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The purpose of this guide is to clarify when members of the Purdue community must obtain special authorization before traveling internationally and what administrative steps they must complete. Whether you are a student participating in a program abroad or a faculty or staff member traveling for research, teaching, or university business, there are distinct paths for approval depending on the destination. The examples in this document reference lists such as comprehensively sanctioned countries, the Foreign Adversary List, and countries of particular concern, as well as the U.S. Department of State travel advisories.
Advance planning is essential. For student travel that requires a waiver, the sponsoring Purdue employee must submit the request to the Security and Risk Assessment Committee (SRAC) at least two months before travel. Regardless of waiver status, the sponsoring faculty or staff member is responsible for completing related administrative tasks prior to participant departure. The university also requires university international insurance for all covered scenarios, and different registration routes apply depending on whether the traveler is a student, non-employee, faculty, or staff.
Who needs approval and when
At a high level, approval requirements split between Purdue employees and sponsored students/non-employees. Faculty and staff on Purdue-related travel may need their department head sign off and, in some high-risk cases, review by the Research Security and Export Control (RSEC) office. Sponsored students and non-employees follow a waiver path led by the sponsoring Purdue employee through the SRAC. In every case tied to certain sanction or adversary lists, or when specific travel advisory conditions apply, additional oversight is mandatory. Note: graduate students count as staff only if they hold a graduate staff appointment, are in paid status, and travel to fulfill those duties while abroad.
Faculty and staff procedures
Sanctions, adversaries, and high advisory levels
If a faculty or staff member plans to travel to a country on a comprehensively sanctioned list, the Foreign Adversary List, or a Country of Particular Concern, approval from the department head and review by RSEC are required before travel proceeds. Similarly, destinations with Department of State travel advisories at Level 3 or Level 4, or areas within a Level 2 advisory that are specifically cited as higher risk, will trigger the need for department-level approval. For many faculty and staff trips, registration into the Concur system triggers automatic enrollment in related university processes and the mandatory university international insurance coverage.
Lower-risk advisories and routine trips
When a destination has an overall advisory of Level 1 or Level 2 and the traveler will not visit any higher-risk areas called out in the advisory, departmental approval generally is not required. Even in those cases, submission of your trip through the Concur Travel System is important because it automatically registers the travel and ensures the traveler is covered by the university international insurance. Always check current advisories and campus guidance before finalizing plans, since conditions and requirements can change.
Student and non-employee requirements
When a waiver is required
Sponsored students and other non-employees who plan to go to locations on sanction or adversary lists, or to destinations with a Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisory, must have a waiver approved by the SRAC. A waiver is also required when a U.S. Embassy in the host country issues a security alert advising against travel, even if the overall advisory is Level 2 or lower. The sponsoring Purdue employee initiates the waiver process and should submit the request early enough to allow for review and any necessary risk-mitigation steps.
Registration and documentation
Whether or not a waiver is needed, student and non-employee travelers must complete the RM23 form provided by Risk Management to register the trip. The RM23 submission must include verification from the Office of Global Partnerships and Programs when applicable. The RM23 process ensures travelers are enrolled in the required university international insurance and that university risk offices have the necessary information to support the trip. Timely completion of RM23 is critical to avoid last-minute complications.
Practical checklist and contacts
Before confirming travel, follow these steps: verify the destination against sanction and adversary lists, check current Department of State travel advisories and any in-country embassy alerts, determine whether a department head approval or an SRAC waiver is required, submit travel through the Concur Travel System if you are faculty/staff, and complete the RM23 form for students and non-employees. For questions and to start a waiver, contact the Purdue Office of Programs for Study Abroad at 765-494-2383 or [email protected] for student travel. Faculty and staff should consult the Purdue Travel Office or Purdue Risk Management; export control concerns may require additional review by RSEC.
Final reminders
Timeliness and clear communication are your best tools: sponsors should allow at least two months for student waiver processing, and all travelers should ensure their trips are registered so the university international insurance applies. Maintaining compliance with these procedures protects individual travelers and the institution. If you are unsure which route applies, reach out to the contacts above early so approvals, waivers, and registrations can be completed without disrupting travel plans.