Travel/StudyFrequently Asked Questions
What’s Included
Learn why travelers say our trips are “worth every penny.”
When you travel with us, you enjoy:
The company of renowned Stanford faculty and scholars
Savvy, articulate guides
Numerous memorable encounters with diverse cultures and peoples
Hard-to-get access to exclusive events and regional experts
The full attention of an experienced Stanford tour manager
Packing lists, reading lists, maps, and more
Top-star hotels and small luxury sailing ships
Minimal medical, accident, and evacuation coverage
All the extras, such as entrance fees, on-tour flights, ground transportation, most meals, airport transfers, baggage handling, all of your gratuities...and postcards ready to mail!
Flights to and from the program are not included. Any on-tour flights, as specified in the trip’s pricing section, are included in the cost of the trip. We provide confirmed travelers with comprehensive information for making travel arrangements (e.g., arrival and departure times, airport transfers, etc.) as well as a recommended travel agent to assist you.
Travel/Study’s program costs include emergency medical coverage. This policy provides only on-trip medical and evacuation coverage in the event of an emergency during the program and is secondary to any personal insurance you may have or choose to purchase. The included policy does NOT include trip cancellation coverage or cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage. We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance to protect your trip. We provide registered travelers with a recommended travel insurance company that offers comprehensive trip insurance, modular trip insurance, and annual coverage.
Eligibility
Find out who can travel with Stanford Travel/Study.
We welcome anyone interested in educational travel, not just Stanford alumni. In addition to Stanford alumni, our travelers include spouses, parents, grandparents, and children of alumni, as well as friends and others seeking exceptional travel experiences. We encourage membership in the Stanford Alumni Association and charge a $450-per-person fee to non-members. The nonmember fee is waived for University faculty, staff, and retirees, as well as for anyone traveling as a paid guest of a current member or of University faculty, staff, or retirees. Memberships offering exclusive benefits and upgraded versions of select perks are available for Stanford alumni, affiliates, and friends. View membership options.
Trips range from mildly active tours in easy-to-navigate locales to vigorous outdoor adventures, such as mountain treks. Look for information on the level of activity and other health and physical ability considerations on individual trip pages. Whether you are looking for specific activities or traveling with physical limitations, our team can help you find the right trip. Please get in touch with us at (650) 725-1093 for assistance.
The minimum age ranges from 6 to 18 and varies by trip. For many of our programs, we recommend a minimum age of 18 due to full days packed with excursions, lectures, and special events, as well as early morning starts and/or long drives. Families interested in traveling with children ages 6 to 18 should consider our Family Adventures Collection of trips.
Reservation Policy
Find out how to sign up for a Travel/Study journey.
We require a $2,500-per-person deposit to reserve space. The deposit amount may vary for special departures and custom journeys. You can place your deposit online. If the trip is not yet open for registration, click on the Notify Me button, and we will email you when registration opens.
Contact our office by phone or email to cancel your reservation. Deposits and any payments are refundable, less a $1,000-per-person cancellation fee, until 150 days prior to program start, when final payment is due. After that date, refunds can be made only if the program is sold out and we resell your place(s), in which case a $2,500-per-person cancellation fee will apply. On special departures and custom journeys, deposits and payments may be subject to different cancellation fees.
Health and Safety
Your health and safety are a priority for Stanford Travel/Study.
There is no way to eliminate the risk of illness while traveling. Each participant must assess their personal risks and their tolerance for exposure to illness. Travel/Study does not require isolation for travelers who exhibit cold or flu-like symptoms, including those who test positive for COVID-19. While we do not require masking, we support individuals who wish to wear one in accordance with their personal risk tolerance and underlying health conditions. We request masking for symptomatic travelers and may advise social distancing and/or isolation when symptoms are particularly severe. Vaccine requirements imposed by local authorities and operators will be communicated to travelers with their pre-departure documentation.
Stanford Travel/Study maintains a thorough, regularly monitored security plan as an integral part of every program and monitors and evaluates the security conditions at every destination we visit. This analysis includes consulting U.S. State Department officials, travel industry professionals at home and abroad, and academic experts with personal experience in these regions. Our State Department and Stanford friends use their unique contacts to keep us informed about local conditions. We also subscribe to a daily intelligence briefing service and retain an independent security risk consultancy, Crisis24.
Terms & Conditions
Read the fine print.
We reserve the right to make such alterations to published itineraries as may be deemed necessary. On occasion, it may be necessary to cancel a program prior to departure; in that case, we will refund trip payments in full.
We cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, force majeure, or other causes beyond our control. To read the full terms and conditions for all Travel/Study programs, click here.
We do not issue refunds for unused portions of any tour unless arrangements are made in sufficient time to avoid penalties. We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance to protect your trip.
Yes, the Stanford Alumni Association is registered as a seller of travel with the State of California. Our registration number is 204852350.