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International Travel Checklist

If you are traveling internationally, Trinity recommends you complete these steps before leaving the U.S. and consider these recommendations during your travels.

International Travel Best Practices

General International Travel Guide

This guide provides general technology and connectivity best practices for Trinity faculty, staff, and students traveling internationally to standard-risk destinations. This page acts as a baseline companion to our security policies.

⚠️ Headed to a High-Risk Destination? If you are traveling to countries with elevated cybersecurity risks or U.S. State Department advisories (e.g., China, Russia, Venezuela), do not use this page. Instead, follow the mandatory protocols on our International Travel Best Practices for High-Risk Countries dashboard.

Before You Travel

Complete these foundational preparation steps on your devices before leaving U.S. soil to ensure seamless connectivity and security abroad.

Category Action Items & Best Practices
Power & Adapters Verify your device chargers will function natively at your destination. While most laptop and phone chargers support dual voltage (100-240V), you will likely need a physical plug adapter to match wall outlets abroad.
Cellular Data & eSIMs Coordinate mobile coverage ahead of time to avoid service blackouts or exorbitant roaming fees.

  • Domestic Carrier Plans: Contact your provider (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) to activate an international daily roaming pass or global data tier.
  • Local eSIMs: If your mobile device is carrier-unlocked, utilizing a digital travel eSIM (such as Airalo or Holafly) is often the most cost-effective path for international cellular data.
Secure Wi-Fi (eduroam) The eduroam network provides instant, authenticated, encrypted wireless access at thousands of universities, research facilities, and cultural institutions globally.

  • Critical: Configure and test your connection on campus before departing using the Trinity eduroam Setup Guide so your device authenticates automatically upon arrival.
MFA & Authenticator Multi-factor authentication is required to access Trinity assets abroad. Ensure your authentication method doesn’t lock you out if you lack a cellular signal.

  • Open your Microsoft Authenticator app and verify it is functioning. The app can generate offline, time-based passcodes even when your phone has zero cellular service or Wi-Fi.
  • Review or add secondary verification backup methods at Microsoft Security Info.
Data Prep & Web Access Minimize the volume of sensitive data residing locally on your hard drives.

  • Leverage web-first workflows by accessing files directly through Office 365 Webmail, OneDrive, and SharePoint rather than maintaining heavy local offline synchronized folders.
  • Ensure OneDrive folder backup is active before you leave so your files are securely mirrored in the cloud if your physical hardware is lost or stolen.
Updates & Encryption Hardened devices are significantly more difficult to compromise.

  • Run all pending operating system updates (Windows Update / macOS Software Update) and app updates before your trip.
  • Encryption: Confirm that device-level encryption is active (BitLocker for Windows; FileVault for macOS). iOS and Android devices encrypt automatically when a secure passcode/biometrics are enabled.
  • For Trinity-owned staff/faculty laptops, notify your LITS desktop support technician so they can verify system health prior to your departure.
Device Tracking & Recovery Mobile hardware is a prime target for opportunistic physical theft during travel.

  • Ensure Apple’s Find My network is enabled on iOS/macOS devices, or that Find My Device is configured on Android hardware. This allows you to remotely locate, lock, or completely wipe the machine if stolen.

While Traveling

Maintain digital situational awareness on the ground. Simple shifts in how you connect can prevent credential theft and mitigate high data tracking charges.

Scenario Safe Operational Protocol
Public Wi-Fi Networks Unsecured public networks (airports, cafes, rail stations, hotels) are highly susceptible to traffic sniffing and man-in-the-middle attacks.

  • Prioritize connecting via eduroam or your personal secure cellular hotspot over open public Wi-Fi.
  • If you must use public airport or hotel networks, immediately initiate a secure VPN tunnel to encrypt your browsing session.
Trinity Resource Access Always launch the official Trinity College VPN when accessing campus-restricted platforms, internal shared data directories, or specific library database management architectures.
Managing Data Usage International roaming caps can disappear quickly due to silent background processes.

  • Monitor active data allocations inside your phone’s cellular metrics settings menu.
  • Disable “Background App Refresh” and automatic cloud photo syncing over cellular data to prevent unexpected overage fees.
Communication Platforms Utilize cloud-based VoIP ecosystem apps like Microsoft Teams or Zoom to maintain clear, encrypted, and free/low-cost communication channels with campus colleagues and family back home.
Charging & Kiosks Avoid using public internet kiosks entirely to log into personal or Trinity accounts; these terminals routinely harbor keyloggers. Avoid plugging directly into unvetted public USB charging stations—always power devices using your own dedicated wall brick.
Emergency Loss Protocol If a device containing Trinity data or credentials is physically lost or compromised overseas, immediately log into your Apple/Google tracking account from any browser to issue a remote wipe command. Inform the LITS Help Desk as soon as possible so corporate access tokens can be revoked.

Need Support?

For questions regarding software deployments, international multi-factor verification, or data handling policies, reach out to our team: