Student Support
Health and Safety
Student well-being is HECUA’s top priority. Find important information about emergency contacts, safety and security procedures, health insurance, and historical program updates for students participating in HECUA programs.
Review the information below and verify current policies, contact details, and insurance arrangements before participating in a HECUA program.
Urgent Information
Emergency Contact
Emergency Line
651-287-3317Student well-being is our top priority.
Please note that effective April 16, 2019, HECUA has a new 24/7 Emergency Line: 651-287-3317.
Every call will be returned promptly by an on-call HECUA staff member. This line replaces the previous 24/7 emergency number.
Historical Program Update
COVID-19 Update
Last updated: 09/10/2021
HECUA has been vigilantly and constantly monitoring the very fluid conditions of COVID-19, including tracking updates from the Minnesota Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of State, and other credible sources.
If you have any questions, please contact atilsen@hecua.org.
View HECUA’s COVID-19 Response and Program UpdatesConfidential Reporting Resource
Anonymous Report Hotline
Please use this hotline to anonymously report any concerns about HECUA staff, faculty, board, programs, or activities.
- Website
- www.intouchwebsite.com/HECUA
- Phone
- 1-877-767-7781
Use the supplied reporting website or phone number to access the reporting channel. Verify that both contact methods remain active before publication.
Program Safety
Safety and Security Abroad and Off-Campus
Safety is a primary concern for everyone involved in HECUA programs. The supplied policy describes how HECUA has monitored changing conditions, used multiple sources of information, consulted local partners, and prepared procedures for responding to potential risks.
Safety is a primary concern for all who are involved in HECUA programs.
As we know firsthand from events in the United States, conditions anywhere can suddenly change. Having policies and procedures in place is critical for addressing and responding to whatever challenges come up.
HECUA recognizes that student participants, family members, academic advisors, faculty members, academic institutions that send and receive students, and the homestay families who host them depend on HECUA to monitor programs and help ensure their safety.
Safety and security are at the center of HECUA’s daily work.
Staff in St. Paul and faculty and staff abroad monitor political and physical circumstances at HECUA sites of activity.
The supplied policy explains that staff and faculty monitor information provided by the U.S. Department of State about sites outside the United States. Local partners at those sites provide updates about situations that may affect program participants.
State Department advisories and announcements can refer to particular areas within a country and may affect decisions about whether, where, and how a HECUA program operates.
HECUA also described subscribing to Department of State updates and daily reports from media outlets based in and covering international program locations.
The policy further explains that HECUA relies on the knowledge and judgment of resident program directors who are closely connected to local communities and institutions.
Homestay families, some of whom have hosted HECUA students for years, provide additional perspectives on ordinary life and unfamiliar events. They may also offer students, program directors, and administrators support and strategies for handling unfamiliar situations.
If information from the described sources indicates an unreasonable risk for HECUA students, faculty, or staff, a team made up of member institutions’ study-abroad professionals, faculty, and legal counsel will consider alternatives.
Potential actions described in the supplied policy include restricting movement for people in the program, changing the program site, or canceling the program.
Changes will be made with as much advance planning and communication as possible. However, if necessary, HECUA states that it will take immediate and unequivocal action to ensure safety.
Following the guidelines of the Association of International Educators and The Forum on Education Abroad, HECUA has a written Emergency Action Plan for managing events and supporting safety if an incident affects or threatens the safety or health of an individual or group involved in a HECUA program.
The supplied policy notes that HECUA’s member institutions also have written plans intended to address emergencies and protect participants.
Program Requirements
Health Insurance
Health insurance arrangements differ between HECUA international programs and domestic Study USA programs. Review the supplied program descriptions carefully and verify current requirements before participation.
International Programs
The supplied information states that medical insurance is included in every international HECUA program’s cost. Current terms require verification.
Domestic Study USA
The supplied policy states that students must carry their own insurance and show proof of coverage.
Student health insurance for HECUA international programs is provided through the medical insurance included in the cost of every international HECUA program.
The supplied information describes a plan through WorldTrips providing up to $250,000 worth of coverage for each student.
To learn about details of the WorldTrips coverage plan, or to learn more about the plan in general, students should contact the HECUA Student Services office.
Student health insurance is not provided for students in HECUA’s domestic programs.
Students must carry their own insurance and show proof of health insurance in order to participate in a domestic program.
Quick Access
Important Contacts
Use this section to locate the contact details supplied for safety questions, anonymous reporting, emergency assistance, and international-program insurance inquiries.
Emergency Line
651-287-3317The source states that this line was effective April 16, 2019 and that calls would be returned by an on-call HECUA staff member. Verify current availability and service arrangements.
COVID-19 Information Contact
atilsen@hecua.orgThe supplied COVID-19 update was dated 09/10/2021. Verify whether this contact remains appropriate for current inquiries.
HECUA Student Services
hecua@hecua.org (651) 287-3311The supplied source lists these contact details for questions about the WorldTrips insurance plan. Verify their current validity.
Anonymous Report Hotline
1-877-767-7781 www.intouchwebsite.com/HECUAUse the supplied hotline details to find the anonymous reporting channel. Verify current service availability and the official website destination.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about HECUA’s safety policies, emergency contact information, health insurance, and reporting channels.
The supplied HECUA information lists the 24/7 Emergency Line as 651-287-3317, with an effective date of April 16, 2019. It states that calls are returned by an on-call HECUA staff member.
Because the source information is historical, verify the number and current service arrangements before relying on it.
The supplied source lists a COVID-19 update dated 09/10/2021 and provides a link to HECUA’s COVID-19 Response and Program Updates.
The page should use a configurable URL for that resource, since the destination has not been supplied.
The 2021 update must not be presented as current public-health guidance. Verify whether HECUA has published newer program or health updates.
The supplied information states that health insurance for international HECUA programs is included in the program cost through a WorldTrips medical insurance plan. The historical description lists up to $250,000 in coverage for each student.
Students should verify the current provider, policy terms, limits, exclusions, and coverage arrangements with HECUA Student Services.
The supplied policy states that health insurance is not provided for HECUA domestic Study USA programs. Students must carry their own health insurance and show proof of coverage to participate.
Students should verify the current requirements and accepted proof of insurance with HECUA.
The supplied information identifies an Anonymous Report Hotline for reporting concerns about HECUA staff, faculty, board, programs, or activities.
Website: www.intouchwebsite.com/HECUA
Phone: 1-877-767-7781
Verify that the website and phone number remain active before publication. Do not invent additional reporting channels or unverified confidentiality guarantees.
The supplied safety policy describes monitoring political and physical conditions through U.S. Department of State information, local partners, resident program directors, media reports, and perspectives from homestay families.
It also describes a review process through which study-abroad professionals, faculty, and legal counsel may consider restricting movement, changing a program site, or canceling a program if an unreasonable risk is identified.
Verify current monitoring arrangements, decision-making procedures, and official safety policies before presenting them as current.
The supplied historical policy states that HECUA may consider measures such as restricting movement, changing a program site, or canceling a program when information indicates an unreasonable risk.
It also states that HECUA has a written Emergency Action Plan for events that threaten participants’ health or safety.
The current policy and response procedures should be verified directly with HECUA. This general description does not replace program-specific emergency instructions.
Before You Participate
Stay Informed. Stay Prepared.
Before participating in a HECUA program, confirm current emergency contacts, insurance coverage, safety procedures, and program-specific requirements. Historical documents can provide context, but current arrangements should always be verified.