travel page. 
• Obtain written verification from a U-M faculty or staff member indicating that the activity is academically essential and location specific. The simplest way to document this written acceptance is via email. 
• Verify financial contingency plans in the event of unanticipated travel disruptions, which include but are not limited to:
  • Pre-departure flight cancellations in the event the COVID-19 situation in the destination country deteriorates, 
  • Early departure from the destination country in the event the COVID-19 situation in the destination country deteriorates,
  • Living costs associated with being in-country longer than intended in the event of border / airport closures, 
  • COVID-19 related costs, including quarantine costs, testing, etc. 
  • Please note the U-M Office of Financial Aid and the Dean of Students Office have limited to no emergency funds at this time.

Travel to a U-M Restriction destination: Travel is prohibited at this time. 

Travel to a U-M Warning destination: In instances where international travel is essential to the student’s academic progress and where the activity can only be completed at a specific location, students can apply to the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) for travel approval. 

Approval will only be granted to students who meet all of the following criteria and are able to:

• Complete an Individual Safety Plan for International Travel application to be reviewed by ITOC. Seen an example Safety Plan here.
• Register travel with the U-M and obtain U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance: https://global.umich.edu/travel-resources/register-your-travel/
• See Safety Plan approval process for details.
• Ensure that the activity does not violate any local, federal, state, or other guidelines, rules, orders, regulations, laws, and the like. Depending on the location, considerations may include admissible activities for leaving your home, public health guidelines (social distancing, capacity limits for enclosed or open spaces, facial coverings), entry and exit regulations of your destination country/s, etc. Resources are provided on the U-M COVID-19 & Travel page. 
• Obtain written verification from a U-M faculty or staff member indicating that the activity is academically essential and location specific. The simplest way to document this written acceptance is via email. 
• Verify financial contingency plans in the event of unanticipated travel disruptions, which include but are not limited to:
  • Pre-departure flight cancellations in the event the COVID-19 situation in the destination country deteriorates, 
  • Early departure from the destination country in the event the COVID-19 situation in the destination country deteriorates,
  • Living costs associated with being in-country longer than intended in the event of border / airport closures, 
  • COVID-19 related costs, including quarantine costs, testing, etc. 
  • Please note the U-M Office of Financial Aid and the Dean of Students Office have limited to no emergency funds at this time.

Please note: Students who have applied for a U-M program through M-Compass will also complete the safety plan requirement within their M-Compass program application.