With tours beginning to run in a variety of destinations, your students’ health and well-being continues to be our top priority. We are taking the necessary steps to help keep EF groups as safe as possible, and our thoughtful approach to travel means you can once again explore the world with confidence whenever you’re ready. Below, find out how we’re equipped to handle any situation that comes up, before or during your travels.

Thoughtful travel
Your network of support
Flexible policies

Thoughtful travel

We’re beyond excited to be getting back on the road—but most importantly, we remain committed to traveling thoughtfully, with a customized approach to every destination, itinerary, and group. When you travel with EF, you can feel safe, prepared, and supported, knowing you’ll always receive the following:

Constant communication
Our safety teams receive real-time updates from local and federal authorities around the world. Prior to departure, we ensure our health and safety standards can be met in the places we travel to and by the suppliers we work with.

The experience you expect
From hotels and restaurants to activities and attractions, our Departure Specialists and teams on the ground in the destinations we travel to are working hard to deliver the transformative on-tour experiences you expect from EF.

Flexibility for you
We understand the world looks a bit different right now—and the decision to travel is a personal one. That is why we remain committed to providing flexible policies and options for you and your groups so you are prepared for takeoff when the time is right.

Your network of support

EF’s Safety First program

This program is provided to all groups and was created to provide the safest possible tour experience for our customers.

EF’s unmatched global presence
With 600 schools and offices in 50 countries worldwide, including regional offices dedicated to on-tour support, our global presence is truly unmatched. Our 50,000+ staff and faculty members around the world provide a local presence and are able to react quickly and in person where necessary. Plus, the staff in each office and school are trained to respond to a wide range of emergency situations.

Dedicated Emergency Service and Incident Response Teams
EF’s Emergency Service & Support Team is available 24/7 to resolve any issue, from a missed flight to a lost passport to more serious on-tour incidents. They also facilitate communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency at home. The Emergency Service & Support Team is made up of highly trained, dedicated EF staff based in our Boston, Denver, and Austin offices who are equipped to solve problems and answer questions that may come up, even outside of regular business hours. This team also maintains direct communication with our Operations Safety & Incident Response Team to jointly solve issues as needed.

Background checks on adult travelers
We conduct background checks on all adults traveling on our student tours. This is meant to help provide a safer tour experience for all travelers, and is a similar process to what many school districts implement for adults who volunteer in schools or chaperone school activities. Background checks take place through a secure process that is meant to specifically identify individuals who could present a risk to student travelers while on tour.

Our team is your team

When you partner with EF, you get access to everything we have to offer, starting with a network of experienced Global Education Ambassadors (teachers just like you who have already traveled with students). They can help answer any questions you may have about the tour experience. We’ll also team you up with your own personal Tour Consultant, who will work with you and your school to make the entire tour process as smooth as possible. And our Traveler Support Specialists are the go-to team for parents and students for any how-tos or what-ifs. But that’s not it. Not even close. There are many more people here at EF to help you out. Meet the rest of the team, even those behind the scenes, who work to guarantee you and your students have the best possible travel experience.

Flexible policies

Peace of Mind program

We understand that plans can change due to unforeseen circumstances. EF provides an exclusive Peace of Mind program to account for such situations. This program is automatically included for all travelers and can be enacted at the group level for any reason, including terrorism, pandemics, or other world events. Please see an overview below, then read the full Terms & Conditions here.

If your group is traveling after October 1, 2022, your Group Leader may choose from the following options:

45 days or more prior to departure:

• Work with EF to modify your group’s current tour itinerary and dates, or find a new tour and apply all money paid to the new tour
• Cancel your tour and all travelers will receive a transferable Future Travel Voucher in the amount of all monies paid for the original tour, less the cost of any purchased Travel Protection plan
• Cancel your tour with applicable fees under the Standard Cancellation Policy

44 days or less prior to departure:

• If any location(s) included in the group’s itinerary is newly designated as a Travel Advisory Level 4 by the U.S. Department of State; or a U.S. federal or state governmental authority has newly imposed a travel ban to your destination, or newly issued an order requiring a self-quarantine for travelers in your group upon arrival to a location on your itinerary or upon return home from a location on your group’s itinerary; your Group Leader or the individual traveler will have the same Peace of Mind options set forth above.

