How safe is it to study abroad?
Personal safety issues are entirely dependent on where you choose to study and how you use your common sense. In many instances, the area where you’ll be studying may actually be safer than your home university in the United States. In general, as you might expect, studying in urban areas often requires that you take more safety precautions than studying in rural areas. The U.S. State Department offers free information on safety services for Americans overseas on their website here. And for country-specific safety information, visit here. For health related safety information, including which vaccines are required for visiting specific countries, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here.
The University of Illinois and ACES exchange programs have been established with very established and noteworthy universities located in trustworthy places. Of course living anywhere can pose dangers, whether domestic or international. There are many general safety precautions all prudent travelers should follow such as stay in groups especially at night, always leave travel itinerary information with others etc. Students are routinely advised to register in person with the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate in the off chance that sudden political or natural disasters should occur.
