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Study, Research, and Custom Programs Abroad

Study Tours and Short-Term Study Abroad

Study tours abroad, - featured study tours -.

Riga Winter Break

Navruz in Uzbekistan

Georgia Spring Break

We also offer online courses and virtual events .  Contact us about faculty-led or other custom options.

How Much Does It Cost To Study Abroad?

• Program:   Each program page  gives its specific pricing information. SRAS offers a variety of program choices of varying length and cost.
• Cost of Living:  Students report spending between $60-90 per week in most locations for food, transport, and entertainment.
• Housing:  With very few exceptions, SRAS programs include housing. See  each program page  for more information.
• Airfare:  Our  International Airfare Guide  can give you some pointers on getting the best price for tickets to and from your study abroad destination.

Studying Abroad for Educators

• Ideas and material for the classroom
• Ability to better advise your students heading abroad
• Networking with colleagues
• Affordable access to less accessible destinations
• Inspiration for faculty-led custom programs
• Opportunities for faculty and administrators to visit lesser known places in Eurasia that we feel have great potential for custom programming.

Talk to an Expert about Study Tours and Short-Term Study Abroad

Studying abroad is a big decision. You should make sure that your experience will advance your academic, personal, and professional goals. We encourage you join an  info session  or  contact us  with any questions.

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Just yesterday my student successfully defended her honors thesis on environmentalism around Lake Baikal, a project that would not have been possible without the fieldwork that she conducted on her SRAS study abroad program in Irkutsk. I hope to see more such projects in the future and will keep directing students to SRAS programs!

At Stetson, we’ve used SRAS to arrange all of our student study abroad trips for the past five or six years. During that time we’ve sent dozens of students on summer- and semester-long programs in Moscow, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Irkutsk. In every interaction I’ve had with them, SRAS has been prompt, reliable, knowledgable, courteous and quick to lend a hand when needed.

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Exciting  Study Tour Program

Chinese language classes combined with traveling experiences..

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Study Tour program   in China

Go Abroad China offers study tours for groups of international students who want to study and tour China all simultaneously. A GAC study tour promises an exciting experience, and ensures that you get a real insight into China. GAC study tour in China program has a unique, combined structure specially crafted to let you have your perfect balance of Chinese language study together with traveling experiences.

Tuan - Australia Internship Program in Beijing

Living and working in Beijing really opened my eyes. The people are extremely nice and helpful. During work, even though there is a huge language barrier, my colleagues do try to communicate with me and the manager was able to organise me to learn from different departments. I was able to make new friends and visit many places in Beijing. Everyone from GAC are very helpful and supportive. Overall I am satisfied with the program. Read More

Laura - USA Internship Program in Shanghai Go aboard China was the one of the best things to happen to me!!! I did the homestay program where I stayed with the cutest family they were so kind to me!!! Kinder then the family I have now lol I actually miss them and think of them often even though it's been a few months since I left the program. I also got to work in an amazing engineering firm Wison were I had the most loving and hilarious coworkers, I literally just fit right in ! GAC I would recommend to a friend or any one reading this. Even when i wasn't in the city of Shanghai , GAC still helped me, plan , get and make sure I was safe during my trip to Beijing. I love GAC!!! Read More

Chris - United Kingdom Internship Program in Beijing My time in China has been extremely rewarding. When I arrived, the culture shock was immense but I quickly settled into Chinese life, thanks to Gina and the GAC team. My internship was exactly what I was looking for, and it gave me the opportunity to work in a fantastically social co-working space in the heart of Sanlitun SOHO, a cosmopolitan and refined area. Read More

David - Australia Internship Program in Shanghai Overall I enjoyed my experience with GAC. I was pleased with the amount of knowledge I learned and the new experiences I went through during my internship as a financial analyst at a finance company which GAC found on my behalf. The internship made me realize how fast things move in the finance industry and I feel it has prepared me well for the transition from university to the work force. Read More

Program Highlights

Key features of the study tour in china program:.

