Insurance, health and safety

If you are undertaking a study exchange, it is mandatory for you to complete a Study Exchange Risk Assessment Form at your earliest convenience and no later than 14 days before you leave the UK. If you are travelling to a destination where UK citizens have to quarantine on arrival, you must factor this into your travel plans.

Please ensure that you have read and understood the guidance notes before completing the form and returning it to the Exchanges Office for approval.

• Download the‌ Study Exchange Risk Assessment Form
• Download the Guidance Notes - Study Exchange Risk Assessment Form

Please note that, if you are undertaking a work placement, your respective Placements Officer will provide you with guidance on how to complete a Risk Assessment Form.

When you travel outside the United Kingdom on a University approved international study exchange or work placement, you will have access to the University’s travel insurance and medical cover, which is administered by UMAL. It is, however, recommended that you acquire your own personal insurance which supplements the provision within the 2023/24 Travel Cover Summary. 

Further information about the University’s travel and medical insurance can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions.‌

All students who are resident in the UK are advised to apply for a Student Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) prior to travelling to an EU country or other destination covered by the scheme.  You will need to request a letter from the University to confirm your exchange details.  Whilst the GHIC gives access to some medical care, it is not a replacement for travel insurance and is time-limited to the length of the course. A GHIC is not valid in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and using a GHIC in Switzerland is restricted based on immigration status.

The NHS website provides further information on how to apply and which countries are covered by the scheme.

In addition to a GHIC, you are advised to purchase your own personal travel insurance to supplement that provided by the University. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, you are encouraged to visit your doctor prior to departure in order to ensure that it is safe for you to proceed. You must ensure that your own insurance includes medical cover and that, if applicable, you have enough medication to last for the duration of the mobility period.  You must also check that any medication can be taken into your destination country, and any country through which you are transiting. 

This sets out the protocol to follow in the case of an emergency involving Loughborough University students whilst they are undertaking study exchanges and work placements in the United Kingdom and abroad.  Please ensure that you have read the document/page carefully and that you have a clear understanding of your responsibilities as the student. It is recommended that you take a copy of the document with you for reference.