Useful Links and Resources

Important Maryville College Study Abroad Links:

Passports and Visas:

Getting a U.S. Passport
Embassies and Consulates
You will find the visa requirements for the country you wish to go to on the website of the embassy or consulate of that country.
ISEP Country Handbooks often have information on visas and resident permits
Foreign Consular Offices in the US (for visas)

Site-Specific Country Information & Safety Related Sites:

US Department of State Travel Website
Essential help from the US government, for everything from travel safety advisories to crisis assistance for US citizens abroad, as well as contact information for all US embassies and consulates abroad. Also lists foreign embassies and consulates in the US. Frequently-consulted parts of this very comprehensive web site include the following.

Travel Warnings and Information,
Consular Information Sheets,
Tips for Traveling Abroad,
Tips for Studying Abroad,
Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts (contact information for all overseas US embassies and consulates),
Online US Embassies, Consulates, and other Missions,
Important Telephone Numbers (for crises involving US citizens abroad, the number to call is 202-647-5225),
Passport Services,
Foreign Entry Requirements (for US citizens traveling abroad as tourists),
Safety Abroad,
Travel Warning on Drugs Abroad,

CIA World Factbook 1999
provides detailed information on geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues.

Country E-thologies
provides country-specific information.

Martindale’s the Reference Desk
provides an extensive dictionary of links including over 200 official country web sites, world reports on weather, transport, culture, and so on

World Travel Institute
provides information about “do’s and don’ts” for informed travel abroad; including publications, country reports, and recommended resources.

SAFETI Clearinghouse

Center for Global Education Safety Abroad Handbook for Students

Association for Safe International Road Travel

Article on How Unsafe India's Railway is

ISTM News Service - Travel Advisories And Current News Items Regarding Travel Medicine From The International Society Of Travel Medicine.

www.travel-library.com (Tells you what side of the road they drive on in different countries.)

www.travel-library.com (same site different info...liked the information for pedestrians)

Good Safety Tips and Scams

Passport to Death Funny Aussie site on what your chances are to come home in a box...rates planes trains and automobiles...

What’s Up with Culture?

Sara’s Wish Foundation for Safety in International Travel for Students

NAFSA - Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health & Safety

NAFSA – Health, Safety and Security Resource List

Air Security International - Hotspots

StudyAbroad.com Handbook

Travel Health Online

Health Insurance for Travel Abroad

* Maryville College has instituted a policy this semester that all students participating on a college-related travel abroad program must purchase the travel health insurance policy as designated by the International Programming Committee. This plan offers coverage above and beyond the coverage that is not part of US health plan coverage. For example it covers repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation, emergency medical reunion and 24-support line. These are very specific elements that meet needs that normal health insurance plans do not. You should, however, consider your own health condition, talk with your physician, and ensure that you have adequate coverage to meet your personal needs on top of the Maryville College Travel Health Insurance.

For more listings, see: U.S. State Department -- Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, travel.state.gov

General Travel Resources

The Electronic Embassy, www.embassy.org/embassies
Currency Converter -- Universal (Xenon), www.xe.net
Travel Document Services, www.traveldocs.com
www.lonelyplanet.com (Good “Getting There And Around” sections for countries and Subwwway section.)
www.towd.com/ Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory
US Customs Office, Traveler Information, www.customs.gov
Kasbah, The Travel Search Engine, www.kasbah.com
Travlang's Travel Resources,www.travlang.com
DER Travel Services, www.dertravel.com
Web site of a major US provider of Eurail passes has information about point-to-point tickets and rail schedules, in addition to information about Eurail and regional or country railpasses. The affiliated German Rail's website gives extensive information on train schedules, reiseauskunft.bahn.de on a national railway, and to on-line timetables and travel planners.
Rail Europe, www.raileurope.com -Web site of a major US provider of Eurail passes has information about point-to-point tickets and rail schedules, in addition to information about Eurail and regional or country railpasses.
Routes International, www.routesinternational.com -Site provides links worldwide for all modes of transportation.
Youra Ferry Guide, www.youra.com -Site provides links to ferry companies worldwide.