Traveling before October 1, 2022?
Read about the industry-leading safety and coverage programs your group qualifies for here.

Global Travel Protection plan

Designed specifically with EF travelers in mind, this plan provides both pre-departure and post-departure benefits, including medical expense coverage that may apply on tour and tour cancellation for the stated reasons below. The plan costs $165 and is available to all travelers. It can be added from the time of enrollment up until 75 days before departure.

Trip Cancellation coverage
This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. If a traveler needs to cancel a trip due to reasons specified in the plan, this reimburses non-refundable pre-paid payments.

Illness and accident coverage
Provides benefits related to hospital bills, doctors’ fees, and medical transportation associated with on-tour illnesses or injuries, as well as travel and accommodation expenses for a family member to be with your child while hospitalized in the event of a life-threatening illness.

Trip Interruption coverage
This plan includes Trip Interruption coverage. If a traveler needs to interrupt a tour due to serious injury or illness, this provides a benefit.

Protection for your belongings
Coverage for baggage in cases of theft or delay.

Trip delay coverage
Coverage for expenses due to trip delays (lodging, food, and other reasonable expenses plus limited reimbursement of unused, forfeited, prepaid non-refundable payments for travel arrangements).

Emergency evacuation coverages
This plan includes coverages that can provide a benefit in the unlikely event a traveler should need to return home unexpectedly due to a natural disaster or unrest.

Nonrefundable fees are outlined in EF’s Booking Conditions.

The Global Travel Protection plan includes insured components that are underwritten by US Fire Insurance Company and cancellation fee waivers provided by EF Educational Tours. You can find further details of the policy, coverage limits, and exclusions here.

Global Travel Protection Plus Plan 

Travelers can further protect their investment from the unexpected with the offered Global Travel Protection Plus plan. This plan provides all of the coverage included in the Global Travel Protection plan listed above, as well as expanded cancellation protection (detailed below). This plan costs $460 and must be purchased at the time of enrollment.

Cancel for Any Reason*
The Global Travel Protection Plus plan provides a refund of the Program Price (minus the cost of the plan and other non-refundable fees) if your child needs to cancel their tour up to 24 hours prior to departure for any reason.

Trip Cancellation coverage
This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. If a traveler needs to cancel a trip due to reasons specified in the plan, this reimburses non-refundable pre-paid payments.

Illness and accident coverage
Provides benefits related to hospital bills, doctors’ fees, and medical transportation associated with on-tour illnesses or injuries, as well as travel and accommodation expenses for a family member to be with your child while hospitalized in the event of a life-threatening illness. Subject to policy limits and exclusions.

Trip Interruption coverage
This plan includes Trip Interruption coverage. If a traveler needs to interrupt a tour due to serious injury or illness, this provides a benefit.

Protection for your belongings
Coverage for baggage in cases of theft or delay.

Trip delay coverage
Coverage for expenses due to trip delays (lodging, food, and other reasonable expenses plus limited reimbursement of unused, forfeited, prepaid non-refundable payments for travel arrangements).

Emergency evacuation coverages
This plan includes coverages that can provide a benefit in the unlikely event a traveler should need to return home unexpectedly due to a natural disaster or unrest.

Nonrefundable fees are outlined in EF’s Booking Conditions.

* The Global Travel Protection Plus plan includes a non-insurance Cancel for Any Reason waiver benefit provided by EF Educational Tours. The non-insurance Cancel for Any Reason waiver benefit provided by EF Educational Tours provides a cash refund for trip costs paid to EF Educational Tours for cancellation prior to departure. For plans issued in New York, customers can purchase the non-insurance Cancel for Any Reason waiver separately from the rest of the travel protection plan. For further details, please contact Specialty Insurance Solutions at 877-974-7462 ext. 321.

For additional details regarding the insurance components of this plan, underwritten by US Fire Insurance Company, including coverage limits and a full list of exclusions, please visit this page.

—

EF will be there for you (whenever you’re ready). Until then, browse our tours for a little inspiration.

Editors’ note (2021): This piece has been updated for clarity, accuracy, and relevance.