The safety, security, and well-being of our Journey participants is always at the forefront. While a risk-free environment can’t be guaranteed by anyone, all efforts are made to best ensure the best possible protection for our participants. GJA vets transportation, housing accommodations, cultural activities and medical facilities used on the program. In addition, pre-departure communication, health and safety orientations, international medical insurance, and emergency procedures are in place to reduce risk for traveling participants.
During the orientation(s), we ask participants to use common sense, be aware of their surroundings, and not putting themselves in compromising situation, including the abuse of drugs or alcohol. The GJA Code of Conduct policy helps mitigate these safety risks as well. Simply put, the same precautions taken in the U.S. should be maintained when traveling abroad.
Medical Insurance
A Blanket Accident and Sickness Policy is included on all GJA programs and covers the participant for the duration of the official on-site program dates.
Coverage can be extended before or after a program. Students can extend their policy by contacting GJA Extra fees will apply.
This is not an optional benefit; every GJA participant will be covered by this plan. We recommend that all program participants also maintain comprehensive health insurance while abroad. This is particularly important for pre-existing conditions, but is also beneficial if the participant has an injury or illness while abroad and requires further treatment upon their return home.
Like all insurance policies, there are exclusions to the coverage which are listed in the Description of Coverage. It is important for participants to read and familiarize themselves with the policy coverage and exclusions prior to going abroad or signing up for independent activities on-site.
Click the direct links below or visits our Go Journey Abroad Insurance page to access:
- Policy Information & Description of Coverage
- Travel Assistant Services
- Cancel For Any Reason – Trip Protection
- Medical Claim Forms for Reimbursement
Via Travel
For added participant safety abroad, GJA has partnered with ViaTravel.
Via Travel features on-site text, email and geolocations in case of an emergency. This tool help us communicate and account for our participants when unexpected events arise.
Via Travel also helps us effortlessly comply with the Clery Act by providing accurate and timely information, including pulling a list of locations where participants have stayed in the past year.
GJA U.S. and On-site Staff Support
All on-site staff are not contract employees and are highly knowledgeable about the facilities, customs and support services used for the program in their home country. On occasion, GJA purposely sends U.S. based staff for extra support and provide feedback to keep improving the participant experience. On-site staff also provides support to participants in the event that a program participant must go to the hospital or to a doctor. The on-site staff will assist in scheduling the appointment, accompanying the participant on the visit, and guidance on medical insurance procedures.
U.S. based staff is available to participants, faculty and parents 24-7. Our office may be contacted during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM CST). After hours, enrolled participants are provided with a U.S.-based emergency phone number.
Housing Accommodations
GJA housing accommodations are located in areas deemed to be of lower risk. The same attentiveness is given to the arrangement of lodging during organized excursions. Hotels are selected based on security reports of the visiting/housing area. For our vetted host family accommodations, all participants are provided with a description of their host family and their contact information prior to their departure. While there are no risk-free residential options anywhere, as always, we will do out best to keep participants safe in order to have an unforgettable experience abroad.
