Penn State Suspends University-Related Travel to Middle East

Penn State has indefinitely suspended university-related travel to 17 countries in the Middle East, many of which the State Department urged U.S. citizens to leave on Monday amid the escalating war with Iran.

University-related travel is suspended for those have not yet departed to these countries:

• Afghanistan
• Bahrain
• Cyprus
• Egypt
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel (including West Bank and Gaza)
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Qatar
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Saudi Arabia
• Syria
• United Arab Emirates (including Abu Dhabi and Dubai)
• Yemen

“Penn State Global Safety strongly advises faculty, staff and students who are planning upcoming travel to any other destinations in the Middle East (or other international travel) to stay informed about current events and closely monitor developments,” the university wrote in a statement on Wednesday.

University students, faculty and staff who are already abroad will receive direct communications and updates from Penn State Global.

Penn State Global Safety advised travelers to monitor communications from their airlines for potential schedule changes and prepare for flights traveling through the affected areas to potentially be rerouted or canceled.

Travelers with flights booked through  the university’s travel partner, Anthony Travel, an contact the company’s after-hours emergency support line at +1-888-669-3948 for assistance with flight cancellations, delays and changes.

Penn State Global safety also advised that travelers should follow U.S. Embassy directives, and in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive emergency alerts from the nearest embassy.

University travelers can contact Penn State Global Safety on its emergency duty phone at +1-814-360-2829 via call, text or WhatsApp for urgent health, safety or security assistance abroad, or its international emergency assistance provider, International SOS, at +1-215-942-8478.

The State Department on Monday told Americans to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen. On Wednesday, the U.S. elevated the travel advisories for Cyprus and Pakistan and ordered non-emergency staff to leave. A “do not travel” advisory was already in effect for Afghanistan.