Travel Study Student Guide

The Application Portal is the most comprehensive source of Travel Study information and will be updated throughout the year. Please check the Portal regularly.

As a registered Travel Study program participant, you can access the your online portal for important program details and update some of your personal information.

Through the Application Portal, participants can:

• Upload a copy of your passport
• Update your passport information
• Update your health history
• Select a roommate
• Register for optional courses, if offered on your program
• Learn about your next steps!

MyUCLA is UCLA’s online student records system. As a Travel Study participant, you now have access to MyUCLA. Current UCLA students will have some applicant information automatically pulled in from MyUCLA. If you wish to make changes to that information (name, email address, etc.) please do so in MyUCLA and allow 24-48 hours for your IEO portal account to update.

Through the MyUCLA, participants can:

• View and update third-party authorization
• View course enrollments (beginning March)
• Pay Travel Study final balance (early March – April 1)
• View grades and order transcripts (beginning October)

New to MyUCLA

For first-time users of MyUCLA, you will need your UCLA ID number to create a login ID and password. Your UCLA ID number is included in your Travel Study confirmation e-mail.

Lost ID or Password

If you forget your MyUCLA login ID or password, you can look up your login ID and reset your password at the MyUCLA website.

Deposit

A non-refundable $300 deposit is required at the time of registration in order to secure your space on a Travel Study program. This deposit is never returned, even if you cancel before April 2, 2025 program fee refund deadline. The $300 deposit will be applied to your Travel Study program fee. For example, if your program fee is $8,000 before you commit, your bill in the spring will be $7,700 once your deposit is credited to your summer BruinBill.

Final Payment

Final payment for your Travel Study program is due March 21, 2025. You will not receive a paper billing statement in the mail. E-mail reminders will be sent to you. By agreeing to participate in a UCLA Travel Study program, you must commit to checking your email and portal frequently for updates from our office.

You may review your balance on MyUCLA beginning in March. You will need your UCLA ID Number to access MyUCLA for the first time (please see the section on MyUCLA above).

The final payment deadline is deferred for eligible Financial Aid students (who have completed all of the financial aid requirements, documentation, processes, etc.).

UCLA financial aid will disburse directly to the student’s billing account. Visiting financial aid recipients must complete and upload t a Non-UCLA Financial Aid Agreement Form (found in your application portal) by March 21, 2025 to defer the final payment. Visiting financial aid recipients must pay their program balance in full at least ten days prior to the program start date.

Students eligible for Veteran Benefits will need to complete a benefits request process by March 21, 2025 in order to defer the final payment. More detailed information about the process can be found on our Veteran Benefits page. Travel Study will also notify you when it’s time to complete the Veteran’s Benefits process.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel your registration, the following applies:

• The $300 deposit is non-refundable
• Paid program fees (minus the $300 deposit) are refundable until April 2, 2025
• No refunds are available after April 2, 2025
• Cancellation and refund policies apply to ALL Financial Aid Students as well
• Failure to cancel prior to the April 2, 2025 deadline will result in a bill for the full program fee. Financial aid is not available for students who cancel their program.

In order to cancel once you have registered, please notify the Travel Study team by emailing “info@ieo.ucla.edu” with the subject line “Travel Study Program Cancellation Request”. Your message will be directed to the appropriate staff member for assistance.

In the event that Travel Study must cancel a program, all registered students will be notified immediately and given a refund of all recoverable costs. Full details will be provided should a cancellation be necessary.

Withdrawals after a program has begun

UCLA discourages students from withdrawing after a program has begun. Successful programs require the full participation of all students, and we hope students are prepared to complete the program. However, we recognize that, due to unforeseen circumstances, some students may need to leave a program early. In these rare instances, students must meet with their program director and complete a withdrawal form obtained from the UCLA International Education Office. If a petition to withdraw is approved, students must vacate the program housing by the deadline provided when your request is approved.

Required Courses

Each Travel Study program has a required course curriculum. Travel Study students are automatically enrolled in this curriculum by the UCLA International Education Office. These courses are mandatory and cannot be dropped without terminating your participation in the program. You can review your course enrollments beginning in March on MyUCLA. Students are responsible for ensuring they do not already have credit for the mandatory program courses (financial aid cannot be awarded for duplicate credit).

Optional Fee-Bearing Courses

Some Travel Study programs offer an optional 199 Directed Research course in addition to the required curriculum. The Optional Course registration will begin in early March , 2025. Students can indicate their intention to add optional course(s) by completing the “Travel Study: Optional Course Enrollment Request Form” in your Application Portal.

