To maintain the high quality of our programs, we make use of the extensive expertise of Virginia's professional educators, scientists, writers, and artists. We take our students to the many museums, cultural centers, and natural areas found in proximity to our program sites. We attract a good mix of Virginia citizens wishing to learn more about their own heritage, and visitors from out of state wishing to experience the rich cultural and natural history of the Commonwealth. We welcome local residents as commuting students for a reduced fee. Although Elderhostel is an educational program, participants are not expected to have had any specific level of formal education.
Older adults bring a lifetime of rich and varied experience to the classroom.
Those individuals who did not graduate from high school have just as much to offer as those with a college or university degree. And there are no homework assignments, grades or exams. Individuals who need financial assistance to attend an Elderhostel program may apply for an Elderhostel scholarship . Elderhostel publishes seasonal catalogs which are provided free of charge to all interested persons. Elderhostel scholarships are granted to individuals who need financial assistance to attend an Elderhostel program.