Cheap Travel Sites:

STA Travel, www.statravel.com
STA Travel is a large student travel agency (the largest, according to STA), with branches worldwide, specializing in student-rate airfares, railpasses, and other products for student travellers.
www.easyjet.com (cheap flights from the UK to other parts of the UK and Europe)
www.ryanair.com (same as above)
www.lastminutetravel.com
www.aussieinlondon.com (cheap housing in London)
www.cheaptravelnetwork.com
www.eurorail.com
AESU Travel, www.aesu.com
AESU Travel is a student travel agency which specializes in student-rate airfares, railpasses, and other products for student travellers, particularly for European destinations.
Council Travel, www.counciltravel.com
Council Travel is a large student travel agency, with branches worldwide, specializing in student-rate airfares, railpasses, and other products for student travellers. Now part of STA Travel (see below).
Expedia, www.expedia.com
Website sponsored by Microsoft assists in finding the cheapest airfare. Note that (possibly lower) special-status fares offered by student travel agencies may not be indicated by this site. Site also provides general information country-by-country. May not work with Netscape browsers.
Orbitz, www.orbitz.com
Website sponsored by several major airlines, assists in finding the cheapest airfare. Note that (possibly lower) special-status fares offered by student travel agencies may not be indicated by this site
Student Universe, www.studentuniverse.com
Online student travel agent with cheap tickets.
Travelocity, www.travelocity.com
Website sponsored by the Sabre Company--which provides the databases used by travel agents--assists in finding the cheapest airfare. Note that (possibly lower) special-status fares offered by student travel agencies may not be indicated by this site.
Mobissimo, www.mobissimo.com
Website that searches many other search engines.
Cheap Tickets, www.cheaptickets.com
Priceline, www.priceline.com
Website that will let you search for discount fares, but also has an option where you can name your own price and see if the provider will accept it. May not be able to choose flight times.
Side Step, www.sidestep.com

U.S. Airlines (International Flights):

United Airlines, www.ual.com
American Airlines, www.aa.com
US Airways, www.usairways.com
Continental Airlines, www.continental.com
Delta Airlines, www.delta.com
Northwest Airlines, www.nwa.com

Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay Websites for Travel / Study Abroad

Women Abroad

www.journeywoman.com

Budget Travel Guidebooks & Travel Information

Frommers Budget Travel Online, www.frommers.com
Let's Go guidebooks, www.letsgo.com
beyondtourism.com for information on work and volunteer opportunities abroad.
Lonely Planet guidebooks, www.lonelyplanet.com
Rick Steves' Europe Through The Back Door guidebooks, www.ricksteves.com
Rough Guides guidebooks, travel.roughguides.com
South American Explorers Club, www.samexplo.org
Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory, www.towd.com
Transitions Abroad magazine, www.transitionsabroad.com

Travellers with Special Needs (Disability, etc)

www.miusa.org Mobility International.
www.masta.orgTravellers with Special Needs (ie. women, chronic diseases, disability)
www.mossresourcenet.org Moss Rehab Resource Net (Info for Travellers with Disabilities - trains, buses, etc.)
www.travel-library.comAccessible travel Information (for disabilities, etc.)
disserv3.stu.umn.edu University of Minnesota Access Abroad

Connectivity -- Phones & Internet

Country & city dialing codes (AT&T), www.usa.att.com
Netcafeguide, www.world66.com Online locator of cybercafes worldwide.
Roadnews, www.roadnews.com Hardware & software tips for internet connectivity and power for your laptop while traveling.
Zaptel, www.zaptel.com Purchase phone cards for international calling.

General Resources on Study Abroad Programs

exchanges.state.gov US State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
www.iie.org or www.iiepassport.org Comprehensive listing of study abroad programs
www.goabroad.com
www.edufrance.com
www.quic.queensu.ca
www.ryerson.ca
international.leidenuniv.nl Leiden University has good instructions on what students should do upon arrival in the Netherlands. (go to the police station, etc.)
Language Course Finder, International Where+How, www.language-learning.net
Peterson's, www.petersons.com
Study Abroad Programs in Non-English Speaking Countries with Courses in English, www.uga.edu
Transitions Abroad magazine,www.transitionsabroad.com
University of California-Irvine, International Opportunities Program, www.cie.uci.edu