• We arrange personal visits for you to meet potential organizations and see which one you would like to volunteer with.
• We organize for you to learn basic Mandarin Chinese (private lessons or join a language school in Beijing), culture electives, social activities, networking events and guided tours & excursions to help you get immersed in the Chinese way of life and better understand the environment that you will be staying in.
• You will have local, safe, comfortable housing options for the duration of your volunteer session in China. For more details about our housing options.
• Go Abroad China’s professional and experienced staff provides 24/7 total support and assistance.
• We provide and facilitate all the important documents including a pre-departure guide, orientation information, survival and guide tips about life in China for a foreigner, volunteer program certificate etc.
• International phone call service.
• GAC provides an all-inclusive service pack; this includes airport pick-up and drop off, orientation upon arrival, welcome pack, accommodation, visa support documents, regular cultural immersion activities etc.

A day in the life of a Participant

It can be hard to imagine what your time in China will be like without first-hand experience. A typical day for our interns is:

• Start the day at your intern position
• Wander around the city and explore over lunch
• Take part in cultural classes set to your level of capability
• Enjoy a cultural activity and learn more about China
• Plan your next activities and spend time with your personal tutor
• Relax and chill with your classmates before a night on the town

What’s Included in a GAC Language Program?

At Go Abroad China, our primary aim is to make sure your stay in China is as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Over time we’ve found that our students ultimately become our friends. Our programs can easily be customized to suit your needs. Whether you want to come and learn Chinese and study in China for a  few weeks, over winter or summer, for a semester or an academic year, Go Abroad China have a program for you. If you still have questions or want to know more, why not contact us ? Our team is here to help you every step of the way. Your program fee includes the following:

Chinese language classes are the primary focus of our China immersion program. Our programs have been developed to help you learn as fast and effectively as possible, so by the time you leave, you’ve improved your proficiency and can carry out a simple conversation in Chinese, and have a sound understanding of the Chinese culture. The course usually includes 20 hours of language classes each week and cover the intricacies of speaking, writing and reading. All Go Abroad China Language and Internship programs include the courses, textbooks, and electives chosen with no out of pocket study expenses.

With over 800 partner companies, including fortune 500 companies, to choose from, we rarely cannot find an internship for our applicants. If we can’t find a placement you like, we’ll refund your deposit. We will help you find full time or part-time placements.

We can guarantee paid internships if you stay for longer than a period of four weeks. Your stipend can help cover the daily costs of living in China such as your groceries, social activities (those you organize in addition to included activities) and more.

To ensure that students and parents understand how the program works, what they can expect, so you understand the rules, regulations, city hazards, school rules and receive a cultural briefing, we organize orientation sessions. A parent session is available prior to students departing, while students take part in a group orientation once they arrive in China. Students will also be supplied with a welcome pack with necessary information and goodies they need for their stay.

Interactive workshops, group seminars, and discussions are included in the package. These workshops and seminars have been developed to help our participants get well-acquainted life in China, things to expect, components of Chinese culture such as music, art, shows or performances, traditional food, calligraphy, Tai Chi and more.

We understand your concern for your safety while in China and we take this very seriously. Our team have many years’ experience in working with and supporting you. Safety and security form part of our policies and we provide full support throughout the program (24/7); including travel and living arrangements, visa documentation, pre-departure guide, airport transfers, orientation, study materials, familiarizing you with your university or language school and surroundings, and bilingual program coordinators.

After you’ve successfully applied for a place in one of our programs, you’ll need to organize your visa for China. All visitors coming to China, whether they’re coming for a holiday, to work or to study, require a visa to enter and stay in the country. It is your responsibility to apply and pay for your Chinese Visa. Visa applications are made in your country of residence. Our programs include visa advice and assistance to help you apply for the right visa.

Our team is experienced in helping applicants apply for their visa, and we stay abreast of any new changes to the visa process so we can better support you. Our team can ensure you have the right documents to apply for a Chinese Visa in your country.

