VTRAC

The Vanderbilt Travel Risk Assessment Committee (VTRAC) is responsible for reviewing and authorizing university-sponsored academic or service opportunities involving travel to high risk locations where there is a significant health or safety concern.

VTRAC Changes Beginning February 1, 2026

Policy Changes Explained

The following changes to VTRAC will go into effect 02/01/2026: 

  • The VTRAC submission process will be streamlined and include only two form options: Students (Undergraduate & Graduate/Professional) or Faculty/Staff/Post-Doc.
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  • Travel records will be automatically designated a review type of Standard Review or High-level Review upon submission to VTRAC. 
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  • Student-led cohorts, faculty-led cohorts, and independent students traveling to High-level Review locations will be automatically enrolled in...
    • The GSH Health & Safety Pre-departure course in Brightspace upon submission of a travel record to VTRAC. Course completion will be required for student-led cohorts and high-level review travel. 
    • A GeoBlue group plan upon submission of a travel record to VTRAC. For more information on this requirement visit our GeoBlue webpage. 
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  • VTRAC will be introducing a new travel recommendation. In addition to the recommendations to approve or deny travel, VTRAC will begin to include postpone travel as an official travel recommendation type. 
Have questions? Contact the GSH Team.

VTRAC Submission Process

Regardless of the U.S. Department of State (USDS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Travel Advisory Levels, all students, student-led groups, and faculty/staff-led groups traveling internationally are required to record their travel with VTRAC by submitting the appropriate VTRAC Form.
Students studying abroad on semester, maymester, and summer Vanderbilt-approved programs do not need to fill out a VTRAC form. Your travel is recorded through Vanderbilt Study Abroad. 

The U.S Department of State and the Center for Disease Center (CDC) have 4 travel advisory designation levels:

Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions/Practice Usual Precautions 

Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution/Practice Enhanced Precautions 

Travel recommendation required (high risk)

Level 3: Reconsider Travel/Reconsider Nonessential Travel 

Level 4: Do not Travel/Avoid All Travel

More Information about Travel Advisory Levels

  • Low Risk Designations
    • A designation of low risk travel are locations which currently have a Exercise Normal Precautions (Level 1) or Exercise Increased Cautions (Level 2) advisory level from the U.S. Department of State and/or Practice Usual Precautions (CDC Level 1) or Practice Enhanced Precautions (CDC Level 2) travel health notice levels.
    • Travel recommendation is NOT required for Level 1 and Level 2 locations, but all students and student-led groups are required to record their travel with VTRAC. 
  • High Risk Designations
    • A designation of high risk travel are locations which currently have a Reconsider Travel (Level 3) or Do Not Travel (Level 4) advisory rating from the U.S. Department of State and/or Reconsider Nonessential Travel (CDC Alert Level 3) or Avoid All Travel (CDC Warning Level 4) travel health notice levels.
    • This may be a country-wide advisory or a region-specific advisory. Travel recommendation is required
    • A high risk designation may also be given to countries or regions with a rating of a 3, 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1-5) by Vanderbilt’s travel security provider.
    • The University may apply the designation of high risk to locations that pose a specific health, safety, or security concern as indicated by CDC, the World Health Organization, insurers, third party travel security providers, and/or foreign government guidance.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff should complete VTRAC forms for individual and faculty/staff-led international travel. Faculty/staff-led groups must submit a complete list of all students participating in the trip. It is recommended that faculty and staff members receive departmental approval prior to submission. All individuals should submit their own forms as the VTRAC risk assessment process is tailored to the specific traveler.

Forms should be submitted no later than 30 days prior to travel.

A request may be saved as a draft then returned to later by logging into the Kuali dashboard and selecting "My documents."

Students

All students (undergraduate, graduate, or professional) as well as any student-led groups must have their travel recorded with VTRAC by submitting the appropriate VTRAC form regardless of the U.S. Department of State (USDS) and the Center for Disease (CDC) Travel Advisory levels for their destination(s). Student-led groups must submit a complete list of all students participating in the trip.

Forms should be submitted no later than 60 days prior to travel.

A request may be saved as a draft then returned to later by logging into the Kuali dashboard and selecting "My documents."

Complete action items listed in the Safety and Security Checklist.

  • Approved Travel
    • If travel is approved, the student or group will continue to receive support from the University, including financial aid, course credit, or other assistance, as applicable.
    • VTRAC reserves the right to place conditions on approval (i.e. prohibit certain aspects of the proposed itinerary or require additional safety or security measures).
    • Vanderbilt reserves the right to suspend or cancel travel at any time, should VTRAC determine that the situation in a country/destination deteriorates to a level that is no longer acceptable. In such cases, the applicant understands that the university is not responsible for reimbursement for expenses related to withdrawal.
    • Complete action items listed in the Safety and Security Checklist.
  • Denied Travel
    • If a request for exception is denied by VTRAC, university support for travel will be withdrawn, including course credit, financial aid, Vanderbilt international health insurance, and logistical support.
    • Student organizations may not make use of funding from Student Services Fees, tax-receipted donations, or fundraising events held or disbursed in their organization’s agency fund to support travel that has been denied after a review of a request for exception.
    • If the applicant moves forward with travel, he or she does so with the understanding that the travel is in no way supported or sponsored by Vanderbilt University.
    • The use of Vanderbilt University logos, websites, or other use of the Vanderbilt name associated with the proposed travel will be prohibited.

VTRAC Travel Forms

Criteria for Suspension or Cancellation of Educational Programs

VTRAC is also responsible for deciding whether to suspend an educational opportunity away from campus when health or safety concerns emerge shortly before a program begins or while it is in progress. The Committee is expected to balance the educational and/or research merits of the travel opportunity with its associated risk, with n emphasis on risk mitigation.

In the case of students studying with a partner organization, Vanderbilt University will generally follow our partner’s procedures, but reserves the right to make an independent decision.

  • Suspension/cancellation of a program will be considered if one or more of the events listed occur:
    • Declaration of war between the US against the host country or an adjacent neighbor
    • Declaration of war involving a third country and the country of the program’s location
    • Protracted or indefinite closure of the university where the program is located
    • Inability of the local staff to organize and carry out an academic program outside of the university
    • Disruption of public utilities and/or services
    • Declaration of martial law in the program city or country
    • Significant terrorist activity in the program city or country
    • Wide-spread civil unrest, violence, criminal activity and/or rioting
    • Recommendation for suspension/cancellation by the institution program staff in the host country
    • Specific directive by the US State Department and/or US Embassy
    • Recommended evacuation by local officials
    • Widespread disease or epidemic that is uncontrolled
    • Severe weather advisory such as hurricane warnings
  • Decision to suspend/cancel will be based on information from:
    • The program staff in the host country
    • University officials at the overseas partner university
    • US Embassy officials in the host country
    • Vanderbilt’s international security provider and international medical insurance provider
    • Other officials from US agencies and/or NGOs, as well as the appropriate US State Department Country Desk Officer(s)