Pitt students to leave Japan, spring program canceled

The seven students currently studying in Japan will return to the U.S in the next 48 hours, and… The seven students currently studying in Japan will return to the U.S in the next 48 hours, and the University canceled trips for six Pitt students who were prepared to leave for the tsunami- and earthquake-ravaged country in the next few weeks.

Jeff Whitehead, director of the Study Abroad Office, said Friday that the University is following the advice of the U.S. Department of State.

The Department of State issued a travel warning on Wednesday, which “strongly urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Japan at this time and those in Japan should consider departing.” The warning came amid fears that at least one of Japan’s nuclear power plants — Fukushima Daiichi — could have a melt-down.

Students prepared to leave for Japan in the coming weeks — the spring semester in Japan begins in late March or early April — received e-mails from Pitt saying that the University has suspended their study abroad programs. Pitt plans to monitor the situation in Japan over the next few weeks before determining whether travel to Japan will be permissible in the future.

Pitt will assist in booking flights to help students back to the U.S. and is also willing to pay the cost of the airline ticket or airline change fee, Whitehead said.

Pitt wants students currently in Japan to depart by the end of today or tomorrow.

Pitt will work with each student and family to determine if credit or a refund of the program is possible. Students will not be able to return to classes at Pitt because the University has already passed spring break.