Country Specific Resources
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Country Specific Health & Safety Information
Stay informed of current health and security considerations in your proposed country of study. You should refer to these resources as you determine the most appropriate program abroad, during pre-departure planning, and when traveling within or outside of your study abroad location.
Tip: There's An App For That!
The U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council provides a list of travel/safety mobile apps.
Awareness of Local Laws
You are always subject to the laws of your host country, and any country to which you travel. You do not have any special privilege as a U.S. citizen, as a citizen of a country outside your host country, or as a Yale student. Neither Yale nor the local U.S. Consulate can intervene or secure your release from jail if you get arrested. Should you develop legal problems in the country where you are living, you have the sole responsibility to attend to the matter at your expense and with your own personal funds. For more information, please review the U.S. Department of State Guidance on Arrest or Detention Abroad.
Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol and drug use affects both your health and safety abroad. Intoxication in any form increases your personal risk. If you decide to drink alcohol while abroad, you should be aware of the minimum legal drinking age and drink responsibly. Never travel with or use illegal drugs, including marijuana.
Laws pertaining to alcohol and drugs will likely be different in your host country. While you may consider some laws to be more lenient, others can be much more severe (including the death penalty in some countries). You are expected to educate yourself not only on the minimum legal drinking age, but also on the legal blood alcohol level, legality of possessing and using different substances, and penalties for public intoxication and driving while under the influence.