All students enrolled at Reed College are required to have health insurance that meets the college’s coverage standards. Students participating in study abroad programs should carefully review both Reed’s health insurance requirements and the insurance requirements of their host program or country.
If your program abroad provides its own mandatory health insurance, you may still need to maintain Reed’s plan unless you are eligible for and complete a waiver by the published deadline. The Reed health insurance waiver process verifies that your alternate coverage meets comparable standards while you are away.
Keep in mind that insurance programs abroad may differ significantly in coverage, networks, and reimbursement processes. Students are encouraged to compare policies and ensure they have adequate coverage for medical care, prescriptions, and emergencies while outside the United States. While abroad, each country will have different laws pertaining to medications, health insurance, and disability accommodations.
Be sure to bring your active prescriptions and a letter from your doctor indicating why you are taking the prescribed medications. Some medications available in the U.S. may not be obtainable elsewhere, or may go by a different name. Students should work with their doctors to discuss specific medications and, in some cases, obtain an advanced supply for the duration of their time abroad. Check your program and destination country’s requirements for how much medication can be brought in at one time.
If you rely on cannabis for medical reasons, you should plan to be without it during your trip or consult with the embassy or consulate of your destination country to determine if there are legal alternatives or temporary access programs for patients. The potential legal consequences can be severe.
While not required, students may schedule a study abroad appointment with a medical provider at the health & counseling center (HCC) to discuss questions or concerns about medications, immunizations, and other information regarding accessing care while studying abroad.
Disability accommodations also vary by country and institution. Students should inform their study abroad program or host school as early as possible to determine what accommodations are available. It may also be helpful to request documentation from disability & accessibility resources (DAR) at Reed to share with the host institution.
For more information, visit the DAR website section on study abroad.