Drawing on its communist roots, China’s business community places great importance on the equal contribution of society to help it succeed. In China, who you know critical to your success. To ensure you are equipped to succeed while you are in China, Go Abroad China arranges for you to take part in a range of social, business networking and seminar events and activities.

Become one of the more than 4000 students, past and present, who have taken part in a GAC Program.

You won’t leave China empty-handed. Not only will you gain confidence and learn a new language, but you’ll also take the credits and certificate for your hard work home with you.

Price for  Go Abroad China  Study Tour   Program

Please send us email to [email protected] or contact our friendly team for further information., choose where you want to volunteer  and learn chinese.

Go Abroad China offers you a range of Chinese cities for you.

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Four Easy Steps to Learn Chinese in China

Step one: apply online.

Once you have an idea about where, when and for how long you want to learn Chinese in China, complete our online application form to get the ball rolling.

Step two: Assessment

To make sure we know what you want from your Chinese learning experience – why you want to study abroad, what you want to achieve, where and for how long you’d like to stay – we’ll organize a 15 minute Skype interview with you. From this, we can make sure we tailor the right Learn Chinese Package for you. We’ll also know if this is the right program for you. Within two to three days after the interview, the coordinator will be in touch by email to let you know if your application has been successful. If so, we’ll send you a formal offer.

Step three: Confirmation

To confirm your placement in our program, you’ll need to reply to our letter of offer and pay your agreed deposit. Once this has been done, we’ll send you all the documents you need: your contract and all the required documents for your study visa application as well as your pre-departure package. The pre-departure package contains all the information you’ll need regarding your trip including where you’ll stay.

Step Four: Start your Chinese study experience

Once your flights have been booked, let us know your arrival details (date and time, flight number) so that we can organize airport pick-up. We’ll be excited to welcome you to our program in person!

Our support doesn’t end when you arrive. We are as dedicated to ensuring you have around the clock support for the duration of your stay as we do in getting you here. Your journey will include your paid internship, accommodation, language courses, cultural experiences, tours, and networking.

Have a question?

See our FAQs or contact our friendly team for more information.

What are you waiting for? Apply online now!

Learn Chinese the fastest way in an immersive and culturally rich experience which will fast track your learning experience. Have all your needs taken care of and broaden your horizons, be more independent and make friends for life!

Promotions & Financial Aid

We want everyone to have the chance to live and study in China; to make this possible we have a range of financial options available to support students who cannot afford full fees. Contact us today to discuss promotions, full and partial sponsorship opportunities.

Our prices start from US$1,980, depending on your service components, accommodation and length of stay.

View Special Offers, Scholarship And Financial Aid

China Study Tour

St-12: 9 days students group tour: beijing - xi’an - shanghai.

Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of China on this life-changing 9-day China study tour! Being one of the four oldest civilizations, there are a lot of cultural relics you can visit in China. We have included the must see sites like the Great wall, the Forbidden City and the Terra Cotta Army, and we also focus on the cultural side of China. You’ll visit a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pharmacy, learn Tai Chi and Chinese Calligraphy in Beijing, make your own Terra-cotta Figurines, and learn how to make Dumplings in Xi’an. To help you to understand Chinese manufacturing, we have included a tour to the Volkswagen Auto Factory in Shanghai.

• Trip Highlights
• In-depth tour to Forbidden City with a Treasure Hunt in it
• Visit a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pharmacy
• Learn Tai Chi and Chinese Calligraphy in Beijing
• Make Terra-cotta Figurines and Making Dumplings in Xi’an
• Tour to the Volkswagen Auto Factory in Shanghai

No Shopping Traps

Learning, Experience Activities, Culture, History

Accommodation

Best Season

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Full itinerary for China Study Tour

On arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or the newly built Daxing International Airport (PKX), our guide will pick you up from the arrival hall and take you to check in to your hotel in Beijing. Take a rest in the hotel then enjoy a welcoming dinner in a local restaurant.