UCLA students may add or drop the optional course as follows:

• Add course – All optional courses require instructor consent. Please contact the instructor to discuss the details of your project. Once you are ready to add the course, return to the portal and complete the enrollment request form. You can enroll up until the Friday of the second week of your program.
• Drop course– drop by August 29, 2025 on MyUCLA to receive a refund for the optional course; After August 29th, optional courses may be dropped with no refund until September 12, 2025, the last day of Summer Session C.

Non-UCLA Students must also select the optional course in the registration portal and obtain instructor consent by the Friday of the second week of their program in order to enroll.

Optional Course Fees: $279 per unit for UC Undergrad Students /$374 per unit for UC Grad Students/$385 per unit for Visiting Students. Optional Course fees are due by August 29, 2025.

For more information about required and optional courses for your program, please visit the curriculum section of the program website.

GPA Requirement

Students are required to be in good academic standing at their home institution during the spring quarter (or semester) prior to participation in Travel Study. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal from the program and cancellation of course enrollment.

Grading Basis

UCLA Travel Study programs are of a serious academic nature. Grades transfer automatically to other UC’s and they become part of your permanent academic record.

All Travel Study courses must be taken for a letter grade. Auditing and pass/no pass are not allowed for Travel Study programs.

Grades and Transcripts

Grades should be available via MyUCLA after October 1.

• UCLA Students: Summer grades are usually posted to your regular transcript when fall grades are processed.
• Other UC Students: Transcripts are available after October 15.
• Non-UC Students: Official hard copy transcripts are usually available after October 1.

To request an official transcript, visit MyUCLA.

Student Participation Agreement

As part of the registration process, you agreed to stipulations in a comprehensive participation agreement and waiver of liability.

UCLA Student Code of Conduct

Your participation in a UCLA Travel Study Program makes you a representative of UCLA. Therefore, you must adhere to the UCLA Student Code of Conduct. Students are subject to disciplinary action for several types of misconduct or attempted misconduct, including but not limited to:

• Dishonesty, such as cheating, multiple submission, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University;
• Forgery, alteration, or misuse of University documents, keys, or identification;
• Theft of, damage to, or destruction of any property of the University or property of others while on University premises, as well as on the premises of all property provided by the UCLA Travel Study Program;
• Failure to pay bills for extra services or incidentals associated with the Travel Study program;
• Unauthorized entry to or use of University properties, equipment, or resources, including those abroad;
• Disruption of teaching, research, administration, or other University activities;
• Physical abuse, threats of violence, rape, or other forms of sexual assault, or conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person on University property or in connection with official University functions, including those activities taking place abroad;
• Disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, or failure to comply with the directions of a University employee acting in his/her official capacity;
• Use, possession, sale, distribution, or manufacture of alcohol on University properties or at official University functions;
• Unlawful use, possession, sale, distribution, or manufacture of controlled substances, identified in federal and state laws or regulations, on University properties or at official University functions.

All participants must abide by the UCLA Student Code of Conduct along with the Travel Study Policy and Participation agreements. Please be sure to review and sign them in your portal in order to confirm your spot on your program. Students in violation of the code of conduct and agreements will be expelled from the program at the instructor’s discretion. Violations of the code of conduct will be referred to the Dean of Students and may also result in a decision by the student’s UC campus to impose further sanctions, such as suspension or dismissal from the University.

In the event a student is expelled, the student is not eligible to receive a refund of any of the fees paid to UCLA. Expelled students will not be permitted to participate in any program activity or be entitled to any program benefits including, but not limited to, travel, meals, and housing. Furthermore, the student will be responsible for any additional costs incurred for lodging and transportation once expelled.

Alcohol, Marijuana, and other Controlled Substances

Drinking alcohol while socializing is common in many parts of the world. The attitude in some countries toward alcohol may be much different than in the United States. The use of drugs or other illicit substances is not tolerated on any Travel Study program. Some countries also prohibit medical/recreational use of marijuana. Legal punishments may be equal to, or more severe than, in the United States. Please be sure to review local laws and customs for any prescription medication and other substances as they may not be allowed in your host country. If you have questions or concerns, please speak with your Travel Study program coordinator.

Drinking in some countries is part of the social experience, but not the focus of it. Excessive drinking or drunken behavior is not acceptable. Public drunkenness is illegal in many countries. If your consumption of alcohol or other substances becomes disruptive to your program, it is cause for immediate expulsion. If you choose to drink, please be responsible.

