BOSTON Study Trip
Here you will find more information on the upcoming Study Trip. In April 2023 Study Association Asimov is organising a study trip to Boston. As many will know, Boston is one of the great epicentres of robotics and we are super excited to visit this innovative region with a group of our students. We will visit inspiring companies, universities and institutions. There will also be enough time to have a lot of fun and do some sightseeing in the region. You will be able to find more information on the trip on this page. More information will become available soon. If you have any burning questions, please check the FAQ below. If your question is not in there you can contact us at: businesstour@sa-asimov.nl
Registrations for the Study Trip Boston 2023 have closed (Nov 7th, 2022)!
F.A.Q
Business Tour Committee has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions about topics such as the planning, logistics, financials, COVID, etc.
Planning
The trip will be in the first week of Q4. This is Friday the 21st of April until Monday the 1st of May. We will fly back to Schiphol on Sunday 31st of April and arrive very early in the morning on Monday the 1st of May.
9 days (weekend + week)
You can register for the Study Tour by clicking on the button above the FAQ section.
UPDATE: registration has closed.
TBA. We will update this page with the itinerary as soon as it is definitive.
Company (small and large) visits, fun activities, dinners, touristic sightseeing, university visits and more!
Currently we have a visit planned to Boston Dynamics. More companies visits during the trip will be announced closer to the actual trip. Keep your ears open for teasers!
We want to have a group of 25 students on the trip.
In the case that people have to be selected to join the trip, the Business Tour Committee will select on the basis of the short motivation in the registration form. Our aim is to have a diverse group.
Please let us know that you have an exam on Friday in the registration form or by emailing us. We will then contact you to resolve the situation.
No, the trip will include visits to companies in the greater Boston area. We are also looking into the possibility of going to Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh) or New York.
UPDATE: We will also be going to New York!
Yes! We will have drinks with the group in the weeks leading up to the trip. Then you can introduce yourself to the group and get to know the rest! Additionally, we will create a Whatsapp group for easy communication and announcements. Have any activity suggestions? Post them in the group!
Logistics
Check whether you have a passport from one of the countries on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) list found here.
- If you do have a passport from a VWP country, then you can apply for ESTA approval online
- If you do not have a passport from a VWP country then you have to apply for a B2 tourist visa.
- Follow the application steps on the official US government website.
- Costs: 160 US dollars
- Asimov will reimburse the (first time) application costs.
Please note: visa application may take several weeks. Start this process as soon as possible after you have been confirmed to join the Study Trip.
For Point of Contact information, please fill in the Boston Airbnb information we have provided.
In the case that your visa or ESTA application gets denied please contact us. We will try to help you out. If that does not work out, we, unfortunately, cannot let you join us on the Study Trip 2023.
Once you have received confirmation that you can join us to go on the trip, you can buy your own plane ticket if you prefer this. We will book the plane tickets for everyone else, so this could mean that you arrive/depart at a different moment from the rest. We are not responsible for any issues with any issues arising from you booking you own tickets.
The accommodation in Boston will be three Airbnbs near the city center. The group will thus have to be split in three to fill the Airbnbs. The accommodation for NY City will be announced once it is booked.
We do our best to find the highest quality accommodation possible within the constraints of the budget. Unfortunately, a luxurious hotel in the city center is just outside of our budget. A hostel or Airbnb are the most likely candidates for accommodation. Expect at least two people per room.
Boston (Eastern Daylight Time) is 5 hours ahead of Delft (Central European Summer Time) in April 2023. That means that it is 11.00h in Boston if it is 16.00h in Delft.
Yes, you absolutely can! You will have to plan and book your own trip from April 30th onward. Please do message us if you plan to do so. That way we will not freak out during head counts on arrival at Schiphol.
In the USA only US Dollars are accepted. One dollar is roughly €0.95 (varies quite a bit).
A credit card is always useful in cases where your debit card gets denied. Make sure your cards are set up so that you can pay internationally. Additionally, make sure you know the fees associated with payments in foreign currency set by your bank.
Visa, Mastercard and America Express are commonly accepted in the US.
It is always handy to have some local currency on hand during trips abroad. We recommend you to not have more than $50 on you at all times.
Financials
The current cost estimation is €900,-. Please note that this is an approximation. This includes the flight tickets, local transportation, accommodation, the company/university visits and planned breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Any expenses outside of planned activities are for yourself. Think of drinks, snacks, dinner etc. during free time.
The current cost estimation can still change. Of course, we do our best to remain true to the initial cost estimate. If the costs turn out to be lower, we will reimburse you the difference after the trip.
After being selected you will pay €50 as deposit. This is non refundable if you cancel leading up to the trip. The rest of the payment will proceed in instalments. The first instalment of €500 is due December 21st, 2022. The second instalment will be due at the end of February.
To organise this trip, we need to make commitments and down payments in advance. By saying that you will participate in the trip, you are agreeing that we can take you into account for these.
We cannot provide a cost estimate for your own activities during the trip as that is entirely up to personal preference. Do note that Boston in general is a slightly more expensive city than Delft.
Others
The Business Tour Committee is responsible for organizing the whole trip. The Committee members are: Pavan, Amber, Tishar, George and Ayush as q.q. of the Asimov board.
Make sure to bring the following items:
- Passport
- Health insurance card/documents
- Do you have a valid study visa for the Netherlands? Have that document with you at all times during the trip.
Asimov will not arrange any insurance for the participating students. Please make sure that you have health insurance valid in the US. Other insurances, such as travel insurance are also for your own account.
Yes you absolutely can! Looking for work, an internship or a graduation position in Boston? We would love to have been the basis for you finding a spot in Boston.
Yes! We want you to join in on the hype for the Study Trip! Expect merch drops closer to the trip.
Yes, you can absolutely still join the Study Trip. We are in contact with the MDP course organizers to make sure you are good to go when you return from Boston. Detailed information on this will follow.
Update 26/01/2023:
The trip conflict with MDP has been resolved in the following way:
- Students will be put in two groups for MDP
- Both groups will have SAM|XL as their customer
- Both groups will visit SAM|XL in the first week of April
The exact date of the visit to SAM|XL is yet to be determined. More details will follow.
No, for now we will not plan in time for the MDP course. Of course you can work on the course during the free time we do plan in during the trip. Please take into account the timezone difference.
A university visit will consist of a campus tour, labs tour (if approved) and time off to hang out with the local Robotics students.