Undergraduates – or the faculty, staff, or program/club/department organizing travel that includes undergraduates – who want to travel to any location on the Duke Restricted Regions List (RRL) must petition the Provost through the Global Travel Advisory Committee (GTAC) at least 60 days before travel to request a waiver.
Undergraduates who plan to travel on their own to a location on the Restricted Regions List (RRL) must submit an individual petition. If you are traveling as part of a group or class submitting a group petition, you do not need to file an individual petition.
An individual petition should explain the purpose of your travel and how you plan to manage potential risks. If your petition is approved, you (and a parent or legal guardian) will be required to sign an acknowledgment and waiver form. You must also register your travel in the Duke University Travel Registry to remain in compliance with Duke’s Global Travel Policy.
Non-Compliance per the Duke Travel Policy: If a Duke Undergraduate Student using Duke Support fails to follow this Travel Policy, the Duke Provost may require the Student to return home at the expense of the Student, and may deny the application of academic credit or recognition of work completed based on the travel. This is in addition to other possible repercussions related to failure to adhere to Duke University policy.
A group petition is recommended when a class or program shares the same itinerary (activities, lodging, in-country travel, etc.). Instructions on submitting a group petition are listed below.
Programs, units, and schools providing any Duke support (financial, academic credit, or approval) must confirm that undergraduate travelers have an approved waiver and have met all requirements before offering support.
Per the Global Travel Policy:
- If travel to an RRL destination is for a course or class credit, a waiver must be obtained before advertising or enrolling students.
- If a destination becomes restricted after a course is planned, the faculty member or department chair must submit a group petition immediately.
Faculty and Staff who work with student travelers should stay apprised of the destinations which have restrictions placed on them. To stay updated, please subscribe to our Travel Policy Updates newsletter.
Petition Instructions
To submit a petition, please complete the Petition form.
You will need the following information and items when completing your petition:
- The name of the program/school/department at Duke University that is supporting the travel.
- The specific location(s) that will be visited.
- The dates you, or the group, plan to be there.
- The logistics and activities in which the undergraduate student(s) will be engaging (such as excursions, the in-country hosts/organizers, how ground transport will be handled, where the students will be lodging, etc.).
- A personal statement about the reasons for the trip, why it is academically or otherwise justified, and why the traveler believes the risk will not be excessive. This statement should include any language skills or cultural knowledge that the traveler has that is applicable to the proposed destination and/or the activity.
- A risk mitigation strategy (students should study their destination, identify as many risks as they can and note how they plan to handle them if they were to occur).
- Any supporting documentation or statements from relevant personnel (e.g., faculty, program sponsors, people at host institution, etc.).
Petition FAQs
Petitions must be submitted at least 60 days before travel.
The Office of Global Health & Safety (OGHS) can help answer any questions you may have about the petition process. If you wish to speak with someone in OGHS about your petition, schedule an appointment using the Calendly form.
The Global Travel Advisory Committee (GTAC) reviews petitions. Final decisions are made by the Provost.
Processing of petitions can take up to one month for a decision. The review process includes engaging in-country and/or faculty/staff experts on the destination to gather input related to the proposed activity, location, etc.
All decisions made by the Provost on petitions are final.
Previous Undergraduate Petitioners have granted us permission to share their submission with you as examples. Please contact OGHS via email (oghs@duke.edu) to request a copy.
Acknowledgement Form
If the petition is approved, the undergraduate student(s) and a parent or legal guardian will be required to sign an "Acknowledgement of Risks and Potential Harms, Agreement to Mitigate Risks and Waiver and Release of Liability.”
This form will be sent electronically using AdobeSign software.
Register Your Travel
All travelers are required to register travel in the Duke University Travel Registry in order to be considered in full compliance with Duke's Global Travel Policy once a waiver is granted.
Group travel can be entered via a batch upload post-decision.
Both the student and funding/coordinating unit will be notified when the petitioner has fulfilled all of the requirements.