Beijing City Road

Get up and have breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, our guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel lobby and take you to visit the 600 year old Royal Palace – the Forbidden City . As you’re strolling through the complex with your guide, make sure to pay close attention to what your guide says as he or she will be dropping clues regarding the stories, history, and legends of the city. You’ll need to gather these clues to complete the treasure hunt . Then we’ll visit Tiananmen Square – the largest city square in the world – where you can find landmarks like the Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and National museum of China around the square.

Students work together for the treasure hunt in the Forbidden City

After the tour of the square, we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, then Chinese Calligraphy Learning in a school in a Hutong. You’ll learn a language which is totally different from English. It will help you to understand why Chinese characters have united the Chinese people as a nation for thousands of years. Today’s last stop is Tong Ren Tang Chinese pharmaceutical company . It is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pharmacy. TCM formed a unique system to diagnose and cure illness during its 3000 years’ development. You’ll find all kinds of herbs that TCM doctors use to treat illness.

Write "one, two, three" in Chinese

We’ll arrange dinner in a local restaurant for you.

Optional activities: The Legend of Kungfu Show in Red Theatre : This is a must see show for Kungfu fans. During the show the skilled performers will demonstrate different Kungfu styles from the Shaolin Temple, which is considered to be the birthplace of martial arts in China. Peking opera at Liyuan Theater : With a history of more than 200 years, Peking Opera is one of China's main traditional drama forms and on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list. The art combines instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics.

After breakfast in your hotel, we’ll head for the Temple of Heaven where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912 CE) worshiped heaven and prayed for a good harvest. It is also a popular park for local people to do their morning exercise. We’ll arrange a Tai Chi master to teach you basic Tai Chi .

The steps to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest

We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant after the tour to the Temple of Heaven, then drive 1.5 hrs to the Mutianyu Great Wall . We have included a round trip cable car to and from the wall, so you have enough energy to have a walk on top of it.

One of Towers on Mutianyu Great Wall

Then return to your hotel and have dinner in a restaurant en route.

Today we’ll visit the royal retreat for Qing emperors – the Summer palace , and we have also included the Garden of Virtue and Harmony which was the private theatre for the Empress Dowager Cixi. Then we’ll go to Beijing Zoo , where there is a panda house for Giant Panda, and we’ll visit the panda house.

A Panda in the Panda House

We’ll have lunch at a nearby restaurant. Then visit a supermarket to buy drinks and snacks for dinner as we’ll be taking the overnight train to Xi’an.

We’ll get to the train station at 17:00 and check in by presenting your passports. The train departs Beijing at 18:50. We will book a soft sleeper for you. Soft sleepers are spacious, 4-berth compartments with two upper and two lower berths. All of the necessary bedding is provided. Hot water is available for making tea or coffee. You can get more information by clicking "What is a Chinese Overnight Train Like?"

The train will arrive in Xi’an around 7:40am, and our guide and driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel. We’ll leave our luggage in the hotel then start visiting. Our first stop is The Terracotta Warriors and Horses museum , where you’ll come face to face with the “soldiers and horses” that date back to 200 BCE. We’ll visit one shop and learn to make terra-cotta figurines ; you’ll get to keep whatever you have made as a souvenir.

Make Terra-cotta Figurines

We’ll arrange lunch in a restaurant near the museum then return to the city center. We’ll have a stroll in the Muslim Quarter and visit a Chinese style mosque there. Xi’an is the starting point for the Silk Road, the well-worn route for merchants and travelers from Persia, Arabic countries, and Central Asia who came here for business in ancient times, thus forming the Muslim communities here. You can find tons of great street food here.

Inside of the Great Mosque

We’ll arrange dinner in a restaurant near the quarter and send you back to your hotel after the dinner.

Optional activities: Music Fountain Show on North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda : Just outside the famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda, this is a good place to have a walk in the evening . Tang Dynasty Music & Dance Show : This is a show that features traditional Chinese music and dance. You can also have dinner here, they have delicious dumplings.