Avoiding Legal Difficulties

When you are in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws and are under its jurisdiction NOT the protection of the U.S. Constitution. You can be arrested overseas for actions that may be either legal or considered minor infractions in the United States. Be aware of what is considered criminal in the country where you are.

If you are arrested on a drug or criminal charge, it is important that you know what can and cannot be done. Always use your one phone call to contact the nearest United States embassy or consulate.

The U.S. Consular Officer CAN:

• visit you in jail after being notified of your arrest;
• give you a list of local attorneys;
• intercede with local authorities to make sure your rights under local law are fully observed and that you are treated humanely;
• protest mistreatment or abuse to the appropriate authorities.

The U.S. Consular Officer CANNOT:

• demand your immediate release or get you out of jail;
• represent you at trial or give legal counsel;
• pay legal fees or fines with U.S. government funds.

Passports

All students on international Travel Study programs are required to have a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date you expect to return to the United States. Allow at least 7-10 weeks for your passport application to be processed if you do not currently have a valid passport.

For information on obtaining a passport, visit the State Department Web site.

Visas

U.S. citizens will not need a visa to participate in most Travel Study programs.

Participants in certain programs will receive information about obtaining their visas.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, a tourist visa may be required. Please visit the consular Web sites for the countries you will be visiting (or transiting through) for instructions on obtaining the appropriate visa(s). Do not apply for a student visa.

Flights

You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements to and from your program destination. Please wait to purchase airfare until notified by your program coordinator (typically late March/early April). Some programs may require you to arrange transportation during the program. Be sure to follow flight instructions for your program carefully. Late arrival to the program (after official start date) and/or early departure (before the official end date) are not permitted.

We recommend shopping around for airfares early to get a sense of pricing and exploring refundable ticket options.

There are also a variety of Web sites designed for booking air travel. You might compare flight prices on some of the following sites:

• kayak.com
• bookingbuddy.com
• Carrier Websites (ex. United, American, Delta, etc.)

The use of other third-party travel or airline websites is not affiliated with UCLA. Please use caution before entering payment information on sites you are not familiar with. 

Travel Study housing is required for all participants and is restricted to enrolled participants only. Guests (includes spouses, children, other family members and friends) are not allowed in Travel Study housing or on any Travel Study related activity. The International Education Office does not assist with housing arrangements for family, friends, or other guests of Travel Study participants. The International Education Office does not make housing arrangements for students arriving prior to the program start date or after the program concludes. Participants must make their own housing arrangements for early arrivals and late departures outside of the published program dates. Arriving late to the program or departing early are not permitted.

Roommates

Program accommodations are typically based on double or triple occupancy. You may request another program participant as your roommate any time before the deadline noted in your portal. Otherwise, a roommate will be selected for you. Please note that UCLA cannot guarantee requests for roommates of the opposite gender can be accommodated abroad. Some programs may have gender inclusive housing options and participants will be notified if available. If you did not indicate a roommate request at the time of registration, you may log in to the Application Portal to make your request. Both participants must request each other for assignment to be considered.

Meals

In most cases, you will have very few meals provided on your program. Please see your program’s brochure for more details on meals during your stay. Budget accordingly based on how you much you spend in Los Angeles for food and adjust based on local costs of living.

Vegetarian and Other Diets

When possible, we will try to provide vegetarian options at group meals. Please keep in mind that in many countries vegetarianism and veganism will not always be understood. Also, note that the diversity of food options available at home may not exist abroad. If vegetarian/vegan options exist in the country you are visiting, they may be quite limited. If you have other dietary restrictions, please be aware that the program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Be sure to notify the International Education Office of any dietary requirements you may have. We will do our best to accommodate you.

Safety in Housing

• Keep your door locked at all times. Meet visitors in the lobby.
• Do not leave money and other valuables in your room while you are out.
• If you are staying in a hotel, use the hotel safe (but do not forget to empty it before checkout).
• Let someone know when you expect to return if you are out late at night or leave town.
• If you are alone, do not get on an elevator if there is a suspicious-looking person inside.
• Do not tell strangers where you are staying.
• Know how to report a fire. Be sure you know where the nearest fire exits and alternate exits are located.

Careful planning of your finances is important. Adjusting to a new currency and to the prices in a new country can produce some anxiety.

