Participating on a Chazen Study Tour
Scheduled Visits
International Study Tours are designed for students who want the opportunity to learn firsthand about other business cultures. Students meet with leading executives, government officials, and alumni while visiting company headquarters, factories, and cultural sites. Students have an average of two company visits a day (8-10 throughout the week), and all meetings are mandatory. Students are traveling on behalf of Columbia Business School and are expected to act as ambassadors of the School brand by actively participating in company visits and alumni receptions.
Signing Up
Interested students submit a paragraph of 100 words
explaining why they are interested in the particular Study Tour to an online lottery
site which is open for 2-7 days. If there are fewer students in the lottery than
the cap, they will all be directed to a website for payment of their deposits
at the end of the lottery period. If there are more students in the lottery
than the cap, the computer will randomly select participants who will be
directed to a website for payment of their deposits. Once directed, students
have 24 hours to pay their deposit online or they forfeit their spot on the Tour.
If the Study Tour does not fill to capacity during the lottery period, it is
open on a first-come, first-served basis. Only current, full-time Columbia Business School
students allowed to sign-up (no significant others).
Some Tours give priority to certain classes (1st or 2nd
year) or to particular clubs. If applicable, this will be noted. Tours have a minimum
number of 10 students and a maximum of 40. Some Tours may have lower caps for logistical reasons.
Timing
Tours take place over school vacation periods, usually late December/early January and March, with occasional May or August tours. Study Tours last between 7 and 10 days. Sign-ups for Winter Tours generally take place in September. However, some Tours, such as India, have sign-ups in the summer due to the heavy tourist season. Sign-ups for Spring Tours take place in late November.
Finances
Costs vary depending on the Study Tour. However, in general, Tour fees include hotel (based on double occupancy), local transportation, some meals, guides and tips. Many Tours also include a group international airfare option. Students are expected to stay in the same hotel. Payments are a two-step process: students pay a non-refundable deposit upon sign-up and later make a final payment 4-6 weeks before the trip. Students may request to increase their loan eligibility by filing a budget appeal for the cost of the tour after the balance is paid. A budget increase does not ensure alternative loan approval. International students with a no-cosigner loan will not be able to borrow additional amounts in this loan program. All questions or concerns should be directed to finaid@gsb.columbia.edu.
Please note: Students with holds on their student accounts
(e.g. tuition, immunization, etc.) will be unable to participate in Chazen
Study Tours. It is each student's responsibility to reconcile his/her account
prior to submitting their deposit for a tour.
Study Tour Paper Series
Students may also choose to produce research papers on
real-time business issues in their study tour region to submit for a Study Tour
Paper Contest. For more information contact chazen@columbia.edu. To see past papers, please visit the Chazen Web Journal of International Business.
If you would like to propose a study tour, review Organizing
a Tour.
View destinations, itineraries and slide shows for recent
study tours.
