A glossary of terms appears at the end of this page.

Enrollment and Eligibility Policies

Program Enrollment (Deposit Policy)

An $850 deposit is required to hold your (the applicant’s) space on a Dragons program session as you complete the admissions process and until the final payment deadline. This payment includes a $250 non-refundable application processing fee. Dragons cannot guarantee a space on a program until a deposit is paid and the applicant is accepted. After the final payment deadline, tuition payments must be submitted according to the appropriate schedule to continue holding a guaranteed space. Students may reserve a space on only one program or waitlist at a time for programs within the same session.  See “Cancellation & Refund Policies” below for information about deposit refunds.

Waitlist Policy

When all spaces on a program session have been reserved, Dragons may choose to open a waitlist for that program. A deposit is required to hold a space on the waitlist. Waitlist priority is determined by the date the participant’s deposit was received by Dragons, even if it was originally applied to a different program. If space becomes available on the desired program, applicants will be notified by email in order of priority. Applicants must confirm enrollment by a specified deadline or the space will be offered to the next participant on the waitlist.

If no space opens on the desired program, Waitlisted applicants are eligible for a refund in the full amount of the deposit.

Eligibility for Travel

To be accepted to a program, applicants must have completed one year of high school or equivalent and meet the minimum Essential Eligibility Criteria required for participation in a Dragons program. Dragons may also deny admission to the program for reasons not listed in the Essential Eligibility Criteria. Once accepted, participants must also comply with the following policies to maintain eligibility for participation.

• Travel Documents: At least 90 days prior to program session start, Participants must be in possession of a valid passport for international travel with adequate useable visa pages. The date of expiration must be greater than 6 months from the date of course end. Dragons cannot procure travel documents on participants’ behalf.
• Visas: Participants are responsible for procuring the adequate travel visa(s) necessary for program participation. When relevant, Dragons will provide visa guidelines for U.S. passport holders and can recommend an optional visa processing agency. Dragons cannot guarantee that participants will be granted visas or directly provide services to obtain visas. Dragons does not provide visa guidelines for non-U.S. passport holders.  
• Vaccinations: Dragons does not require any immunizations other than those mandated by host countries, where applicable. However, we do strongly recommend that all travelers receive routine and travel-specific vaccinations, including the COVID-19 vaccine, according to current CDC recommendations. Please visit the CDC website for more information. Please remember that many of the places to which we travel have different exposure risks and may not have consistent vaccination standards. Arriving with current vaccinations helps to ensure your own health and safety and minimizes potential risks posed to the communities we visit.
• Required Documents:
  • Medical Form: All admitted participants are responsible for submitting a completed, signed medical form that completely and accurately represents the current mental and physical health of the participant. If further communication with a medical or mental health care provider is deemed necessary, the participant agrees to arrange a release of information with the provider and gives permission to Dragons to contact providers directly. Participants must also notify Dragons if any changes to mental or physical health occur after form submission.
  • Participant Agreement: Participants and guardians of minor participants are required to read and sign a “Participant Agreement” outlining behavioral expectations and policies prior to participating in our program.
  • Limitation of Liability: Participants and guardians of minor participants are required to read and sign an “Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risk and Release and Indemnity Agreement” prior to participating in our program.
  • Additional Required Documents: Dragons may request additional required documents to confirm participant eligibility at any time.

In addition to the above requirements for eligibility, Dragons staff reserve the right to disqualify any accepted participant from participation if considered medically necessary, or upon discovery that a participant or their representative has falsely represented the participant during the admissions or course preparation process.

Pre-Departure Program Cancellation

Dragons reserves the right to cancel any program due to insufficient enrollment or health, safety, or security concerns in the host country beyond our control. Refund policies in this event are detailed in the “Cancellation & Refund Policies” section below.

Program Policies

Flight Policies

For information about Dragons Flight Policies, please visit https://www.wheretherebedragons.com/flights-insurance-fees/.

Flexible Program Itineraries

Dragons intention is to create courses that address the goals and program elements listed in each program description. Course itineraries are flexible and often vary from itineraries published on the website or Yak Board. When changes are made to incorporate student goals and interests or adjust to the health of the group, or are made necessary because of foul weather, problems with transportation, political unrest, or any other unforeseen problem, Dragons will make every reasonable effort to keep the course experience true to its original intent.

