Students planning to participate in a course or studio with a travel component must provide all requested information to the sponsoring department, including a copy of their passport and completed travel waiver. Travelers should use their legal name exactly as it appears on their passport for all transactions, such as airline tickets and hotel reservations.

There will be one set group itinerary planned and arranged for all students in a studio or course based on the educational objectives of the site visit. Students are booked economy airfare and are required to use their full airfare (eg. both the departing and returning tickets), as failure to do so will result in ticket cancellation by the airline. Should a conflict in your schedule arise, please contact Pilar Raynor Jordan to discuss options.

Students may participate in a course or studio trip only when enrolled as a student in the particular course or studio. Teaching Assistants are not permitted to travel unless they are enrolled in the course/studio that is traveling.

Additional Travel Tips for students participating in group studio or course travel can be found in SharePoint .

Some courses or studios may incorporate local day-trips into the curriculum. All travel, including local day-trips, should be noted in the syllabus and approved by the sponsoring department at least one month prior to the start of the semester. When possible, local day-trips should occur during normally scheduled class times. Local site visits that are part of the required course curriculum should be coordinated to ensure they do not conflict with other required course curricula. If conflicts are identified the program director should be notified, and if conflicts are unavoidable students must be given alternative work in lieu of the trip.

Travelers are responsible for investigating and understanding the implications and requirements of travel, including verifying that they will possess proper identification, such as a valid passport at the time of travel, and obtaining any necessary visas. International travelers are typically required to possess a passport with an expiration date at least six months beyond the dates of travel. Proceed immediately with researching and obtaining your visa as soon as you know about the upcoming travel. You can apply for a visa through an embassy or consulate in the U.S. or through a visa processing vendor. Due to certain country-specific requirements, vendors cannot assist with all visa and passport applications, such as when you are required to make a personal appearance at an embassy or consulate. For more information about applying for visas, review the Harvard Global Support Services – Visas website .

When applying for a visa, you may be asked to provide proof of health insurance coverage. Students with the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan should email [email protected] to request a letter confirming coverage, and students on other health plans should contact their respective provider. If the student’s coverage does not meet the minimum required for the visa it is possible they will need to purchase supplemental coverage for the trip.

Costs associated with passports and visas are the responsibility of each individual traveler.

Students enrolling in a course or studio that includes a travel component should expect to pay up to $300 (term-billed) plus meals and incidentals. Travel fees associated with course travel will typically be noted in the course description, and travel fees associated with studio travel will be posted on the Option Studio Information webpage. Every effort is made to communicate travel costs prior to the course/studio selection process; if you are interested in a course or studio and have questions about the costs, please contact your respective department or program staff. The term-billed fees associated with travel go into a fund that supports course and studio travel, generally, as well as non-travel activities taken on by courses or studios without funding. This fee is separate from the cost of meals and incidentals incurred during and in preparation for travel.

Travelers are responsible for the cost of all meals and incidentals incurred as a result of any GSD-related travel. Incidentals can be any cost incurred by an individual traveler during, preceding, and following the trip and may include but are not limited to, visas, country-specific entry/exit fees, vaccinations, local ground transportation (such as trains, buses, taxis, Ubers/Lyfts), individual museum entry fees, and personal luggage costs. Local travel costs during a site visit are the responsibility of each traveler, and the standard mode of transportation during site visits includes public transportation, such as trains and buses, or ride shares, such as taxis and Uber/Lyft. These costs are in addition to the term-billed fee charged to each traveler. If you have been informed by anyone other than staff of the Academic Administration Business Office that any incidental costs will be reimbursed to you, you must confirm that it is the case in advance of travel with Pilar Raynor Jordan.

Courses and studios with local travel may result in incidental costs associated with local ground transportation and may not always be explicitly noted. Local travel is considered travel within and around New England, and as far as New York. Ground transportation, including public transportation and ride-shares, is the standard mode of transportation to local destinations.

In general, costs incurred while traveling are the responsibility of each traveler. Any reimbursable costs must be approved in advance by the Academic Administration Business Office.

Occasionally, students traveling in conjunction with a course will be permitted to book their own airfare. In such instances, approval must be granted by the Academic Administration Business Office prior to booking, and expenses will be reimbursed up to the value of the group ticket. Individuals traveling on behalf of Harvard-sponsored research should expect to book their own flights. Airfare purchased on behalf of the GSD is subject to University travel policies, and all airfare for GSD studio, course, or research travel must be booked in economy. Additional costs associated with flying, such as luggage fees, are considered incidental costs and are the individual responsibility of each traveler. If you have questions regarding costs incurred while traveling, contact Pilar Raynor Jordan.

When preferred ground transportation options are not available, faculty may arrange a rental car(s)/van in conjunction with their research or course/studio trip which may qualify as a reimbursable expense. All car rentals must be approved in advance of travel by Pilar Raynor Jordan. Refer to the Car Rentals & Traveling by Ground section of this page.

Travelers can apply to receive reimbursement within 30 days following completion of the trip. All travel costs, whether reimbursable or non-reimbursable, must be approved in advance of travel by Pilar Raynor Jordan.

Car rentals must be approved in advance of travel by Pilar Raynor Jordan and should be used only in cases where taxis, rideshares, public transportation, and organized buses or vans are not available. Each driver must provide their own license and credit card to the rental agency and should familiarize themselves with Harvard’s Traveling by Ground website which provides information regarding rental cars, including preferred vendors and required insurance coverages; car services; and other ground transportation options. Those traveling with a studio or course may volunteer to rent a car on behalf of the group, but cannot be required to do so.

International car rentals are not permitted.

There will be one set group itinerary planned and arranged for all students in a studio or course based on the educational needs of the site visit. By enrolling in a course or studio with a travel component, you agree to the dates of the trip as noted in the course description or on the Option Studio Information webpage. It is recommended that students do not modify their airfare or deviate from the group itinerary; however, if modifications to the group itinerary are necessary, travelers may do so at their own expense. Flight changes are coordinated directly by the traveler with the travel agent once the ticket has been issued. If a flight change is requested due to not receiving a visa in time, please contact the travel agent and Pilar Raynor Jordan as soon as possible during regular business hours before the flight departs. Students who ultimately do not travel after tickets have been purchased will be required to pay the term-billed fee associated with the trip and may be required to reimburse the school up to the full ticket amount.

Occasionally a situation arises in which a traveler does not receive the required travel visa, immunization(s), or other travel documentation in time for their planned departure, despite their best efforts. These situations, although rare and typically outside our control, can impact a student’s ability to participate in a site visit. Assuming the traveler expeditiously took the necessary steps to obtain and complete the travel requirements, and the delays are outside of their control, an exception may be warranted to waive the term-billed fee and ticket amount.

All studio, course, and research trips are subject to security and safety considerations and may be canceled at any time.

Many site visits offered in conjunction with GSD studios, courses, and research are supported by private donors, researchers, or companies. Questions about studio sponsorship should be directed to Ashley Lang, Assistant Dean for Academic Administration.

Students electing to embark on research-related travel sponsored by the GSD must complete the steps noted above and should check in with their program coordinator prior to departure to ensure the necessary pre-departure steps are taken.

Students may miss up to one week of GSD classes each semester to participate in course or studio travel. Students traveling with an option studio or non-studio course during the regular semester may enroll in additional traveling courses if that travel falls on a single or full weekend day, or during spring break. Additional travel may not occur during the Monday-Friday class schedule. The only exception to this M-F rule is if the course in question falls on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon and the additional travel includes one of those two additional time periods. As always with course travel, students must inform their instructors ahead of time about any absences and are responsible for catching up on missed work.