Terms and Conditions

RESPONSIBILITY:

National Geographic Society will provide educational enrichment for National Geographic Student Expeditions (NGSE) as the sponsoring organization and has licensed Putney Student Travel (its employees, officers, directors, successors, agents, and assigns, collectively PST), a Vermont corporation based in Putney, Vermont, to organize and administer National Geographic Student Expeditions. PST, in turn, has selected independent transportation carriers, hotels, ground operators, and other suppliers of the services connected with these expeditions ("other providers"), and those other providers are solely responsible and liable for providing their respective services.

National Geographic Society ("NGS") and PST shall not be held liable for (A) any damage to, or loss of, property or injury to, or death of, persons occasioned directly or indirectly by an act or omission of any other provider, including but not limited to any defect in any aircraft, watercraft, or vehicle operated or provided by such other provider, and (B) any loss or damage due to delay, cancellation, or disruption in any manner caused by the laws, regulations, acts or failures to act, demands, orders, or interpositions of any government or any subdivision or agent thereof, or by acts of God, strikes, fire, flood, war, rebellion, terrorism, insurrection, sickness, quarantine, epidemics, theft, or any other cause(s) beyond their control. The participant and his or her guardian waives any claim against the National Geographic Society and/or PST for any such loss, damage, injury, or death.

National Geographic Society and PST reserve the right to accept, decline to accept, or remove any participant on a National Geographic Student Expedition or to, without penalty, make a change in the published itinerary as they deem necessary or desirable.

Neither the National Geographic Society nor PST shall be liable for any air carrier's cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a nonrefundable ticket to or from the participant's National Geographic Student Expedition. Baggage and personal effects are at all times the sole responsibility of the participant. By applying for a National Geographic Student Expedition, the participant and his or her guardian agree to the Responsibility statement and the Terms and Conditions herein.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

BASIS OF RATES: All tuitions are quoted in U.S. dollars. The rates are based on current tariffs and are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. While we will do everything possible to maintain the listed tuitions, if it is necessary to levy a surcharge, we reserve the right to do so.

ELIGIBILITY: Students completing 9th through 12th grades are eligible to participate in National Geographic Student Expeditions.

TUITION INCLUDES: All meals, lodging, activities, excursions, internal flights (as indicated on the itinerary page), ground transportation, taxes, gratuities, and pre-trip materials are included. For students participating in Photography and Filmmaking On Assignment projects, there is a supplement to cover the cost of equipment and other materials required for these assignments.

EXCLUSIONS: Tuition specifically excludes airfare (unless noted on the itinerary page) and related fees, costs of obtaining passports or visas, excess baggage charges, trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance, personal expenses such as laundry, and any other items not specifically noted as included.

TERMS OF PAYMENT: An Application Deposit of $700 is required with all applications. The Application Deposit is credited to the total tuition fee for accepted students. Final payment of the full tuition is due on March 15, 2010. Applications submitted after March 15 must be accompanied by payment of the full tuition.

If an application is not accepted or if space is not available in the expedition listed as first choice, the full deposit amount will be refunded, or if payment of full tuition has been made, the amount of the full payment will be refunded.

If a student withdraws from an expedition for any reason, either before or after their application is accepted, the following terms will govern any refunds. For a withdrawal on or before March 15, all payments will be refunded, less a $200 administrative fee. For a withdrawal after March 15, no refunds will be made.

We reserve the right to cancel applications that are not completed in a timely manner. We further reserve the right to revoke an acceptance when payment is past due.

If we cancel an application on or before March 15, all payments will be refunded, less a $200 administrative fee. If we cancel an application or revoke an acceptance after March 15, the $700 Application Deposit will be forfeited.

If we cancel an application or revoke an acceptance, we will send written notification to the address provided on the application form.

Wait-listed applications must include the $700 Application Deposit, which is fully refunded if space does not become available or if the application is withdrawn prior to acceptance. A wait-listed application must be completed to be considered for acceptance.

Payment of the Application Deposit may be made by check or credit card. All other payments must be made by check or wire transfer. Checks must be in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Please make checks payable to National Geographic Student Expeditions and write the student's name clearly on the check. For payment by wire transfer, please consult our office for wiring information.

Leaving an expedition in progress, for any reason, will not result in a refund, and no refunds will be made for any unused portion of an expedition. We reserve the right to cancel any trip because of inadequate enrollment that makes the trip economically infeasible to operate or because of good faith concerns with respect to the safety, health, or welfare of the participants. If NGS or PST cancels an expedition prior to departure, PST will provide a full refund of monies paid, except in the event the cancellation is due to a significant event that makes it infeasible to operate the expedition as planned, in which case PST will provide a refund and/or trip credit equivalent to monies paid. If we cancel the trip in progress, you will receive a prorated refund based on the number of days not completed on the expedition. We will not be responsible for any refund for any expenses related to nonrefundable airline tickets.

TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE: Trip cancellation insurance is available at an additional cost and is strongly recommended. We will provide you with information about trip cancellation insurance upon acceptance.

ITINERARY CHANGES: We have carefully planned each of the expeditions in this catalog; however, there may be instances where the expedition descriptions and staff presented in this catalog may change. Every reasonable effort will be made to operate expeditions as planned, but alterations may still occur after the final itinerary is sent. To get the most out of the experience, participants need to be flexible in responding to unforeseen situations and in taking advantage of unexpected opportunities.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS: Valid passports are required for travel to the international destinations in this catalog; check with us for the latest requirements and assistance. For destinations that require a visa, we will provide detailed information on how to obtain a visa.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: Participants must be in good physical condition and mental health. Any condition requiring special attention, diet, or treatment must be reported before May 20, 2010.

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