What to Do in an Emergency

Currently experiencing an emergency abroad?

  1. In a life-threatening emergency, call the local equivalent of 911.
  2. In all other emergencies, contact the on-site program staff. You were given their contact info pre-departure or upon arrival.
  3. If you can't reach your on-site staff, contact CU Boulder Education Abroad:
    • During business hours (in Colorado), your CU Boulder Ed Abroad Program Manager should be your first contact.
    • If after hours or on the weekend, call our 24/7 emergency phone at +1 (303) 653-1671.
  4. After you have connected with your on-site staff, then contact your loved ones in the U.S. While your instinct may be to call your loved ones first, they may be thousands of miles away and not in an immediate position to be able to help. Contact on-site staff or local authorities first to get the quickest assistance.

Before you depart, you will be provided with on-site contacts for your program, including 24/7 emergency numbers and the local equivalent of 911. Save this contact info in a place that you can easy access it in event of an emergency.

For non-life-threatening emergencies, the on-site contacts for your program will be your best resources, and they can provide valuable support with issues like:

  • Pick-pocketing or theft
  • Lost or stolen passport
  • Problems with your host family or housing
  • Problems with your courses
  • Stress, anxiety, homesickness, or other mental health concerns
  • Connecting with a doctor for a non-life-threatening illness or injury

Your program will also provide you with an emergency plan, which you should review so you know what steps to take in case of emergency.

In many cases, your program will also let CU Boulder Education Abroad know of any on-site incidents, so that we can offer support from the CU side, including after you return to Boulder.
 
The CU Boulder Education Abroad staff is required to report any incident of harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, intimate partner abuse, and stalking, to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC). Each incident might be handled differently, but in general, the OIEC does not take action unless the allegation is against someone connected to the University of Colorado Boulder and the complainant (person who experienced the harm) wants OIEC to address the concerns. However, in all incidents, OIEC will provide support resources and may put in place safety measures or offer short-term remedies both immediately if requested and when a student returns to campus.  

 

While you are abroad, you can always contact Education Abroad who can put you in touch with the appropriate resources. You may also contact the below on- and off-campus offices directly:

Emergency Phone Number

To contact CU Boulder Education Abroad in an emergency outside of office hours, call +1 (303) 653-1671.

Incidents Abroad

While Education Abroad endeavors to mitigate risks abroad, we cannot guarantee the safety of students. Every year we work with students on supporting them should incidents arise. The most common incidents that occur abroad are typically:

  • Minor illnesses or injuries
  • Theft/pickpocketing
  • Mental health challenges

Education Abroad and our partners have robust protocols designed to support students experiencing all manner of incidents.