As you prepare for your trip:

• Create a budget for personal expenses (airfare, textbooks, meals, optional excursions, etc.). Remember, your budget will depend on personal choices about travel, food, entertainment, purchases, etc.
• With regard to spending money, make it last the duration of your trip. Always overestimate your spending. Budget your extra food money first. When buying gifts or souvenirs think about how you will transport them home.
• The exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies are not fixed. The rates change daily. Visit oanda.comto get a sense of how rates change.
• It is best to take a combination of debit card, credit card, and a small amount of cash. Keep an accurate record of a credit card and ATM card numbers separate from the cards themselves. Make a list of phone numbers to report lost or stolen cards and checks. Remember, 1-800 numbers do not work overseas. Do not take traveler’s checks! They are no longer accepted and very difficult to cash in most destinations.
• You will likely need some cash when you arrive at your destination. Obtain about $200 in local currency before you depart or upon arrival. Your bank may be able to provide you with Euros or other common currency if you request it well in advance. As a backup, withdraw a small amount from an ATM at the airport upon arrival rather than visiting a currency exchange stand (ATM’s often have better exchange rates).
• Keep in mind that your bank may charge an ATM transaction fee for each withdrawal. Check with your bank before you go and include those fees in your budget.
• Travel Study strongly recommends that all students travel with a credit card for emergency purposes. If you do not have a credit card, consider applying now.

Handling money and documents safely:

• Withdraw cash from ATMs only as needed. Be aware of your surroundings when withdrawing money.
• Do not flash large amounts of money when paying a bill. Make sure your credit card is returned to you after each transaction.
• If paying using your phone (preferred in some countries), be sure you have sufficient security measures set up in advance.
• Only use authorized agents when you exchange money, buy airline tickets, or purchase souvenirs.
• If your possessions are lost or stolen, report the loss immediately to the local police. Keep a copy of the police report for insurance claims. Ask the police to provide you with an English translation of the police report (if necessary).
• After reporting missing items to the police, report the loss or theft of:
  • credit cards to the issuing company;
  • airline tickets to the airline or travel agent;
  • passport to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Always travel light: Limit yourself to one checked bag and one carry-on. You can move more quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. You will also be less tired and less likely to set your luggage down, leaving it unattended.

Prescription medications: Remember to bring any prescription medication with you in your carry-on bag. Bring enough to last the duration of your trip. Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country first.

Money: Bring ATM cards, one or two major credit cards (Visa or Mastercard recommended), and $200 in the local currency or plan to withdraw some funds from an ATM upon arrival.

Passport: Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a color photocopy of your signed passport information page to make replacement of your passport easier in the event it is lost or stolen. Leave extra copies of these items with someone at home.

Airline tickets and travel itinerary: Make sure your itinerary is in order and the name on your airline ticket matches the name on your passport. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home in case they need to contact you in an emergency.

Cell phones: Consider your plan for phone use internationally. If you have an unlocked phone (contact your provider for details) you may wish to purchase a local SIM card while abroad. In Europe and Asia, it is fairly easy and cheap to buy a local prepaid/pay-as-you-go SIM card for your unlocked phone (this gives you a local telephone number while using the SIM card). Another option is to add an international calling + data plan from your U.S. carrier. Do not plan rely on using WiFi exclusively while abroad. In case of emergency, you need to be able to make a phone call or be able to communicate by data if WiFi access is not available. It’s better to have a plan in place in advance instead of incurring significant international roaming charges, though this can be a viable last resort.

Security: Put your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. If possible, lock your luggage (consult the airline about their locked luggage policy). Don’t bring anything you would hate to lose. Leave at home:

• valuable or expensive-looking jewelry; expensive/ obviously luxury brand suitcases;
• irreplaceable family objects or personal items;
• all unnecessary credit cards;
• Social Security card, library cards, and similar items you may routinely carry in your wallet (take your university ID though!).

If you lose your passport while traveling abroad, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Please guard your passport well!

Review the Health & Safety Guide

UCLA Travel Study
1332 Murphy Hall
International Education Office
Tel. 310-825-4995
Fax 310-825-1528
Advisors: Maureen Atalla, Rory McGillen, Erika Quiñonez, Danielle Samek

UCLA Financial Aid & Scholarships Office
(UCLA Students Only)
A129 Murphy Hall
Tel. 310-206-0400

UCLA Bookstore
Ackerman Student Union
Textbook Information: 310-206-0791

UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP)
Tel. 1-800-336-0627 (inside U.S.)

U.S. Passport Services

U.S. Department of State

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)