Today we’ll visit the 650-year-old city wall , which is the best preserved city wall in China. You can have a walk along the wall or rent a bike to ride on it. You’ll have a lovely view of the city.

Ride on a bike on the old city wall

Then we’ll head to Eighteen Duck King Restaurant to learn how to make dumplings (Jiao zi) . Jiaozi (pronounced "jow-zee") is the most common type of Chinese dumpling. Crescent-shaped and formed with a wrapper made from wheat dough, jiaozi are usually filled with ground pork, cabbage, and scallions, and served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.

Make Dumplings

You’ll have Jiaozi as lunch in the restaurant, and then head to a supermarket to buy drinks and food for the overnight train ride to Shanghai.

We’ll take you to the train station at 15:00 and the train leaves around 16:30. We’ll overnight on the train tonight.

You’ll arrive in Shanghai at 8 am and we’ll pick you up from the train station and take you to your hotel. Shanghai is the financial center and the most modern city in China. It was also one of the earliest cities to open to the West. We’ll first visit the Former French Concession to notice its historic architecture; you’ll find a lot of European styled buildings here. Then we’ll proceed to the Shanghai Museum , one of the best museums in China, and a showcase of Chinese arts and culture. You can easily spend 1.5 to 2 hrs here.

Shanghai Wukang Road

After the museum tour, we’ll visit the Yuyuan garden , which is a 400 year old garden built according to Feng Shui principles. Outside the garden is the famous Yuyuan Bazaar , where you can find a lot of souvenir shops and xiao long bao (dumpling) restaurants. Have some free time at the bazaar.

Shops in the Yuyuan Bazaar

We’ll arrange dinner at a restaurant near your hotel, then return you to your hotel.

Optional activities: Night Cruise on Huangpu River : The lights of the buildings on both sides of Huangpu River will be turned on. You can take lots of nice pictures. Shanghai Circus World “ERA - Intersection of Time” Acrobatics Show : This is the most popular acrobatic show in Shanghai, showcasing traditional Chinese acrobatics with great music and lighting.

Today is a learning day, and we’ll drive 1 hour to Shanghai Volkswagen Auto Factory . Shanghai Volkswagen, a Chinese-German joint venture, is the largest auto manufacturing base in China, producing the largest number of vehicles in China. We’ll visit their factory and learn more about the car industry. We’ll watch the auto-making process in action – a must-see for car lovers. After a tour of the factory, we’ll visit the Auto Museum nearby; they have a great collection of cars of different brands, all in good shape.

Take a shuttle bus touring Shanghai Volkswagen Auto Factory

We’ll arrange lunch in a restaurant on the way back to the city. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Bund ; it is the heart of Shanghai. We’ll stroll down the Bund and explore the beautiful architecture and history behind the neo-classical buildings.

Neo-classical Buildings in The Bund

We’ll arrange a farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

We’ll take you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) for your flight home. You have the option to take the maglev train, which is the fastest way to Pudong airport. Its highest speed is 431 km/h, and it takes only 8 minutes for the 30 km journey from Longyang train station to Pudong airport.

Hotels for your reference

What’s included.

• Experienced English speaking guide in each city
• Hotel accommodation with breakfasts
• Licensed divers and comfortable vehicles with air-conditioning
• Unlimited bottled water
• Meals as listed in the itinerary
• Entrance fee to the listed attractions
• Soft sleeper train ticket from Beijing to Xi'an
• Soft sleeper train ticket from Xi'an to Shanghai
• Tour Summary
• Full Itinerary
• Inquiry Now

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Japan Trips

Choose your destination, study trips in japan.

Japan is often described as a country where old meets new in many different ways. This certainly stands true but there’s a lot more to it than tradition and technology. The culture that surrounds this country is diverse and seasonal. While this may seem like an odd description, the distinctions of the seasons and the delights that each one has to offer is unique to this amazing country. Whether it’s exploring the changing nature throughout the year from sakura in spring through to the momiji in autumn, or enjoying the seasonal food throughout the year.

Traditional activities are at the centre of a lot of our trips but they’re balanced with lots of cool cultural activities too. Whether you’re dying to try karaoke Japanese style or you want to explore the streets of Akihabara and get lost in an arcade for a day, there’s a chance to do all of them!

Find the Study Trip to Japan that suits you best!

Akita Winter Course – 3 weeks

Spring Course

JLPT Study Trip

Youth Japan

Traditional Japan

Summer Course

Otaku Japan

Autumn in Japan

JLPT Study Trip – Winter

Akita Autumn Course – 3 weeks

Winter in Japan

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, with Tokyo and Osaka being in the top 3 of the 10 safest cities in the world.

Although mandatory to learn English in school, it’s not necessarily needed in Japan, meaning that fewer people use English on a regular basis. Only those who have the desire to learn or required to learn due to the trade they work. Although in comparison to other countries the level of English may be lower, you’ll be able to find people that speak English in Japan. If you need help with the language, Studytrip.com staff will be happy to help you!

Honshu, which is the main island of Japan can vary from north to south in terms of weather. This is also true from east to west with snow often falling in the west but not so in the east, where it’s milder. The most pleasant time to visit is in either the spring when the cherry blossom season begins, starting in the south and working it’s way up, or in the Autumn when the humidity, rain and heat start to subside and the autumn colours work their way down the country. In the far north you’ll find the island of Hokkaido famous for winter sports and to the southern tip the islands of Okinawa and it’s sub-tropical weather, the weather in Japan offers distinctive seasons which means theres something for everyone.

Spring is possibly the most popular time to visit with beautiful cherry blossoms and pleasant weather. Autumn is also a favourite due to the warm but not humid temperatures and the autumn leaves. Winter, whilst cold, offers great conditions for winter sports and snow festivals and finally the summer months, although they can be rainy and very humid, tourist areas are generally quieter and there are tonnes of fun festivals and firework displays to enjoy.

There are many countries and regions that have visa exemption arrangements with Japan. This allows nationals to enter Japan without the need of a visa for short stays. For more information about the period of stay allowed and whether your country is exempt, please get in contact with us.

Yes, there are plenty of vegetarian options in Japan but it’s best to do some research before coming, as not all restaurants have vegetarian options. It’s also easy to get caught out by simple ingredients used in every day cooking, such as dashi, a type of stock or bouillon, which is typically made from fish.

Yes, you can use your mobile phone in Japan, but be careful as not all phones work on the frequencies used here, also be sure to turn data roaming off if you want to avoid hefty fees from your provider back home. Internet is not widely available in public spaces, so that’s why we recommend pocket WiFi. You can book yours when applying for your trip and you can even connect up to 10 devices!

We have our own highly knowledgable, qualified, multilingual and multinational local staff who act as guides, translate, and provide general support for during the trip, to ensure everyone has the best possible experience.

With most of our trips travel insurance is already included. You can find out more information here . For a small number of our trips that does not automatically include travel insurance, it is still possible to choose this as an option when booking. For those that do not select the travel insurance when booking individuals should book their own. Travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of travelling.

Meals are typically not included unless noted on the course page or as part of an activity, like the izakaya dinner. Please ask our staff if you have questions about your specific course.

Japan’s public transportation network is extremely convenient and reliable. We recommend using a Prepaid IC card to avoid having to buy tickets for every trip. You can also use them at certain stores and vending machines, and can easily re-charge them at stations.

Most major international credit, debit, and even some pre-paid cards are accepted in Japan. But note that some smaller businesses only accept cash in local currency.

The #1 app for getting around in Japan is Google Maps. For translation, #2 is Google Translate for speech, writing, and photos. The #3 app that will help you find the best eats in the country is GuruNavi.

Yes, as long as you have an attendance rate of 90% or more you will receive a certificate at the end of the course.

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Study abroad programs, semester or year programs.

The Center for International Programs (CIP) offers students 26 approved/affiliated semester or year-long study abroad options. Each program is unique and will offer something different in terms of size, academic offerings, housing, student experience, eligibility requirements, and cost. It's important to consider all of these factors and to carefully research your options before making a decision. Not every program will be the right fit for every student. We encourage you to use the " Advanced Search " feature on our  online program portal  to help navigate and narrow down the options, or browse a list of all 26 programs . In addition, students with a valid academic need can also consider  petitioning  for a non-approved program. Please also be sure to review the  Semester Abroad Policy , our  FAQs sheet  and some information about the  application process  before getting started.

Featured Programs

The American College of Greece:   Located on a breathtaking hillside at the edge of Athens, an American-style, 64-acre campus offers an ideal setting to study in Greece: modern classrooms, the ACG Library, with extensive print, online and audio-visual resources, and the College’s athletic facilities, including the FIFA designed soccer field, the Olympic-sized swimming pool, indoor and outdoor courts and fitness and exercise studios. With three schools — the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and the Frances Rich School of Fine and Performing Arts — and over 1,000 courses offered each year, there is a wide variety of subjects to choose from, such as business, fine arts, humanities, social sciences, communication and environmental studies.

Sibanye Cape Town: Marquette University’s Sibanye Cape Town program has helped students gain new perspectives and immerse themselves in South African culture through coursework at the University of the Western Cape and community-based learning. Alumni tell us the experience has made a transformative impact on how they see the world. Put your education to work to address global challenges. You will serve with a community-based organization two days a week during the semester. These service learning sites let you make a difference in the ongoing transformation of South Africa through working on community education, health issues, gender inequities, sustainable living, and youth education.

Sophia University : Saint Joseph's University has a direct exchange with Sophia University, our fellow Jesuit institution in Tokyo. Tokyo provides an amazing backdrop for a yearlong or spring semester study opportunity. Students from Saint Joseph's are considered exchange students at Sophia and will be eligible to enroll in the program of study in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and, on a space-available basis, and in other Sophia faculties for which they are linguistically and academically qualified.

Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH): Saint Joseph's University has an exchange partnership with the Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH), a Jesuit University located in the heart of downtown Santiago, Chile. The University places particular emphasis on the fields of social sciences and humanities in order to understand the complexity of the economic, political and cultural situations that form the Chilean - and indeed Latin American - social reality. There are approximately 4,300 students currently at UAH. The campus has a very intimate and friendly environment, and exchange students will especially feel at home with the support of an on-site coordinator. This is a perfect option for students looking for a linguistically and culturally immersive program in Latin America.

IFSA - University of Auckland:  See what it’s like to live in one of the world’s top-rated cities for quality of life with a semester at prestigious U of Auckland. Students will be fully integrated into the New Zealand academic system and will take courses alongside local students and other international students. New Zealand’s largest city is known for a beautiful maritime setting, and subtropical climate, full of parks, galleries, museums, shopping, and cafés—with hiking, beaches, and more outdoor getaways an easy hop away.

SJU Summer Programs

We realize that not every student will be able to spend an entire semester or year abroad. Therefore, we offer multiple short-term options, including faculty-led SJU summer programs, which are unique study abroad programs designed to introduce you to other countries and cultures as you live and study abroad for one month. The goal of a summer program is to offer an enriching experience abroad to students from any major who may not have the flexibility to spend a semester abroad but want a longer immersion than a study tour. It is great for student-athletes or those considering taking summer credit.

The Center for International Programs (CIP) plans, coordinates and implements all aspects of SJU summer programs. The courses are taught by Saint Joseph's faculty from a variety of academic disciplines and departments, and a coordinator (appointed by the University) is available for the duration of the program. 

SJU Greece Summer Program :  Two courses (different every year) are offered by SJU faculty as students explore the Greek peninsula and its islands, with segments in Athens, Syros, Crete, and Santorini. 

