Travel to Cuba

NOTE: Travel to Cuba is not covered by UT’s International SOS policy. Travelers must contact UT system Office of Risk Management to ensure that adequate emergency assistance coverage is available. http://www.utsystem.edu/orm/

As of August 31, 2010 the University of Texas at Austin will no longer maintain a specific license for academic research or study in Cuba. All faculty and students wishing to engage in professional or academic activities in Cuba should work directly with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to secure the necessary documentation for travel.

Office of Foreign Assets Control
Licensing Division
Office of Foreign Assets Control
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20220
Tel. 202/622-2480

OFAC Website: http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/

Information for Faculty

I. General License

FACULTY may be able to travel under a general license if they either plan to conduct full time professional research or plan to attend a professional meeting organized by an international professional organization. Please refer to the OFAC website or pages 21-25 of OFAC's Comprehensive Guidelines for License Application to Engage in Travel-Related Transactions Involving Cuba .

II. Specific License
FACULTY that are not eligible to travel to Cuba under the general license (for example, part time faculty) are required to apply directly to OFAC for a specific license and the request will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Information for Students

OFAC will issue a specific license to an individual whose academic institution does not have a license under § 515.565 (a) authorizing the individual to engage in travel-related transactions and such additional transactions that are incident to:
  1. noncommercial academic research in Cuba specifically related to Cuba for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree; or
  2. participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the formal course of study in will be accepted for credit toward the student's undergraduate or graduate degree at the licensed institution and provided that the course of study is no shorter than 10 weeks in duration;

Please refer to the OFAC website or pages 30-32 of OFAC's Comprehensive Guidelines for License Application to Engage in Travel-Related Transactions Involving Cuba .