Campus News

Update on International Travel Guidelines

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 16, 2021) — The University of Kentucky community received an email today on an update regarding international travel guidelines. Please see the message below.

Dear Campus Community,

This week, we began our transition to new policies on campus that reflect continued progress in emerging from the global pandemic. You can read more about those here. At the same time, even as we return to more normal operations on so many fronts, we remain engaged in many areas that are complex and require expanded guidance and explanation. One of those important areas is international travel, which exemplifies our commitment to being a globally engaged university with opportunities for international research, collaboration and study by our faculty, staff and students.

The following new guidelines around international travel among members of our community have been updated and are aligned with CDC guidance:

  • Effective immediately, fully vaccinated employees may conduct UK-endorsed international travel to any country that the CDC has designated a risk level 3 or lower for COVID-19 without completing an additional review process. 
  • All UK-endorsed travel to these countries must be registered in the university’s international travel registry.
  • Fully vaccinated employees who wish to travel to a country designated as a risk level 4 by the CDC must complete an additional review/approval process through the university’s Director of International Health, Safety and Security, Jason Hope (jasonhope@uky.edu).
  • Employees who are not fully vaccinated must also complete an additional review/approval process through the university’s Director of International Health, Safety and Security before traveling to any international destination, regardless of risk level. 
  • All international airline tickets for UK-endorsed travel must be purchased through UK Travel Services. 
  • International travel requests by students, including graduate students, and Education Abroad programs, will continue to be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis in alignment with UK Administrative Regulation 4:9. 

All international travelers should be aware that many countries continue to implement border restrictions, quarantine periods and testing requirements. It is essential for travelers to understand the landscape in their destination country so that they are prepared for any logistical challenges they may encounter. These guidelines represent still one more important step in our return to more normal operations. They also reinforce our guiding principle of ensuring the health and safety of our community in everything that we do. Thank you for your commitment to that principle and to our work together to emerge from this time of challenge.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.