Health and Safety, Spanish Programs

Safety Information

Student Health and Safety Abroad

ViaSpanish assures all students that we take health and safety as well as safe travel practices very seriously on each of our programs abroad. International concerns, emergency information and advisories, and all safety information available in each ViaSpanish destination is taken into serious consideration when developing our programs and are at the forefront of our minds throughout the length of each student's program.

Students can be provided upon request with health and safety advice and with emergency and safety information for their respective location upon arrival, such as important phone numbers and hospital locations. Our focus is on prevention and outlining clear steps to take in the event of an emergency; our local staff members prioritize our students' welfare and we take as many necessary precautions as possible to ensure their safety. We hope that with the proper safety information and advice, students will know exactly the next steps they should take in the event of an emergency.

The ViaSpanish staff is prepared to support students when needed. We ask students keep us updated of any travel plans during their program to other parts of Europe or Latin America during their program, so that we have updated information about the whereabouts of each student in the event that we need to contact the student. Staff subscribe to regular updates and safety information advisories in most destinations from major foreign embassies and react accordingly to their advisories.

Examples:

U.S. State Department Contact Information

Direct access to the United States State Department advisories is available by contacting their hotline (+1 202 647 5225). You can also visit the State Department's web site and access its Travel Warnings and Advisories at http://travel.state.gov. You may also visit the U.S. Center for Disease Control's travel website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel.

U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Direct access to the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office advisories is available by contacting their hotline (+44 845 850 2829). You can also visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site and access its Travel Advice section at http://www.fco.gov.uk. You may also visit the U.K. Department of Health's travel website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.

In Case of an Emergency Abroad

ViaSpanish relies heavily on embassy recommendations. If at any time embassy advisories inform ViaSpanish of emergency information in the students' destination that mandates students return to their country of origin, ViaSpanish supports students in planning their immediate departure. ViaSpanish is dedicated to providing safe study programs in its Spanish schools throughout Latin America and Spain and does everything possible to keep students out of harm's way.

In the case of a medical emergency, students should immediately get in touch with their local emergency contact in each destination. ViaSpanish highly recommends students schedule a general physical examination with their doctor in order to address any health concerns well before their arrival in order to ensure their health abroad.

In Case of an Emergency at Home

ViaSpanish staff is always available during office hours on our toll free phone line (+1 888 VIA 0606) as well as via email (info@viaspanish.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Students generally have a designated emergency contact in their ViaSpanish destination which is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which they should ask the school about in their chosen destination and give to their closest contact back home if available in the event of an emergency. ViaSpanish will do everything possible to get you in touch with your friend or family member and support them in whatever measures need to be taken.

Health Insurance

ViaSpanish highly recommends that all students have a comprehensive international health and travel insurance plan for the full duration of their program. For those who wish to purchase insurance, ViaSpanish offers students a plan option through CareMed International that include medical, legal and technical services 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The plans are valid for study in any ViaSpanish destination, along with travel around South America, in order to ensure students' safety and health abroad.

Student Services Help Desk

For all questions on the student end, we have established a Student Services Help Desk. Our bilingual office and Spanish school staff is available each business day to address any concerns that may arise and students additionally have a 24-hour emergency contact number in each ViaSpanish destination. From helping students select courses to choosing the best gym, the staff of ViaSpanish is here to help.

Power of Attorney

If an ViaSpanish student has his/her own financial accounts, we highly recommend that the student signs a Power of Attorney form giving his/her closest of kin the legal standing to administer his/her finances during their time abroad.