# What to cover in a pre-departure briefing for students travelling abroad

Source: https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/student-pre-departure-briefing  
Publisher: Roamly Travel  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-30  
Audience: Universities

## Short answer

Hold a compulsory pre-departure briefing four to eight weeks before departure and back it with a written pack. Cover the itinerary, code of conduct, the risks and controls from the risk assessment, health preparation, documents, insurance, money, free time rules and exactly what to do in an emergency. Keep a record of who attended, and follow up with a short final check close to departure.

## Key takeaways

- A briefing held 4 to 8 weeks before departure leaves time for vaccinations, visas, passport fixes and insurance questions to be resolved.
- USHA says simply circulating a risk assessment is unlikely to achieve safe practice, so explain the risks, controls and residual risks in person and in writing.
- Every participant should leave with a contact card showing staff mobile numbers, the accommodation address, the insurer's helpline and the local emergency number.
- Brief on personal and free time arrangements explicitly, because these are the periods when students are least supervised.
- Keep a log showing each participant received the code of conduct and the pack, and brief again if the itinerary or FCDO advice changes.

## When should the briefing happen, and who must attend?

A good working rule is a compulsory briefing four to eight weeks before departure, as set out in our [university field trip timeline](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/university-field-trip-planning). That gap leaves time to act on what students learn: the NHS advises getting travel health advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, because some vaccines need several doses, and visa or passport problems take weeks to fix.

- **Main briefing:** four to eight weeks out, covering everything below. Make it compulsory for all students and all staff on the trip.
- **Catch-up session:** a second date, or a recorded session plus a short check, for students who cannot attend. Do not let anyone travel without completing one.
- **Final check:** a short meeting or message in the last week to confirm times, meeting points, weather and any changes to FCDO advice.
- **Parents or guardians:** USHA suggests that where a participant is under 18 or a vulnerable adult, the incident and emergency plan should also go to a parent or responsible adult.

## What should the briefing cover?

USHA lists the information participants on supervised fieldwork should have, including the full itinerary, the activities, costs, actions for individuals arising from the risk assessment, residual risk descriptions, documents, preventative medical treatment, fitness expectations, a code of conduct, insurance cover and the home contact. The table turns that into a running order.

*A running order for the briefing*

| Topic | What to say | What to hand out |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purpose and itinerary | Learning outcomes, daily programme, travel times, free periods and what is compulsory. | Itinerary and accommodation details |
| Risks and controls | The main hazards, what controls are in place, what students must do and the residual risks that remain. | Summary of the risk assessment |
| Code of conduct | Behaviour, alcohol, respect for hosts and the local community, and consequences of breaches. | Signed or acknowledged code |
| Health | Vaccinations, medication, declaring conditions and accessing care. Point to TravelHealthPro for destination advice. | Health checklist and medical form |
| Documents | Passport validity, visas and any international student requirements. | Document checklist with deadlines |
| Insurance | What is covered, what is not, how to use the helpline and claim. | Policy summary and helpline number |
| Money and phones | Currency, cards, roaming, safe storage of valuables. | Short tips sheet |
| Emergencies | Who to tell, what to do, local emergency number, home contact. | Contact card |

Our [travel document checklist](https://www.roamlytravel.com/travel-document-checklist) helps you track who has what, and the university travel insurance guide explains how to describe cover accurately.

## How do you brief on conduct, alcohol and free time?

State the rules plainly and explain the reasons. USHA defines personal time as time when programmed activities are not taking place but participants remain under the general jurisdiction of the institution, and notes that it is unlikely they will be directly supervised. It recommends deciding how personal time will be supervised and communicating that to participants, and says sanctions may be appropriate if the arrangements are not followed.

- Agree meeting points, curfews and check-in times for every free period.
- Use a buddy system so nobody travels or returns alone at night.
- Explain that students remain subject to the university's code of conduct abroad.
- Use the laws and cultural differences section of FCDO travel advice to brief on local laws, dress, photography and alcohol rules.

## How do you brief on health, insurance and emergencies?

Send students to [TravelHealthPro](https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/) for destination health advice and ask them to see their GP or a travel clinic early. Encourage them to disclose health needs confidentially so adjustments can be made. A UK Global Health Insurance Card is not a replacement for travel insurance, so be clear about which cover applies to the trip.

On emergencies, teach a simple sequence: make yourself safe, tell a leader, call the local emergency number (112 across EU member states), then the insurer's assistance line. British nationals can contact the FCDO on +44 (0)20 7008 5000 and select consular services, although it cannot pay bills or give legal advice. Participants of other nationalities should contact their own embassy. Give everyone a card with these numbers, and see our [emergency plan guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/group-travel-emergency-plan) and [emergency contacts tool](https://www.roamlytravel.com/emergency-contacts).

## How do you make the briefing inclusive?

Ask for access and support needs early and in confidence, and involve the disability service so reasonable adjustments can be planned rather than improvised. Offer a private conversation to students who might face particular risks because of the destination's laws or attitudes, using FCDO advice as the starting point. Brief international students separately on visas and return to the UK, and point them to your international student advice team; see our guide on international students on university trips.

## How should you record the briefing?

USHA recommends keeping a log showing that each participant received the code of conduct and acted on the requests made in preparation, particularly where a minimum standard is needed to take part. Record attendance, the version of the pack issued and any questions that need follow-up. If something material changes before departure, such as a new FCDO warning or itinerary change, brief again and note it.

## How Roamly can help

Roamly can supply the itinerary, accommodation, transfer and supplier details that go into your briefing pack, and can support emergency planning and risk assessment through its [consulting service](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/consulting). The free [trip timeline builder](https://www.roamlytravel.com/trip-timeline-builder) helps you schedule the briefing and follow-ups. [Contact us](https://www.roamlytravel.com/contact) to discuss your trip.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should the briefing be compulsory?

Most university policies treat it as a condition of travelling, and our recommendation is to make it compulsory for students and staff, with a catch-up route for anyone who misses it. Check your own university's policy.

### Is emailing a PDF enough?

No. USHA says that simply circulating a risk assessment document in advance is unlikely to achieve safe practice on its own. Brief face to face where you can, give a short written pack, and keep a log that everyone has received it.

### How long should a briefing last?

Long enough to cover the running order without losing people, often 45 to 90 minutes for a one to two week trip, followed by a written pack. That is a practical judgement rather than a rule, so adjust it to the risk and the group.

### What if a student discloses a medical condition?

Handle it confidentially, involve the disability or wellbeing service, and check the insurer's requirements for declaring conditions. USHA recommends clear protocols for disclosing and sharing health information.

### Do staff need briefing too?

Yes. Staff need to know their roles, the emergency plan, who the home contact is and how to cover if one of them has to go to hospital with a student.

## Sources

- [USHA: Higher Education Sector Guidance on Health and Safety in Fieldwork and Travel (2018)](https://sapoe.org.uk/news/higher-education-sector-guidance-on-health-and-safety-in-fieldwork-and-travel/)
- [NHS: Travel vaccinations](https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/travel-vaccinations/)
- [TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC)](https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/)
- [GOV.UK: Consular assistance, how FCDO provides support](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consular-assistance-how-the-foreign-commonwealth-development-office-provides-support)
- [GOV.UK: About FCDO travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/about-foreign-commonwealth-development-office-travel-advice)