Holiday Break Travel Advisory
The Office of Global Affairs (formerly the International Programs Office) recommends that our UMass Amherst international community-- including all international students, scholars, faculty and staff under UMass immigration sponsorship-- strongly consider returning to the United States prior to the presidential inauguration day of January 20, 2025 if they are planning on traveling internationally during the winter holiday break. Please note this is not a requirement or mandate from UMass, nor is it based on any current U.S. government policy or recommendation. However, given that a new presidential administration can enact new policies on their first day in office (January 20), and based on previous experience with travel bans that were enacted in the first Trump Administration in 2017, the Office of Global Affairs is making this advisory out of an abundance of caution to hopefully prevent any possible travel disruption to members of our international community. We are not able to speculate on what a travel ban will look like if enacted, nor can we speculate on what particular countries or regions of the world may or may not be affected.
Undergraduate international students who live on-campus will be permitted to move back in early if needed. Undergraduates are asked to contact the Residential Life Assignments Office, 413-545-2100, or in 235 Whitmore.
Additional information regarding international travel formalities for our UMass international community can be found here.
