Study Abroad and Global Engagement

Study Abroad and Global Engagement

Disabilities and Accommodations

Home / Getting Started / Disabilities and Accommodations

Traveling With Disabilities

Traveling abroad with visible or invisible disabilities can be challenging, but with proper planning and preparation well in advance, your experience abroad can be positive and rewarding. We encourage all students to meet with a study abroad advisor to discuss the study abroad process and programming that can suit your specific needs. If you do have a disability, we ask that you also meet with UMKC's Accessibility Services office to discuss accommodations.

Here are some considerations you should think about when applying for a program:

  • Will I need an accommodation to manage my disability while abroad?
  • Is my necessary accommodation available in my preferred host country?
  • Are there alternative strategies or ways to manage my disability?
  • What laws and infrastructure are in place in my preferred host country to support people with disabilities?
  • Will in-country infrastructure—such as stone roads or availability of ramps and elevators—impact my experience?
  • Will my disability be impacted by the style of teaching and learning in my preferred host country?
  • Is there a local community of people with similar disabilities to connect with?
  • Will my medications be available to me in my preferred host country?

Frequently Asked Questions:

UMKC's international insurance partner Geoblue offers services for students who need to locate medication in their host country. Ideally, students should take enough medication to last them their whole trip is possible.

Disability information is an educational record protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). You may disclose disability information to Study Abroad & Global Engagement and are strongly encouraged to do so. You may also disclose disability information to Roo Wellness, your third-party study abroad provider, and/or your program faculty leader. Early and prompt disclosure allows our office time to determine if accommodations can be made in your preferred host country.

Each country has different laws surrounding disabilities and accommodation. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act only applies to the United States. Sometimes, requested accommodations are not available and alternative strategies or ways to manage your disability can be considered. Ultimately, each study abroad program and host country is different, so accommodations are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis to determine whether your needs can be reasonably met. Below you can find resources that may help you in deciding how you want to travel with your disability:

 

Next Steps:

The process of studying abroad can take several months to a year in advance to plan. If you have a disability, we recommend starting your research as early as possible. Take into account the above considerations and review available resources. Once you have decided to study abroad, meet with our office. We are happy to discuss your study abroad options and talk about possible accommodations. It is important to recognize that accommodation planning can take time and accommodations cannot always be reasonably managed. Our goal is to help you find a study abroad program that will work with your specific needs so that you have an enjoyable and enriching academic experience abroad.