CSTP
Become a Certified Student Travel Professional!
Click here for initial application information
Click here for renewal application information
Click here for supplemental documents
The Certified Student Travel Professional (CSTP) is an industry designation that provides credibility amongst student travel professionals and their clients. CSTP sharpens business skills while providing specific knowledge and understanding of the student and youth travel industry.
CSTP graduates receive a designation recognizable throughout the travel industry. This continuing education program gives learners the opportunity to spend time focusing on challenges and opportunities facing their organization and, of course, provides a personal sense of accomplishment. For more information, please contact Katy Summers, Senior Manager of Education & Professional Development at ksummers@syta.org.
SYTA’s CSTP certification program meets the needs of today’s student and youth travel professionals. The CSTP requirements align with the standards in the Certified Student Travel Organization (CSTO) program and offers CSTP applicants flexibility in selecting courses to meet certification.
The requirements allow candidates to take courses from a variety of associations and continuing education providers. Additional courses will be posted on a rolling basis as they become available. The CSTP program requires recertification every three years.
| Eligibility Requirements for Initial Certification |
| Cost: Initial Certification: $595 (includes application fee and education fees). Fees for attending events and completing courses outside of SYTA’s offerings will be additional. |
| Applicant can go back five years to use completed courses toward certification. |
| All requirements must be completed prior to submitting graduation request (Requirement Tracker). |
| Applicant must be currently employed within the tourism and hospitality industry OR have been employed within the industry within the past 12 months of application. |
| Applicant must have at least 18 months experience in hospitality and/or tourism OR hold an AA/BA in hospitality and/or tourism. |
| Applicant must sign a certification code of conduct as part of the application. |
| Professional Development Requirements – Initial Certification |
| A total of 65 credits are required by any combination of the following: |
SYTA Events (Maximum 30 credits)
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Volunteer (maximum of 5 volunteer hours can go toward total credits needed)
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Education Hours (no maximum of allowed hours)
If courses are completed outside of SYTA’s offerings, please include:
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Cumulative Assessment
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Once requirements have been completed, submit a Graduation Request Form to center@syta.org. Graduation requests must be received by the Center no later than May 31 of graduation year to graduate at Annual Conference of that year.
| Eligibility Requirements for Renewal of Certification |
| Cost: Renewal Certification: $295 (includes application fee and education fees). Fees for attending events and completing courses outside of SYTA’s offerings will be additional. |
| Renewal is required every three years after initial certification. |
| All credits for renewal must be earned after initial certification was achieved. |
| All requirements must be completed prior to submitting Renewal Request (Requirement Tracker). |
| Applicant must be currently employed in the tourism/hospitality industry OR have been employed within the industry within the past 12 months. |
| Applicant must sign a certification code of conduct as part of the renewal application. |
| Professional Development Requirements – Renewal Certification |
| A total of 25 credits are required by any combination of the following: |
SYTA Events (Maximum 10 credits)
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Volunteer (maximum of 5 volunteer hours can go toward total credits needed)
|
Education Hours (no maximum of allowed hours)
If courses are completed outside of SYTA’s offerings, please include:
|
Once requirements have been completed, submit a Renewal Request Form to center@syta.org. Renewal Requests can be submitted anytime throughout the year but must be received by the Center by May 31 to be recognized during SYTA’s Annual Conference of that year.
