Countries requiring self-isolation / proof of negative test is an ever changing list.

Ensuring that students are tested before departure will be done by comprehensive pre-departure advising and in collaboration with our students who have a due-diligence to ensure they have done everything necessary to be eligible to travel. As COVID protocols continue to be developed by airlines and governments we will be amending our policies and advising our students accordingly.

Should students be required by host country's mandate to quarantine upon arrival then that will be a mandatory requirement to our program. Failure to adhere to quarantine protocols will result in expulsion from the program. AIFS Abroad will work within the variety of housing providers to ensure the health and well-being of our participants will be looked after. This could be from daily check-ins, meal delivery, etc.

AIFS Abroad uses a variety of housing options for students around the world. This could be student residences, apartments, hotels and homestays. Please indicate which types of student accommodation your organization will be using in 2021:

We are focusing our accommodation to be single occupancy but in some locations this is not possible. In locations where we use Student Residences / Apartment buildings we will be following their visitor restriction policies.

All host families receive additional training regarding COVID protocols for their local area. If someone in the house tests positive for COVID-19 then the appropriate officials will be contacted and the correct quarantine steps put in place. If the person is very ill then of course they will go straight to hospital. If they are well enough to stay at home they will be quarantined as well as other family members as required by the authorities. If needed we have access to additional accommodation so students can quarantine in private rooms if needed.

Students testing positive for COVID would be subject to immediate quarantine in their accommodation or in separate accommodation if required.

Meals/groceries would be arranged to be delivered in a safe and secure manner.

We work closely with our partner universities in each location who in turn are following all local guidelines so that students can safely attend class. These guidelines include practices such as caps on class size to allow for social distancing, spacing of desks to comply with current requirements, cleaning of classrooms regularly and high traffic areas, access to hand sanitizer at entrances, implementing one-way systems where practical, and enforcing mask wearing where obligatory. In our own facilities we will follow the same guidelines as required locally. These may change as local circumstances dictate.

If face to face classes need to be suspended for any reason we will be able to continue with a virtual delivery model allowing participants to finish the academic portion of the program (thereby not losing progress towards degree completion).

Much of our physical distancing protocols are being developed according to the governmental guidelines in each country and with our institutional and employer partners. This takes into account how many students are allowed in a classroom, how many individuals constitute a “pod” for social events/outings, how many participants can be in accommodations, how many individuals are allowed at a specific host company, etc.

Students should come prepared with enough masks to safely get through the first few weeks of their program. After students become familiar with their surroundings they will be able to communicate with on-site staff to organize additional PPE / sanitizing supplies as needed.

We are constantly monitoring the entry regulations for our countries which are fluid and change often. In all cases, we would defer to local regulations. These are legal requirements, not imposed by AIFS. Some of our countries have been requesting the negative test result as an entry requirement for some time although the U.S. only recently posted the request itself, so we have been monitoring and will communicate all requirements to our students.

In an effort to keep our participants, staff, and host communities safe, AIFS Abroad will be requiring vaccinations for all Fall 2021 participants and beyond. We will continue to monitor the information from our host countries and advise participants as entry protocols change.

In accordance with our vaccination policy, AIFS will be requiring students to obtain booster doses (based upon timing of your final vaccination) to be considered fully vaccinated. Please work with your Program Manager or Program Advisor directly if you have questions. 

Based on regulations that are changing daily, without a booster your movement in your host country may be restricted, your ability to travel independently may be negatively impacted and AIFS/GE will not be able to deliver the educational program for which you enrolled.