For students, faculty, and staff traveling abroad for study, internships, or recreation, MIT Health’s Travel Health Clinic can provide the first step to a safe and healthy trip.
Overview
MIT Health’s travel health professionals provide advice, immunizations, and specialized medications to hundreds of individuals and families each year.
MIT Health’s Travel Health can help students, faculty, and staff develop a safe travel plan before traveling abroad for study, internships, or recreation.
Making a travel health appointment
Schedule your appointment well in advance of your trip, ideally eight weeks prior to travel. Advance planning is crucial, because some vaccines may take up to a month to become fully effective, and others require a series of injections. To schedule an appointment, use the online scheduling link above or call 617-253-4481, option 1 and request a travel appointment.
Once you've scheduled your appointment, you will receive an appointment reminder via email or text. At the same time, we will send you a brief form that asks questions about your upcoming travel. Make sure to complete the form before your appointment.
Group travel
MIT Health’s travel health specialists can present informational sessions to groups of 10 or more people who will be traveling together. These sessions will cover health concerns and immunization requirements for destination countries. Trip coordinators should schedule a presentation well in advance of the trip, preferably as soon as the itinerary and travel dates are known. To schedule a presentation, call MIT Health’s Travel Health at 617-253-4481, option 1.
Insurance coverage for travel immunizations
ALL PATIENTS: Effective January 1, the cost associated with all travel clinic-related vaccinations will be billed to your insurance company. Depending on your specific insurance situation, you may be required to pay a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance for your vaccine. You will be responsible for any outstanding balance that is not covered by insurance.
If you are traveling for MIT research or business, you can inquire with your Department, Lab, Center, or program to see if any vaccine-related expenses can be reimbursed.
RETIREES: Medicare will be billed for the full cost of the travel vaccine, including the cost of giving the vaccine. You will be responsible for any outstanding balance that is not covered by Medicare.
STUDENTS: Your consultation visit will remain covered as part of your tuition, but the cost of the travel-related vaccination itself will be submitted to your insurance company. Students on MIT SHIP remain covered for recommended vaccinations, but you will be responsible for any outstanding balance that is not covered by insurance.
For questions about coverage for travel-related vaccines, students may contact Blue Cross Blue Shield Member Services at 1 (800) 262-2583. Employees may contact MIT Benefits at benefits@mit.edu or call 617-253-6151.
Resources & Links
Information about international travel and insurance
Immunization Information: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Traveling abroad? How to access emergency assistance and health insurance benefits
COVID-19 travel resources
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Get information about the current COVID-19 risk level of your destination.
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health: COVID-19 test sites