Program Amenities

Course tuition covers the following expenses during scheduled session dates, from a participant’s arrival at their Program Start Location until their departure from their Program End Location:

• All accommodation
• All meals
• All transportation
• Museum, park, and temple entrance fees
• Donations to charitable causes in the host country
• Instructor, faculty, and extra guide fees
• On-site equipment rental (e.g. bike rental, snorkel rental, etc.)

Tuition does NOT include personal expenses such as the cost of obtaining passports, visa fees, laundry, medical fees, evacuation costs, airport taxes, email, health or travel insurance, extra baggage fees, phone calls, lodging before or after international travel, academic supplies, etc. The costs of international airfare and ISOS insurance are not included in tuition, but are billed as separate line items on the final program invoice.

Medical Treatment and Evacuation

In the event of a medical emergency, Dragons will attempt to procure medical treatment; however, we assume no liability regarding the provision of medical care. All costs associated with medical care must be borne by the participant. Applicants are urged to check their insurance coverage for its adequacy when outside of their own country, or to purchase travel health insurance. All participants are enrolled in an evacuation service and insurance plan, billed on the final program invoice. Click here for more information about this plan. Participants and their family are responsible for understanding the limits of any medical or evacuation policy, and for providing up-front payment for emergency and/or medical services when required.

In-field Program Cancellation & Re-Routing

Dragons may choose to cancel or re-route a program that is in progress if circumstances arise that, in Dragons judgment, make the continuation of a program no longer tenable. Circumstances that could result in a cancellation or re-route may include natural disaster, epidemic, political turmoil, government recommendation, etc. In such situations, Dragons will explore reasonable options to re-route the program to another Dragons-selected location or will cancel the program session. Dragons will take reasonable steps to notify the participant of their options and limit costs associated with the occurrence, to the extent possible. However, participants are financially responsible for expenditures exceeding normal program budget such as alternative international flights, travel, academic, and accommodation costs, and must reimburse Dragons for any financial obligation incurred in this regard. If a program session is canceled after course start, or if a participant chooses not to continue on a program that is re-routed, no refund will be issued.

For students participating in for-credit courses, if alternative arrangements cannot be made, Dragons will make reasonable efforts to collect documentation of the participant’s work completed prior to program cancellation. In collaboration with our School of Record, Dragons will determine if sufficient academic work was completed to warrant award of full or partial academic credit.

Dragons Rules and Regulations

If a participant violates any portion of the Dragons Participant Agreement or otherwise acts in a way that is injurious to themself, people of the host country, other participants on the program, or generally conducts themself in a way that is disruptive to the program, Dragons reserves the right to send the participant home without refund. Participants sent home early or who voluntarily choose to depart early for any reason, including but not limited to sickness, personal emergencies, or injury, will be responsible for all associated costs, including medical costs and related travel and logistical costs associated with an early departure.

Reasonable Accommodations

Dragons is committed to providing participants with reasonable accommodations whenever possible. Accommodations are modifications or services that give a participant with a disability, medical, or religious need the opportunity to benefit from the programmatic experience. All decisions on accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. Accommodations that would require a fundamental alteration in the program offered or would result in an undue burden or hardship on Dragons will not be provided. Fundamental alterations are generally defined as actions that would substantially change the program because a participant would not be able to perform the essential requirements of a program (with or without accommodations) or that the in-country limitations could pose a direct threat to the participant’s physical health or safety. Undue burden or hardship means accommodations that are unduly costly, extensive, disruptive, or would substantially alter Dragons operations.

Tuition Payment

Full payment of total program cost is due 120 days prior to scheduled session departure. Students accepted within 127 days of departure must submit full payment within 2 weeks of acceptance. Students accepted within 90 days of departure must submit full payment within 48 hours of acceptance. Within 21 days of departure, additional terms apply (listed below). Deviations from standard payment due dates are permitted only with explicit written approval from Dragons. Additional fees incurred at any time after the full payment due date are payable immediately upon invoicing.

Tuition payments made exclusively by check or wire are eligible for a one-time cash discount. If you choose not to deduct the eligible discount, those funds will be allocated to the Dragons financial aid budget and will not be refunded.

Late Enrollment Policies

New enrollments within 21 days of a program’s departure are subject to special refund and cancellation policies.

From 21 days to 8 days prior to departure, new deposits are 100% non-refundable. Students must schedule their interview within 48 hours of receiving an interview invitation, and full tuition payment is due within 48 hours of acceptance to the program.

Seven (7) days or fewer prior to departure, full tuition payment is required to reserve a space on the program. An interview must be scheduled within 24 hours of receiving the invitation. All payments are non-refundable upon acceptance to the program. If the applicant is denied admission, all payments will be refunded less $850.

