The University considers the health and safety of its students to be paramount. It has been closely monitoring the evolving situation in relation to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the travel advice issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
In line with FCDO advice, the University is suspending travel to countries where the FCDO is advising against all travel or all but essential travel. Please continue to refer to the FCDO website for the most up-to-date advice. The University continues to monitor and review the situation.
For the avoidance of doubt, activities such as visits to partner institutions, conference attendance and field trips are not considered essential. The University Operating Board has extended this advice to student placements which have not already commenced for 2020-21.
If you were due to undertake an international study or work placement in 2020-21, your School will have contacted you to outline the conditions for your placement going ahead and the alternative options should that not be possible. Please contact your School if you are unsure.
Please contact your School to let them know. Your School will be able to advise on the alternative options for students who are not able to go abroad in Semester One. These will vary depending on your degree programme.
Given the fast changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would advise students to hold off making financial commitments, where this is possible.
The University’s insurance provider, UMAL, has advised that Travel and Emergency Medical cover will be available for University-authorised travel to the countries that the FCDO is advising are exempt from “all but essential travel”. However as COVID-19 is an ongoing event, while medical cover will be provided, there will be no cover for any COVID-related cancellation or disruption. For those countries not on the FCDO exemption list, no insurance cover will be provided by UMAL, either medical or travel. Further details are available on the Queen’s Insurance website.
If you have a compulsory placement as part of your degree, the University will put in place alternative arrangements to allow you to meet the requirements of your degree programme. The details of these arrangements will vary from programme to programme, and will be communicated to you directly by your School in the event that your placement is cancelled.
You should contact the Placement Co-ordinator or Erasmus Programme Director in your School in the first instance. You can also contact the Global Opportunities Team at erasmus@qub.ac.uk. Please be aware that we are receiving a high volume of emails and will be prioritising emails from students in need of urgent assistance. We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.
Queen's University Belfast is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
For more information please read our Equality and Diversity Policy.
Queen's University Belfast is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC101788
VAT registration number: GB 254 7995 11
