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Health and Safety

Updated October 26, 2023

Table of Contents

Health and Safety

At ABROADER, we care about your health and safety as much as your family does. We are committed to offering safe and enjoyable programs to make sure that you can have a well-rounded and safe experience. The security of our program locations and popular student travel destinations is monitored simultaneously with the timely delivery of safety guides and risk warnings based on information from the government and experts in the education abroad community.

Once we start to work with you, you are guided through a program-specific health and safety procedure that begins with pre-departure communications and concludes with a comprehensive on-site orientation held by us and staff from your host organization. You will be given local emergency contact information to ensure reachable and responsive communication during the course of the program. Our staff will also work with you, your parents, host organization, and study abroad staff at your home institution (if applicable) to provide the most up-to-date information regarding situations that may arise during your program.

Onsite Orientation

At ABROADER, we care about your health and safety as much as your family does. We are committed to offering safe and enjoyable programs to make sure that you can have a well-rounded and safe experience. The security of our program locations and popular student travel destinations is monitored simultaneously with the timely delivery of safety guides and risk warnings based on information from the government and experts in the education abroad community.

Once we start to work with you, you are guided through a program-specific health and safety procedure that begins with pre-departure communications and concludes with a comprehensive on-site orientation held by us and staff from your host organization. You will be given local emergency contact information to ensure reachable and responsive communication during the course of the program. Our staff will also work with you, your parents, host organization, and study abroad staff at your home institution (if applicable) to provide the most up-to-date information regarding situations that may arise during your program.

24/7 Emergency Contact

ABROADER’s 24/7 emergency contact information will be given to you before your departure for your program location so that you can share it with your parents or other close people at home. Our emergency contact person has a wide network of local contacts, such as nearby hospitals, police stations, embassies, and even your neighbors, so as to quickly react to unexpected situations. On the orientation day, you will be reminded of this information again. Whenever in an emergency situation, you should first (have someone) contact our local staff at: 

  • ABROADER Hotline: (+84) 909685498
  • Hanoi: +84 34 754 1188 (24/7) (Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm). 
  • Ho Chi Minh City: +84 96 368 2079 (24/7) or +84 28 39 30 6432 (Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm). 
  • If you are placed outside of these two cities you can also call these numbers, but for more immediate situations, you are under the care of your local organization supervisor, whose number you should have on you at all times on your SOS card or on your phone.

Upon receiving your emergency call, ABROADER will contact relevant stakeholders as soon as possible, typically your emergency contacts and/or university staff back home. In the event that medical care is required, ABROADER can assist you through insurance protocols.

Personal Security

Vietnam is generally a safe place to be, but as with anywhere else, as a foreigner, you need to take extra precautions, especially if the area you are staying in or visiting is a touristy or distant area. For example, always carry your money and phone in an inside pocket, not in your back pocket or the outer pockets of coats or jackets. If you want to leave your coat or jacket anywhere, take your money with you. Avoid carrying a handbag when you are out on the street; carry a cross bag or a backpack instead. Have your cross and backpack within your sight when walking in a crowded area or on buses by wearing them in front of you rather than on your back. Never leave your belongings unattended, even for short periods. Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you—just enough to meet your day-to-day needs. In major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, there are plenty of ATMs where you can withdraw money and convenience stores and supermarkets that accept credit card payments.

Finally, take special care of your passport, tickets, and other personal documents. If you are staying at a hotel, you can leave your passport at the receptionist. If you are staying at a studio apartment or a shared room, make sure you have your passport locked away in a safe place.

Health Facilities

In Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, there are both local and international clinics and hospitals open to foreign visitors for medical consultations and treatments. 

Below is a list of accredited International Clinics and Hospitals in Vietnam. The list is by no means exclusive. These international medical facilities have foreign language-speaking staff and doctors. Make sure to check with your insurance provider and the clinic website to see which clinics are in your insurance coverage network.

