Attendance is required for ALL event sessions in order to successfully complete your residency, skills lab, or pre-practicum.

Full participation in your online classes is also required while you are attending your residency, skills lab, or pre-practicum.

• Your registration confirmation email provides important details about event start and end times for your program as well as the location of your residency/skills lab/pre-practicum sessions.
• You are expected to make travel arrangements that allow enough time for you to check in by the date and time listed in the schedule and stay until the conclusion of the last session on the last day of your event.
• Late arrival to the event, early departure from the event and/or missed sessions may result in the loss of academic units.
• Daily sessions typically begin around 8 a.m. and last through early evening.
• Notify your online instructors of the dates you will be attending the residency/skills lab/pre-practicum. Be sure to work ahead on course assignments and discussion posts because your time attending the event will be filled with academic sessions, networking, and skill development.

For the complete daily schedule, please see your confirmation email. The daily schedule will be available two weeks prior to the start of the event.

For residency/skills lab/pre-practicum attendance, timing requirements, and options within each program, see the Timing table.

DO NOT MAKE ANY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS until you are officially registered AND your selected course appears in your myWalden portal course listing AND you have received your registration confirmation email.

See your registration confirmation email for airport information, event start and end times, and other important travel information. Late arrival to the event or early departure from the event could result in the loss of academic units.

Plan an airfare budget of $250-$450 for residencies taking place in the 48 contiguous U.S. states and $800-$1,200 for events taking place outside the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Of course, airfare rates vary based on home airport, event city, air carrier, flight schedules, connections, and time of year.

Important:

• Be sure to factor in transportation time between the airport and the event venue when making travel arrangements to allow plenty of time for hotel and event check-in before the first session.
• You are expected to attend all academic sessions in order to successfully complete your course.
• Late arrival to the event or early departure from the event could result in the loss of academic units.

If you cancel your Walden residency/skills lab/pre-practicum registration, it is your responsibility to cancel your hotel, flight, and other travel arrangements and abide by their cancellation policies.

Your registration confirmation email will list transportation options to and from the airport in the event city. Rates vary by mode of transportation. Be sure to factor in transportation time between the airport and the event venue when making travel arrangements to allow plenty of time for event check-in and after the last event session concludes.

See your registration confirmation email for the host hotel location, Walden’s special room rate, and other important reservation information. You should reserve your hotel room as soon as you receive your registration confirmation email. Availability is limited and rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

It is strongly encouraged you stay at Walden’s host hotel so you can take advantage of:

• A discounted Walden sleeping room rate.
• Complimentary Wi-Fi. A savings of up to $15 plus taxes/fees per day.
• Easy access to your room. Escape for a quick break between residency sessions.
• More networking opportunities. Mingle before and after sessions with faculty, staff, and other students who are also staying at the hotel.
• Greater convenience. A short walk to the sessions means no traffic, parking issues, or extra transportation costs.

Be sure to ask for the Walden University room block rate when making your hotel reservation and do so prior to the deadline indicated in your confirmation email. Keep in mind that if you make your reservation after the booking deadline, the hotel reserves the right to increase room rates. In other words, you may have to pay the full room rate and, depending on room availability, may have to find another hotel.

All hotel reservations will require a credit or debit card and some may require a deposit payment to confirm your stay.

If you choose to stay at a hotel other than Walden’s host hotel, please remember you are responsible for your own transportation to and from daily sessions and events.

If you cancel your Walden residency/skills lab/pre-practicum registration, it is your responsibility to cancel your hotel, flight, and other travel arrangements and abide by their cancellation policies.

Meals are not included in your residency fee. Daily beverage service will be provided.

Plan a meal budget of approximately $15-$25 (plus tax and tip) per meal for dining expenses if you choose to dine in the residency venue establishments and/or select nearby, non-fast-food options. See the hotel concierge upon arrival for local dining information.

You may pack non-perishable food items or visit a local grocery or convenience store upon arrival to reduce dining expenses. You may also check with the host hotel to see if they can provide a refrigerator and/or a microwave oven in your sleeping room (if available, additional fees and taxes may be billed to your sleeping room).

You’ll be engaging in academic sessions from about 8 a.m. until early evening and you are expected to attend all sessions in order to successfully complete your residency/skills lab/pre-practicum. While your primary purpose for traveling is to attend Walden’s academic event, you may choose to explore the city before and after sessions or extend your stay to take advantage of local area attractions and events. Your registration email confirmation provides city information including things to see and do in the area to plan or extend your stay.

At Walden, we want you to have a positive travel experience for your academic event. To help you plan ahead and be fully prepared to travel to your next academic event, follow these helpful tips:

• Thoroughly read your registration confirmation email for the event start and end times, what to bring, city information, and important transportation, meals and lodging information.
• International students – Complete the I-20 and/or F-1 visa process immediately after registering for your U.S. event (3-4 months in advance of the event start). If you do not complete this process for your U.S. event, you will not be permitted to attend. View the SEVIS website for more information.
• Book your flight making certain you allow enough time for airport transfers before the event starts and after the event ends. Avoid scheduling flights that conflict with event start or end times as it may jeopardize your successful completion of the course.
• Reserve a room at the Walden host hotel to save on your room rate, avoid transportation fees and traffic, reduce time getting to and from your event sessions, and get the most out of your event experience from convenient networking opportunities.
• Download and access the Event App, which is linked in your registration confirmation email approximately two weeks before the event. The Event App contains some important information:
  • Maps of Walden’s residency venue(s) and the residency city to help you navigate during your stay
  • Safety tips for travelling
  • Medical services available in the local area
• Plan for meals by packing non-perishable food items, researching local dining options and/or making a trip to a local convenience or grocery store when you arrive. Be sure to set your budget for meals according to dining options near the event venue. See also Transportation as well as Meals and Lodging within your registration confirmation email.
• Plan your wardrobe. Dress as you would for professional conferences and other professional meetings; business casual is strongly encouraged.
  • Exception: Plan to wear your WaldenGear on the last day of the event!
  • Please be aware that room temperatures in meeting rooms at event venues may vary; therefore, we suggest dressing in layers to allow maximum flexibility in adjusting to the room temperatures.
• Notify your online instructors of the dates you will be attending the evemt. Be sure to work ahead on course assignments and discussion posts because your time attending the event will be filled with academic sessions, networking, and skill development.

• Lodging
  • At Walden's Host Hotel – Refer to hotel booking confirmation email to cancel reservation.
  • Lodging at other hotels – Contact the hotel or online booking agent/third party vendor to cancel reservation.
  • Airbnb

• Airfare – Due to COVID-19, many airlines are offering flight credits and waiving change fees. Fares, fees, rules and offers are subject to change without notice. Reference the airline’s policies directly to verify the change and/or cancellation policy.

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• JetBlue
• Southwest
• Spirit Airlines

• Sun Country

• United Airlines

• Expedia – See https://www.expedia.com/lp/coronavirus-travel and https://www.expedia.com/service/#/myTrips/25643
• Travelocity – See https://www.travelocity.com/service/#/articles/423/61