Cancellation & Refund Policies

Cancellation Initiated by Participant

Because Dragons makes commitments and other financial decisions in advance of a program session based upon enrollment, financial penalties apply if a participant cancels their participation. Penalties change according to the timing of the cancellation. The following policies apply in all cases, regardless of the reason the participant chooses to cancel their participation in the program session.

1. All notice of cancellation must be received in writing.
2. After submitting the $850 deposit, participants may cancel participation and receive a $600 refund for 21 days from the date of deposit or up to 24 hours after being accepted to the program, whichever comes first. The $250 application fee is non-refundable for any reason. After 21 days or 24 hours after acceptance, the full deposit becomes non-refundable for any reason. Applicants who are denied admission automatically receive a $600 refund.
   1. Eligible participants may choose to receive a credit toward a future session in the amount of the full $850 deposit instead of a $600 refund, subject to additional terms and limitations.
   2. Participants not eligible for a refund may choose to receive a $600 credit toward a future session, subject to additional terms and limitations. 
3. Payment of remaining program costs is due according to the schedule laid out in the “Tuition Payment” section above. Upon cancellation, tuition refunds are limited based on the following cancellation schedule:
   1. Non-deposit payments are refundable up to 120 days prior to the scheduled program session start date. 
   2. From 120 days until 90 days before program session start, 50% of the total program cost is refundable, and 50% of program cost is non-refundable for any reason.
   3. 90 days prior to program session start, all payments are non-refundable for any reason.
   4. Payments toward program cost may be applied toward the cost of a different program during the same session. Payments may not be applied as credits to future sessions.
   5. If tuition was paid by credit card, the corresponding Payment Service Fee amount will not be refunded.

Cancellation Initiated by Where There Be Dragons

Dragons reserves the right to cancel any program session due to insufficient enrollment, entry restrictions, or health, safety, or security concerns in the host country that are beyond our control.

1. If Dragons cancels a program session due to insufficient enrollment, participants may choose to transfer all payments made to another program with open spaces during the same session. Alternately, participants may request a full refund of all payments.
2. If Dragons cancels a program session prior to the scheduled start date due to entry restrictions or health, safety, or security concerns in the host country that are beyond our control, Dragons will refund all tuition less costs already incurred (i.e., flight fares, hotel bookings, etc.) and less the deposit of $850.
3. If Dragons cancels a program session after the scheduled start date for reasons beyond our control, no refund will be granted. See the “In-Field Program Cancellation & Re-Routing” section above for more detail regarding this possibility.
4. In all cases, Dragons is not responsible for other costs incurred by clients in preparing for the program.

Applicants whose participation is canceled by Dragons due to any reason outlined in the “Eligibility for Travel” section of these Terms are not eligible for any refund, except as  determined by Dragons on a case-by-case basis.

Special Trip Insurance

Where There Be Dragons is not responsible for costs associated with canceled participation, program sessions canceled for reasons beyond our control or due to low enrollment, evacuations, and/or separations from programs. Examples of these costs are: tuition, non-refundable flights, and international flight costs incurred by program rerouting due to health, safety, or security concerns. Participants may choose to purchase a third-party insurance policy to recoup a portion of their expenditures if participation is canceled. This insurance is optional. While Dragons partners with TravMark to offer A+ Program protection, participants may purchase insurance from any provider of their choice. Please direct all questions to the insurance provider directly.

Binding Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions are binding upon submission of any payment to Where There Be Dragons and are subject to change without notice at any time.  All dollar amounts are in USD.

Glossary of Terms

Participant, Student, or Applicant = Any person enrolled in or applying for admission to a Where There Be Dragons program. The same policies apply to any representative (i.e. family member) of the participant. 

Dragons = Where There Be Dragons, LLC. 

Program = The specific course for which a participant is enrolled. For example, “South America Semester” or “4-week Guatemala Summer.”

Session = The programming season during which a program is scheduled to take place. For example, “Summer 2022” or “Spring 2023.”

Program Session = The specific instance of a course occurring at a particular time, for example, “Fall 2022 South America Semester” or “Summer 2023 Guatemala 4-week.” 

Program Start Location = The final arrival destination of the Dragons Group Flight at Program session start.

Program End Location = The gateway departure airport of the Dragons Group Flight at Program session end.

Total Program Cost = All costs incurred by program participants, including Tuition, Flight costs, Insurance Costs, and any other applicable fees invoiced by Dragons.

Enrollment Process Submit a Deposit