Ho Chi Minh City

  • International SOS office in Ho Chi Minh (Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, German)
    Unit 708, 7th Floor, Centre Point Building, 106 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Ward 8, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)
    Hotline: +84 28 3845 4218 (You can call this hotline if you feel sick, doctors will talk to you via phone calls and appoint you to a suitable hospital/ clinic)
  • Family Medical Practice (Languages: English, Japanese and Korean)
    34 Le Duan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
    Phone: 028 3822 7848| Emergency: ∗9999 or (028) 3744 9000
  • FV Hospital (Languages: English, French)
    6 Nguyen Luong Bang St., Saigon South (Phu My Hung), Dist. 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
    Phone: 028 5411 3333| Emergency: 028 5411 3500
  • Lotus Clinic (Languages: English, Japanese)
    22 Le Thanh Ton, Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh | Phone: 028 3827 0000

Ha Noi

  • International SOS office in Hanoi (Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, German)
    Capital Tower, 6th Floor, Room 602A, 109 Tran Hung Dao Street, Cua Nam Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi
    Phone: (+84) 24 3718 6390
  • Family Medical Practice Hanoi (Languages: English, Japanese, and Korean)
    298 Kim Ma Street, Van Phuc Compound, Dinh District, Hanoi
    Phone: 024 3843 0748

Da Nang

Family Medical Practice Danang (Languages: English, Japanese and Korean)
96-98 Nguyen Van Linh Street, Hai Chau District, Danang, Vietnam | Tel: 0236 3582 699

Medication Abroad

If you are taking regular prescription medications, you should discuss travel plans with your regular doctor and develop a plan for the duration of your time abroad. It may be difficult or impossible to fill prescriptions at the host location. When possible, you should bring enough medications to last for the duration of the program and always bring a copy of your current prescription as well as contact information for regular doctors.

You are encouraged to disclose medical conditions and current prescriptions with ABROADER. Though ABROADER does not require this information in our application procedures, we hope you can start a dialogue with us as soon as possible so that guidance and direction to further resources will be given properly. ABROADER Program Advisors and Coordinators are best equipped to answer questions related to the specific program location. For more information on medications abroad, please visit the website of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mental Health Support

It is always necessary to maintain healthy mental well-being, especially when you reside in another country. Since our establishment, ABROADER has researched and worked with medical centers in our different program locations that are capable of providing mental health support to foreign visitors. These centers may not meet your expectations compared to the ones back home; however, we endeavor to find ones whose staff have adequate qualifications and language skills to ensure proper communication with you during your treatments.

Independent Travel

If you plan to travel independently away from your program site, please be aware that it is mandatory to notify your Program Coordinator at ABROADER of your plan. It is always wise to let us know where you are going, when you will be back, and how we can contact you while you are traveling in case there is an emergency and we need to contact you or vice versa. You may also want to inform your host organization of your plans in case your travel plans are changed due to weather or other reasons. Do keep in mind that your program is your priority, and while you may request time off from your host organization, it is not required for your host organization to grant you the time off. Also, please check in with your Program Coordinator once you’ve returned so we know you are safe!

It should be noted that independent travel outside of your host city is undertaken entirely at your own risk. ABROADER cannot be held responsible for anything that might happen to you during independent travel; thus, it is vital that you exercise caution and good judgment when traveling independently.

Safety Tips

You should avoid:

  • Staying out after midnight or after a local curfew
  • Being in a high-crime area
  • Staying alone in an isolated area
  • Sleeping in an unlocked room
  • Eating food with unknown origin or without being guided by the local
  • Being on a motorbike without a helmet

You should pay attention to:

  • What is advised by ABROADER staff and the local buddies
  • Local laws, rules, curfews, and warnings
  • The address of your accommodation and emergency contact
  • Other sources of help around you (phones, stores, police, etc.)

For additional resources on health & safety in Vietnam, please contact us at apply@abroader.org.