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Rodolfo Dirzo and Study abroad class. Credit: Andrew Brodhead / newslibrary@stanford.edu

Stanford Student Organization Travel

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Student groups traveling on behalf of Stanford must follow all university policies. Here you can view the most recent policies and plan accordingly. 

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  • Updated: 03.04.24
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Please note these policies are subject to change based on current public health guidelines.

Purpose

Prior to booking any domestic or international travel on behalf of the University, including your student groups, it is required that you follow the travel process outlined below.

In order to be in alignment with:

Travel that impacts class attendance and other academic requirements must be pre-approved with your student group faculty/staff advisor, including the Office of Student Engagement, as well as the impacted faculty for approval.

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Domestic Travel Policies

Domestic travel, including overnight travel, for student groups representing Stanford University is permitted. Travel, in the name of your student group, must be aligned with the pre-approved scope of activities in your constitution on file with OSE in CardinalEngage.

The student leader is responsible for

  • Collecting the university waiver from each participant prior to departure, if:
    • traveling outside the 150-mile radius
    • overnight stays
    • or engages in higher risk activities (i.e. adventure sports, etc.)
  • Making sure that participants do not exceed the capacity of the lodging (hotel, AirBnb, etc.). Any damages will be billed to the participants.
  • Confirming the funds are in your account with your financial officer prior to making any financial commitments.
  • Making it clear with participants, prior to departure, who bears responsibility in covering travel costs.

Travel Requirements

Adventure Trips

AirBnb/Block Booking

  • Please submit a registration form for our records after you book your AirBnb or block booking for Clery Act compliance, and get reimbursed or complete a cash advance. 

Automobile

  • Anyone driving on behalf of Stanford must have a current, valid driver's license and proof of comprehensive automobile insurance.
  • When renting automobiles, the university requires purchasing additional comprehensive automobile and liability insurance provided by the rental company.
  • When traveling, the student organization should maintain a list of the driver's name, phone number, and occupants for each car, the general itinerary of the trip, and the name and phone number of an official emergency contact on campus.
  • Student organizations are prohibited from renting or operating 15+ passenger vans. 10 or 12-passenger vans (driver included) are permitted.

Buses

Hotel and Flights

  • Contingent to your organization having funding, if your student organization is paying for your travel, the individual or group organizer is required to fill out one of the forms below to book flights and/or hotel. Please fill out the form only once for the group per trip; not every traveler needs to fill out the form.
    • To book a hotel, including a block of hotel rooms, you are able to book directly with the hotel and get reimbursed after your stay. In addition, you are welcome to use StudentUniverse to book your hotels and bill directly to your ASSU account. Alternatively individuals can use Egencia to book individual stays via your Egencia profile.
    • If you book your own flights, outside of Student Universe or Egencia, you are required to, using your Stanford email, have each VSO member forward airfare confirmation itinerary exactly as it was received to StanfordTravel@itinerary.internationalsos.com. Please avoid sending attachments (PDFs, etc.). You will receive a notification when your itinerary is uploaded successfully. 
    • If you book your own hotels, including AirBnb, you are required to fill out the registration form and forward your lodging to StanfordTravel@itinerary.internationalsos.com, to be used as part of the mandatory reporting for the Clery Act and International SOS registry.
Considerations for Platform

Student Universe

Egencia

All Other Booking Platforms

Recommended ForGroup Travel. Specifically when the group should be booked together on the same flight. Individual ticketing. Consolidated VSO tracking of group travel on platformAirlines not available on aforementioned platforms
Groups Under 10 PeopleIndividual books with an agent or onlineIndividual books with an agent or onlineAirlines not available on aforementioned platforms
Groups Over 10 PeopleSubmit a Group Booking Request with a minimum of 15 business days noticeGroup travel can be managed via the online Egencia Meeting Tool or Group Trips feature. Note: individual reservations only. Egencia does not support booking multiple individuals together on a single reservation. More airline options including some not available on aforementioned platforms
Fare DifferenceGroup travel often averages ticket prices. The price you see for a single ticket will often not reflect the cost per ticket for the whole group. Only shows individual fares. As space on the plane is booked, the cost per ticket will increase. Egencia suppresses Basic Economy so you will not see the cost of those fares. We recommend not purchasing basic fare, in order to give you the most flexibility in case of any changes to travel.
Use of ASSU Credit Card: Direct Bill to VSOOnly for groups of 10 or more if booked using the Group Booking RequestOnly for airfare if an Egencia meeting is set up for your VSO. Must reach out to stanfordtravel@stanford.edu to get set-up. Submit for Reimbursement in a timely manner
Stanford HelplineXXOn your own
Automatic International SOS Registration for emergency medical aid, security support & evacuation, globallyXX

