Absolutely! ACH/eCheck is the preferred method of payment at Road Scholar. We spend more than $8 million on credit card fees annually. Every dollar we save on fees allows us to invest more in broadening the scope of our programs, providing Caregiver Grants and Scholarships, assisting in running low-enrollment programs — and overall helping us fulfill our mission of providing lifelong learning opportunities for adults.

ACH stands for “Automated Clearing House,” which is an electronic network that allows people to directly transfer funds between two bank accounts. If you have direct deposit, or automatic bill pay, you’re taking advantage of the ACH network.

ACH/eCheck payments don’t require mailing or processing time. Which saves time, postage fees and the possibility of delays from the post office. They also cut down on errors and are more environmentally friendly.

ACH/eCheck payments are actually less subject to fraud! When mailing, a paper check is handled by several different entities and is vulnerable to signature forgery or tampering. The full account and routing numbers and the check-writer’s name, phone and address are all plainly visible on the check, leaving the information susceptible to fraud.

It’s as simple as reading the routing number and account number off the bottom of the check, or reading the routing/account numbers from your savings account.

Absolutely. As we’re taking the routing and account information only, and not the check number, that check is available for any other transaction.

You can choose to pay with either your checking or savings account.

Monies must be drawn from US banks. Canadian bank accounts (even ones denominated in USD) are not part of the ACH system. You can, however, use a bank that has both a US and Canadian presence that gives free wire transfers between your USD accounts in the US and Canada.

Unfortunately not. Those financial institutions are not part of the network (ACH) that would allow us to transfer money on your behalf.

The optional Road Scholar Trip Protection Plan helps protect your investment if you must cancel or interrupt your program for specified, covered reasons, such as illness or injury to you, your traveling companion or an immediate family member of you or your traveling companion. Plus, if you need to cancel your program for any reason not covered by insurance, you will receive a credit good for future travel with Road Scholar for the full amount of the Road Scholar cancellation fee. The plan also provides benefits if you are delayed getting to or returning home from your program and protects your investment should you have an emergency during your program that causes you to miss program days or return home earlier than expected. Your airfare, whether purchased through Road Scholar or independently, is covered at no additional cost— an exceptional benefit and value offered exclusively to Road Scholar participants.

You will receive information about this optional travel insurance plan when you enroll in a program. Click here to learn more →

The Road Scholar Assurance Plan is purchased on behalf of every participant and paid for by Road Scholar. The plan provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program and insurance for emergency medical evacuation. This plan includes insurance benefits underwritten by Arch Insurance Company and emergency assistance services provided by LiveTravel Assist.

Learn more about the Road Scholar Assurance Plan →

Be cautious when asked for personal, financial or other sensitive information, especially if it seems unnecessary or unexpected. Avoid sharing sensitive information such as your Social Security number or financial details online, unless it is absolutely necessary and with a trusted source. 

Be cautious about what you share on social media, as fraudsters may use this information to impersonate you. 

Be skeptical of unsolicited emails, text messages, or phone calls asking for personal or financial information from unknown senders. If you do receive such a message, do not respond and do not click links or open or download attachments in the email. Delete the email or message to be safe. 

Verify the legitimacy of communications by contacting the organization directly using official contact information, especially if they are requesting personal or financial information. 

Be cautious of urgent requests or demands for immediate action. Scammers often impersonate trusted people to trick you into sharing personal information.

Create strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts.

If available, enable multi-factor authentication on your accounts for an extra layer of security.