Studying abroad
International studies are an increasing part of the collegiate experience.
With a bit of extra planning, living and studying abroad are achievable as a student with type 1 diabetes.
Preparing for living abroad
Traveling and studying abroad for long periods of time can be stressful, especially if you’re living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Here is a list of things to consider and prepare before you leave for your trip!
- Update your prescriptions. Many insurance companies will allow you to get extra supplies ahead of time if you are going to be out of the country for an extended period of time. Ensure you have extra insulin, long-acting insulin pens, and even a backup pump!
- Find a local doctor’s office and hospital ahead of time.
- Have a printed list of your contacts, including parents, endocrinologist, and pharmacy.
- Request a travel letter from your endocrinologist that states you have T1D and the necessity of your supplies. Pack it with your medical supplies.
- Confer with your study abroad program to see if you need any special accommodations or forms (homestay, refrigerator access, doctor’s note on your condition, extra baggage allowance, etc.).
- Make sure you have an emergency plan in place. Confirm what your international options are with your health insurance and opt into international health insurance as needed.
- Consider special travel health insurance such as MedJet, etc.
- Ensure that your program supervisor and a few of your peers are aware of your T1D and what to do in case of an emergency.
- Look up diabetes necessities in primary languages spoken in country(ies) where you plan to be:
- Type 1 diabetes
- Low / high blood sugar
- Insulin
- Use Google Translate if it’s not in a language you speak
- Make sure you have an international data plan (or a data plan in your country), or prepare if you’ll only have offline data.
- Consider food abroad, including carb counting and different nutrition labels.
You can still do anything with diabetes, even if it takes extra planning.”
What to pack
Whether you’re traveling for 6 days or 6 months, packing when living with T1D can be overwhelming! Make sure to pack 2-3 times the amount of supplies you need in your carry-on bag. Here is a packing list to get you started:
- Insulin
- Test strips
- Loaner pump / CGM
- Medical alert tags
- Medical alert bracelet
- Extra batteries for pump/meter (or a battery pack if rechargeable)
- Charger for pump / meter
- Backup receiver for Dexcom / Omnipod /Libre / etc.
- Insertion sets
- Reservoirs
- Long-acting insulin pens (for emergency)
- Syringes (for emergency)
- CGM sensors
- Ketone strips
- Low snacks (glucose tabs, fruit snacks, etc.)
- Glucagon
- Doctor letter
- Medical equipment letter
- Adhesive stickers (Skin Grip, Grif Grips, etc)
- Travel insurance
- Ice pack for insulin
Pack more supplies than you think you need, especially insulin. Plan for how to get supplies abroad in an emergency.”
Travel accommodations
You’re finally ready for studying abroad, but airport protocol and living in a new place can be confusing and difficult. Here are some helpful accommodations and tips to make your life easier:
Not only do you have to worry about dangerous temperatures in the cargo hold where your checked baggage goes, but you need to ensure everything makes it to your destination! AirTags or Tiles in your carry-on luggage are helpful in case your bag gets lost or stolen.
- Notify the officers
- When you arrive at the Security checkpoint, let TSA officers know about your medical device and any other equipment prior to screening. If you have an insulin pump, glucose monitor, or other medical device attached to your body, inform the officers where it is located before the screening process begins.
- Although not required, you can give the TSA officer a travel card prior to screening to discreetly mention your diabetes.
- Screening process
- If you do not wish to go through screening by technology, inform the TSA officer and they will conduct a pat-down. Pat-downs are conducted by a TSA officer of the same gender, and you may request private screening at any time.
- You will not be required to remove any medical devices attached to your body.
- In the event that your insulin pump or glucose monitor is attached to your body, the device is subject to additional screening, including visual inspection. You may be required to conduct a self-pat-down of the actual device, followed by a test of your hands for any trace of explosives.
- Insulin pumps and security
- Each insulin pump and CGM has different protocols when going through airport security. Make sure to check your pump and/or CGM manufacturer’s website for specific instructions regarding your pump.
- Insulin cooler packs and TSA
- When going through TSA, you can have ice packs but they have to be mostly frozen. Learn more here.
- Still have questions?
- Contact TSA Cares: TSA offers screening information and assistance to travelers upon request through TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227.
It’s best to get this note from your doctor, because it will show that you have an official diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. A letter from your doctor carries authority if your medical needs are called into question. This is not to say that a note from you will not work. You may not even have to present a note when you travel, but it’s helpful to have one just in case.
Request in advance to ensure your insulin stays safe and viable.
Notify your host family of what to do in an emergency. Make sure your host family knows where low blood sugar glucose/snacks are.
Include this in your doctor’s note and bring it with you for plane/air travel. Also leave it with your host family and your program’s director.
You are allowed to have an extra carry-on bag for “medical supplies” in addition to your 2 allotted carry-ons (for most major airlines). Most airlines can’t charge you for a 3rd bag and they can’t question it. In order to qualify as a medical bag, the bag must be only for medical supplies rather than a mix of medical and personal supplies. Medical Bags do not count toward the personal item bag allotment.
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