Using your Stanford email, VSO members MUST forward airfare and/or lodging confirmation itinerary exactly as it was received to StanfordTravel@itinerary.internationalsos.com

Please avoid sending attachments (PDFs, etc.). You will receive a notification when your itinerary is uploaded successfully.

Booking SupportXXOn your own
Additional ConsiderationsCan book hotelsCan book hotelsThe Stanford Travel team is unable to support reservations made outside the Stanford Travel booking channels. Stanford’s travel benefits (negotiated discounts etc.) will not apply. 

Rideshare/Ground Transportation: Uber

  • We have partnered with Uber to facilitate financing rides taken for VSO activities. All VSO members are eligible to enroll in the program to directly charge the VSO account for pre-approved rides, thus removing the need for reimbursement of personal funds. To sign up each member for access to this portal, please follow the directions by downloading the Uber guide to add members.
  • Once enrolled, you will be directly billed to your ASSU account when using Uber on behalf of your student organization.
  • Note: Utilize your existing Uber app to access the “Stanford Student Organization” account. Joining the “Stanford Student Organization” will automatically create an OSE/ASSU profile in-your existing Uber account. You can then toggle between the OSE/ASSU profile and your personal profile within the same Uber app. 
  • If you already have an Uber account, please do not create a new Uber account. Accounts with your non-Stanford personal email can be linked to this program. The OSE/ASSU profile will attach to your existing account. If you do not have an Uber account,  please set one up in order to join the “Stanford Student Organizations” account.  

Create Uber account

  •  We will continue to monitor other alternatives for rideshare/ground transportation. 

See

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International Travel

Limited international travel for voluntary student organizations representing Stanford University for conferences, events and competitions, will be permitted with registration and approval from the Office of Student Engagement at least a month prior to departure. Any unregistered travel will not be reimbursed by your ASSU account retroactively. Travel, in the name of your student group, must be aligned with the pre-approved scope of activities in your constitution on file with OSE in CardinalEngage. We will continue to monitor the situation, in the event we need to offer additional guidance, including travel restrictions.

International Travel Programs Sponsored Abroad. The university does not permit any student groups to sponsor new on-going international travel programs abroad because of the level of resources needed to manage them is beyond the scope of a voluntary student organization.  This means that Stanford will not approve new student group proposals that are based on any form of international travel abroad. Other Stanford groups can not sponsor international travel programs to another country unless fully vetted and approved on rare occasion.

International Travel While Representing Stanford. Students that are members of student groups and traveling to perform or compete may travel but must follow all University guidelines for international travel and actively consult with OSE prior to confirming trip (including booking of any travel). All participants must sign University waivers.

Per the International Travel Policy, Stanford student groups are prohibited to travel to countries or regions and locations within a country where International SOS risk rating (either the medical risk or travel risk) is “High” or “Extreme,” or where there is other reliable information of significant health or safety risks for either the country destination, or for the particular region or location of intended travel within the country destination, or where there is other reliable information of significant health or safety risks. A location’s International SOS medical and travel risk ratings may be found here.

The participant is responsible for

The student leader is responsible for

  • Registering your travel in CardinalEngage.
  • Collecting the university waiver from each participant prior to departure, if traveling outside the 150-mile radius.
  • Making sure that participants do not exceed the capacity of the lodging (hotel, AirBnb, etc.). Any damages will be billed to the participants.
  • Confirming the funds in your account with your financial officer prior to making any financial commitments. 
    • International travel approval will require you to budget at least a 15% contingency fund as part of your confirmed funds. 
  • Communicating clearly to traveling participants, prior to departure, who is responsible financially, the VSO or the individual traveler, that bears responsibility in covering unanticipated travel costs, including those related to medical care, visa/passport delays, etc. Stanford University or the ASSU will not cover any of these travel expenses.
    • Note: Please see Travel Requirements above for booking travel.