Meet Kevin Chou | Founder, ScholarTrip

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Chou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the biggest driver behind ScholarTrip’s success has been building a team that truly understands the student travel market and works exceptionally well together. From day one, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by people who not only support the vision but actively contribute to it—whether it’s negotiating student programs with airline partners, developing our custom online booking platform, or collaborating with universities and study abroad programs to manage complex travel logistics. Having a mission-driven team that shares a common goal—to make travel more affordable and accessible for students—has made all the difference.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
ScholarTrip is an online travel agency built specifically for students and young travelers. What makes us different is that we directly partner with over 80 airlines to negotiate exclusive discounts and programs just for this demographic—something most travel platforms don’t offer.
We also work closely with over 50 universities and educational organizations, helping to coordinate travel logistics for study abroad programs, faculty-led trips, and more.
Was it easy? Definitely not. Starting a travel business during a period of mass travel restrictions required a lot of grit, patience, and strategy. But we focused on making smart, long-term partnerships and staying agile as the market shifted.
What I’m most proud of is that we’ve created something meaningful—not just a booking platform, but a gateway to educational and cultural experiences that help shape young people’s futures.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d plan a mix of cultural experiences, great food, and local favorites in the DFW area. Here’s what a week might look like:

Neighborhoods to explore:

Bishop Arts District: artsy, walkable, full of charm.

Lower Greenville & Uptown: great for dining and nightlife.

The Stockyards in Fort Worth: for that true “yee-haw” cowboy experience.

Food spots:

Tex-Mex: Las Palmas, El Ranchito, La Hacienda Ranch

Texas BBQ: Goldee’s (worth the wait!), Cattleack, Pecan Lodge

Things to do:

Art & Culture: Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Klyde Warren Park

Nature & Views: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, White Rock Lake

Shopping: Highland Park Village or NorthPark for a bit of window shopping

Drinks & vibes:

Double D’s for the retro vibe

Swizzle for fun tiki cocktails

HG Supply Co. for rooftop views and a chill atmosphere

Local flavor:
I’d also take them to the neighborhoods I grew up around—like Plano, Richardson, Carrollton, and Garland—for amazing Asian food. From Taiwanese and Chinese dumpling spots to Korean BBQ and Pho, showing DFW’s diversity.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to first thank God for His timing. Most people would probably say starting a travel company at the onset of a global pandemic sounds like a terrible idea—but for me, it was a moment of faith and clarity of an opportunity for disruption in the travel industry. It created the space to plant the seeds for something new. Looking back at the past few years, I’m so grateful for the growth and momentum we’ve been blessed with good fruit, even during uncertain times.

Website: https://scholartrip.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scholartripusa/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scholartrip

Image Credits
ScholarTrip