Travel

  • Domestic students' Williams Grant includes a travel allowance for two round trips per academic year, which is meant to cover travel to and from home at the beginning and end of each semester. If the Williams and federal grants are greater than EphPay charges, the difference can be used towards your travel expenses; if not travel should be financed through the parent contribution. 
    Important Notes about Domestic travel: 

    • You are not required to use Egencia. Egencia is a courtesy booking tool used if students cannot pay up front from travel expenses.
    • Students may only use their travel allowance for economy fare at the beginning and end of each semester per the dates defined by the College calendar. Any other travel should be booked and funded independently and not through Egencia.
    • Students may not use their travel allowance to travel at Thanksgiving or Spring Breaks. 
    • Students should book a minimum of 30 days in advance of the date of travel. If travel is booked after that, students will not be eligible for any travel allowance increase should their travel costs exceed their travel allowance.
    • Egencia may be used to book domestic travel. Charges from Egencia  will be charged to EphPay. While some students will have sufficient financial aid to cover the cost of travel with their financial aid, please note that this is still an expense on EphPay and those changes are reflected on the next billing statement. Please note, when you first request the ticket, it must be approved.  Once it's approved, you'll get a follow up notification and email with the subject line ACTION REQUIRED. It's critical that you follow those steps to actually secure your travel plans.  We monitor this very carefully since time is of the essence. 
    • If the travel costs (to and from home at the beginning and end of each semester) are greater than the travel budget for the year, the college can reimburse students for the difference. Students may request adjustments using the Increase to Travel Allowance form. A travel allowance increase may only include travel booked more than 30 days in advance. 
    • Domestic students who study away can use Egencia for study away program travel. Students must book a minimum of 30 days in advance for this program as well. 
    • Change fees will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 
    • Students are responsible for arranging their own ground transportation and we encourage students to book Motorcoach ahead of time to coordinate with their travel plans. If students book transportation that exceeds the cost of Motorcoach, the travel allowance will only cover the cost of Motorcoach.

 

  • International and domestic students living abroad who receive financial aid are given one round trip (or two one ways) between home and Williams per academic year. Students must use the Williams College Travel Form to initiate travel to and from home. A vacation allowance of $225 per semester is awarded; students may request a refund to withdraw the vacation allowance funds each semester around mid-terms.
    Important Notes about International Travel: 

    • Students must initiate travel (airfare and ground transportation) through the Williams College Travel Form. There is no reimbursement for travel purchased independently.
    • Students may only use their travel allowance for economy fare at the beginning and end of each semester per the dates defined by the College calendar. Any other travel should be booked and funded independently and not through the travel form. 
    • Students may not use their travel allowance to travel at Thanksgiving or Spring Breaks.
    • Students should book a minimum of 30 days in advance of the date of travel. Any travel booked after that will be at the student's own expense. 
    • Change fees will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 
    • Students are required to take group ground transportation when available and offered by Global Link Travel. Otherwise, Global Link Travel will arrange travel individually. 
    • International students who study away for a semester will be eligible for an additional round trip to and from home/Williams. This must be booked through the Williams College Travel Form  a minimum of 30 days in advance as well. 
    • Stopovers for greater than one day will not be approved.
    • Travel is not able to be banked from year-to-year. If students are unable to travel during the academic year, they will forfeit their travel allowance for that academic year.