Health and Safety

Health Insurance

All students must have health insurance coverage while abroad. Students should contact their home university study abroad office for additional insurance details or requirements.

Prescription Medications

If a student requires prescription medication, they should bring a supply with them to last the entire time abroad. Although many medications are available worldwide, they are not always identical in strength or composition to what someone takes at home. Bring medications in carry‐on luggage, in their original containers, along with a letter from a doctor explaining the dosage, why the medication has been prescribed, and why the student is traveling with a large quantity. This is especially important if a student enters Spain with medications that are highly controlled due to their tendency to be abused in other context. It is illegal to ship medications to Spain; any medications found will be confiscated and assessed with a heavy fine.

Immunizations

COVID-19 vaccination is required for all CASA-Sevilla students participating in the program, unless an exception has been granted for medical or religious reasons.

Emergency Procedures and Staying Safe

Spain is generally as safe as the U.S., and in some cases, safer. As is true of any large city, however, there can be problems with petty thievery. Students can avoid many problems by being cautious and remembering the important points about staying safe listed below. While crime, most certainly violent crime, is less prevalent in Spain than in similar‐sized cities in the U.S., tourists are always a favorite target of criminals. Please be mindful of surroundings and belongings at all times.

Soon after a student arrives, the CASA-Sevilla director will give students instructions for how they should contact program staff in case of an emergency. Since students will be on their own if they travel before or after the official program dates, students should make plans and discuss emergency procedures with their family for use at these times.

If an emergency situation related to a student's health or safety occurs during the program, it is important that they contact the Program Director, their home university, and their family at home immediately. This includes the unlikely event of a natural disaster (earthquake) or large‐scale emergency (terrorist attack, large building fire) in Seville, or in an area where a student is traveling during the program. If a student imagines that family members or friends may be worried about them, then they probably are.

The following is a list of some precautions program participants can take to ensure their safety:

Pack lightly so as not to need help with belongings when traveling from place to place.
Do not leave luggage unguarded.
Do not take anything of real or sentimental value; it is not necessary to wear expensive jewelry or watches.
Students should not carry their passport, plane tickets, or large sums of money with them unless these items are necessary for a specific purpose. In Seville, the hotel has a safe box in each room that students can use.
Program participants should keep a photocopy of their passport, including the validity page with their picture and signature, in a safe place both in the U.S. and in Spain. Should a student lose their passport, it will help them to have these copies.
If students go out at night, they should not walk home alone. Men and women should observe this precaution. Students should stay with a friend and take a cab home, all the way to their door.
Students should not take a purse to a club unless it is one that they can keep with them at all times.
Most incidents of crime and injury to students abroad involve alcohol abuse. Do not compromise judgment or ability to respond to an emergency by drinking excessively.

Emergency Contacts

Students should provide their family with one copy of emergency contacts, and carry one copy with them. Additional information will be provided during onsite orientation. In the event of an onsite emergency, immediately call local emergency services. In the event of a health emergency, students should go immediately to the nearest physician or hospital without delay and then contact their insurance provider. Students should contact the resident director immediately if they are victim of a crime or need emergency assistance. Finally, a student should contact their home university as soon as they are able.

Local 911 Equivalents: