Elementary, Middle School and Adult Community Groups
The Rice Welcome Center regrets that we are at capacity for elementary and middle school group tours for the 2024 spring semester, and so are unable to accommodate any new requests. We appreciate your interest in visiting the campus, and suggest you check back in August of 2024 to request tour dates for fall 2024 or spring 2025.
Rice University is committed to community outreach and offers Campus tours for elementary, middle school and adult community groups. These tours are offered Monday through Friday by the Rice University Welcome Center.
Our 3rd-8th grade group tour program is focused on providing access to college-going resources to schools and community-based organizations that serve elementary and middle school age students. Our guided program includes a 1.5 hour tour.
If your group includes high school aged students, you need to register your tour with Admissions by clicking here.
Questions? Contact the Welcome Center at welcome@rice.edu.
Group Tour Guidelines
- Submission of the registration form does not guarantee your group a tour on the requested date(s). The tour date and time will not be reserved until a confirmation email has been sent to you by the Welcome Center team, these emails will come from welcome@rice.edu.
- A minimum two (2) week notice is required for all group tours.
- Groups are encouraged to provide at least three (3) preferred dates for the tour to ensure that they can be accommodated. Tours are scheduled on a first-come, first-served bases, based on the availability of tour guides.
- We can accommodate up to 60 students per group. Groups larger than 60 students are encouraged to consider the self-guided tour option or to schedule over multiple days.
- All tours are required to provide at least one (1) chaperone for every ten (10) students in attendance. Chaperones must remain with their group at all times including the walking tour of campus. Chaperones are responsible for addressing any behavior issues with their group while visiting Rice.
- Requesting institution(s) or chaperones assume all liability for their students while on Rice’s campus. Rice is not responsible for any lost or stolen goods, accidents or injuries. The school is required to complete the Campus Visit/Tour Release of Liability. This form must be submitted upon arrival to campus.
- Tour group organizers must provide at least 24-hour notice when canceling a tour. Tours that need to be rescheduled will typically have to take place the following semester.
- Groups traveling to campus should plan to arrive on campus 10—15 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time. Current students guide campus tours and are available only during the arranged tour time. Late arrival may result in a modified campus tour.
- Campus tours involve a significant amount of walking. All participants are encouraged to wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing and shoes. We also recommend brining a water bottle. If the University is closed due to weather or a campus closure, all tours scheduled for that day are automatically canceled. We will notify groups of any weather closures.
- Groups wishing to purchase lunch/tickets to games must make their own arrangements. To arrange lunch, please contact dining@rice.edu. To arrange for group tickets to sporting events, please contact tickets@rice.edu. Please note that purchasing tickets does not guarantee that we can accommodate the campus tour on the same day. Please make tour arrangements first.
- If any special requests or an accommodation for a disability is needed in order to participate in this program, the organizer should contact the Welcome Center at 713-348-6124 or at welcome@rice.edu at least one week prior to the tour to make arrangements.