Study Abroad Health and Safety Report

To provide the public with a more accurate understanding of the risks of studying abroad, the Office of Higher Education (OHE) reports study abroad health and safety incident data along with student participation data. This information is annually submitted to OHE by Minnesota postsecondary institutions whose students studied abroad in the prior academic year.

About Study Abroad Data

According to Minn. Statutes § 5.41, postsecondary institutions offering credit for study abroad must:

• report deaths and hospitalizations that occurred during, and as a result of, program participation
• report country, primary program host, and program type of each incident
• request, but not mandate, incident disclosure from students upon completion of their program
• report whether the institution is committed to complying with the health and safety standards set by the Forum on Education Abroad¹

Data Privacy

OHE adheres to current federal and state data privacy laws and best practices to protect the privacy of individual students. Reports and data required by Minn. Stat. § 135A.15, Subd. 6 are prepared and published as summary data, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 13.02, Subd. 19, and are consistent with federal and state laws governing access to educational data and student privacy.

OHE's policy for complying with federal and state laws governing access to student records is to suppress student data in cells containing fewer than 10 students. In the data reports that follow, when "<10" is displayed the data for that cell is suppressed to protect student identity in compliance with federal and state privacy laws. Additionally, if only one cell in a column is suppressed, the cell with the second lowest count will also be suppressed to prevent identification.

The following data are on study abroad participation and incidents of Minnesota students that occurred between August 1, 2014 and July 31, 2019.

Minnesota Study Abroad Participants by Country, 2015-2019

Study Abroad Participation and Incidents by Institution, 2015-2019

Along with their participation and incident reporting, postsecondary institutions report whether the institution is committed to complying with the following health and safety standards set by the Forum on Education Abroad, indicated by 1, 2 and 3 above.

1. The organization prioritizes health, safety, and security in program development, implementation, and management, conducting appropriate risk assessments for program sites and activities, maintaining written emergency plans and protocols, and identifying and leveraging relevant authorities, networks and resources.
2. Staff are trained to anticipate and respond responsibly to student health, safety, or security issues, students are trained to responsibly manage their own health, safety, and security while abroad, and measures are in place for ongoing monitoring of and advising on health, safety, and security issues.
3. The organization maintains appropriate kinds of insurance at recommended levels, operates in compliance with local laws, and follows best practices in reporting on critical incidents. See more information on the Forum's Standards of Good Practice.

Minnesota Study Abroad Incidents as a Percentage of Participants, 2015-2019

Other Study Abroad Health and Safety Data

Minnesota law also requires the Minnesota Secretary of State to publish links to the United States Department of State's Consular Information Program informing the public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security. Also other links to publicly available reports on sexual assaults and other criminal acts affecting study abroad program participants during program participation are available. That information and other study abroad resources are available at Study Abroad Health and Safety Resources for Students and Parents.

Study Abroad Reports