On occasion, international student emergencies happen. Thankfully,聽U.S. universities are well equipped and staffed to handle most issues.聽
The聽also聽works closely with U.S. universities and聽聽if they need to travel home for a family emergency.聽
Emergency in a Student's Home Country
If a family or other聽emergency takes place in a student's home country, a聽student's family or a government official聽may wish to reach out directly to the student. If the family or government official has the聽student's contact information, then the procedure is simple.聽
However, with the international student being far from home and local聽support networks, the student's聽international office can serve as the聽point of contact since the staff will聽have trained individuals or groups that can be activated聽to assist聽the student. Contact details for international student offices usually聽can be found on an institution's website or a primary university telephone聽number can be redirected to the international student services office.
Emergency in the United States
If an emergency occurs in the United States,聽campus or local authorities will notify the聽institution's international student office and that office聽will then spring聽into action. As a best practice, most offices have emergency聽contact details on file for each student, as well as waiver forms that allow the聽release of聽medical and other personal聽information to specific individuals. U.S. universities, hospitals, and other legal entities are governed by privacy laws that restrict the free release of student information unless the student allows access through signed聽pre-authorization.
If a student is arrested or imprisoned on a criminal charge, U.S. universities will become involved in the process of notifying聽the student's emergency contacts and possibly the student's聽embassy, depending on the seriousness of the arrest.聽