UC Berkeley is following the guidance of UCOP and the CDC when outlining travel policies. Please review UC Berkeley’s guidance on travel before you travel or make travel plans for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly for international travel as advance approval may be required and local public health and border entry requirements frequently change. The following guidance is effective as of April 21, 2022, and until further notice.
UCOP Directives
- CDC Guidelines and Essential travel: On March 12, 2021, UCOP updated its executive directive on travel with a requirement that all UC travelers must follow CDC Guidance before, during, and upon return from domestic or international travel. Authority to determine what is essential travel and any additional approvals required was delegated to campus locations – see below for current UC Berkeley guidelines.
- Vaccines: As of July 15, 2021 the University of California released a UC COVID-19 vaccination policy which requires, with few exceptions, that all UC community members receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Travelers should ensure they are in compliance with the UC vaccine requirements prior to commencing any university-related travel. Refer to UHS for more information.
- Boosters: On January 3, 2022, the UC system announced that the current UC COVID-19 vaccination policy requires faculty, staff and students to obtain a booster shot as soon as they are eligible. Enforcement of the booster requirement for those who are booster eligible will begin on Jan 31, 2022. Refer to UHS for more information.
Trip registration is required for out of state and foreign travel
If travel reservations are made by an agency outside Connexxus Travel, then trip registration is required for university-related trips out of state and to foreign countries, regardless of CDC or State Department level. This will ensure travelers have access to travel insurance and other UC risk management services and benefits. Contact riskservices@berkeley.edu with questions.
CDC guidance and vaccination status
The CDC guidance refers to vaccination status, but UC Berkeley managers/approvers are not permitted to ask employees, students, or affiliates whether or not they are vaccinated. If an employee, student, or affiliate has not volunteered vaccination status, uncoerced, then the approver should interpret the CDC guidance as if the individual is unvaccinated when determining whether or not to authorize travel. For the purpose of authorizing travel, units should rely upon the individual’s representations of vaccination status and should not seek to verify vaccination status.
The campus unit that is authorizing the employee or other affiliated person to travel at campus expense and/or as part of employment duties is responsible for determining whether the travel is permitted. The unit can seek advice from Legal Affairs or Risk Services.
UC Berkeley guidelines for university-related Travel
Below is the most up-to-date information available pertaining to the campus’ travel directives and essential travel protocols, travel insurance, travel reimbursement, and international agreements for faculty, staff, and students.
Travel insurance and foreseeable COVID-19 risks
Please be advised that UC travel insurance will not cover foreseeable COVID-19 related risks, such as business interruption, trip delays or foreign flight cancellations at this time.
UC personnel traveling to high risk regions against this advisory do so potentially at their own physical and financial risk. In the event an international airport is closed to commercial flights to the U.S. the only option back may be on a US Embassy repatriation flight – which can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 payable by the traveler at a later time. For more information about trip registration, please see the pages on travel for employees and travel for students.
However, UCOP has advised that the travel insurance does include medical coverage related to covid matters determined “medically necessary” such as a doctor ordered COVID test when experiencing cold/flu like or other covid related symptoms.
The following IS NOT considered medically necessary:
- Covid testing to show a negative result in order to enter a country or to move into a residence
- testing of asymptomatic roommates who are exposed to covid
- quarantine and/or food service during a quarantine period.
For more information about trip registration, please see the pages on travel for employees and travel for students. Contact riskservices@berkeley.edu with questions.
Travel reimbursement
If your business travel has been canceled as a result of COVID-19 and you were not able to obtain a full refund of some or all of your expenses, you have options for requesting reimbursement, which can vary depending on how you booked your travel. These options are outlined on the Berkeley Travel website as well as on a recorded webinar from April 21 provided by UC Berkeley Travel. A wide range of issues associated with travel impacted by COVID-19 is addressed, including an extended question and answer session.
International students and scholars
The Berkeley International Office understands that the UC Berkeley community of international students and scholars has many questions about the rapidly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. BIO has created a webpage to answer common travel-related questions specific to international students and scholars and share support resources.
International agreements and travel
International agreements committing members of the UC community to travel, or foreign cohorts to visit the campus, should include terms that allow for no penalty cancellation of in-person deliverables. Depending on the specific language, force majeure clauses may not cover epidemics (e.g. COVID-19), especially where the cancellation or non-performance due to the incident was foreseeable or predictable at the time of contract execution. If you have not already, please contact the relevant campus contracting office for assistance in negotiating these terms into current or future agreements.
The Global Engagement Office is available to assist individuals in identifying the appropriate contracting office. Please refer to the Campus Guidelines for International Activities and Agreements and consult Global Engagement.