SJU Rome Summer Program : Known as "The Eternal City," Rome holds some of the world's most important monuments and archaeological sites. Professors will use Rome as a classroom, and many learning experiences will take place while visiting historic landmarks and museums. 

SJU South Africa Summer Program :  This summer program in South Africa offers students an opportunity to study the culture, economics and politics of pre- and post-apartheid South Africa through lived experiences. Students will get to learn in Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, which is home to nearly 8 million people, while studying Communications. 

An SJU Summer Program is a month-long academic course offered by SJU faculty during the summer. We currently offer programs in Greece, South Africa, and Rome. Academic learning takes place on-site, with required pre-departure meetings and assignments that help prepare students for the immersion experience. Summer programs are designed to give students a longer immersion experience in other countries and cultures than study tours.

Any student who is not on academic or disciplinary probation may enroll provided that they have received academic advisor approval and have met course prerequisites. There is no GPA requirement. CIP recommends that students meet with their academic advisor to make sure that they have met pre-requisites (if applicable) and to discuss GEP or academic program requirements.

The programs begin in May, June, or July, and last one month. In addition, students will be required to attend pre-departure meetings during the preceding spring semester.

All students must take the summer program courses for credit. Students cannot enroll in a study tour course “for the travel portion only.” This means you must register for the course, for which you will get a grade and pay tuition. Once you register, your SJU account will be billed for both tuition and the program fee.

Students pay a program fee for all summer programs that covers airfare, lodging, site visits, insurance, some meals and more. Program fees vary based upon location. Students are also charged summer tuition at the undergraduate or graduate rate.

Prior to departure, students complete reading and assignments that help them prepare for the upcoming travel. They meet with their professor and classmates occasionally during the preceding spring semester to prepare for the class and travel. Students must also attend a mandatory pre-departure meeting and a mandatory health and safety meeting held by the CIP. Here, students receive important information on their itinerary as well as tips for traveling related to topics such as packing, currency, and much more. They also receive information on emergency procedures and health and safety issues among other topics. See the  Health & Safety  page for more information.

If Saint Joseph's cancels a program, the $300 deposit is refundable. However, if the program runs and a student decides not to participate, the deposit remains non-refundable. Depending on when a student withdraws their participation in the program, there will also be other program fee withdrawal penalties.

Yes. CIP offers grants to several summer program participants. Applicants must be full-time degree-seeking undergraduates applying to one of the SJU Summer Programs. Please see the  application  for more information. The grant committee will select students based on merit, need, and an essay shortly after the summer program application deadline has passed.  Students should also check with academic departments for any scholarships they may have available. Students can also search for outside funding with the following search engines:  IIE Study Abroad Funding ,  GoAbroad.com ,  International Scholarships .

After the program fee has been posted to the student's account, the program fee can be paid online just as one pays their regular tuition. You may also pay by check made payable to Saint Joseph's University and sent to the Office of Student Accounts. Please be sure to include the program name in the ‘memo’ section of the check. The program fee can be paid all at once or in installments adhering to payment deadlines. If a student has any questions regarding Summer Program payments, they should contact the Office of Student Accounts at 610-660-2400.

Non-SJU Summer/Winter Programs

If you are interested in a summer or winter study abroad program offered by another university, please carefully review the  Non-SJU Summer/Winter Study Abroad Procedures , which vary greatly from the policies and procedures for SJU-sponsored summer and winter programs. Finally, if you have any questions or concerns about studying abroad over the winter or summer term, please make an appointment with a CIP staff member by emailing [email protected].

Study Tours

A study tour a short-term period of group travel that is part of a semester-long course taught on Saint Joseph's campus. A study tour is designed to introduce students to other countries and cultures by bringing to life what is being learned in the classroom. Saint Joseph's offers study tours in multiple disciplines and to several destinations each year to allow a variety of students to participate. The courses are taught and led by SJU faculty with logistical coordination provided by the Center for International Programs, a tour coordinator, and a tour provider/organization. Stay tuned for an announcement of our study tours for 2025, and browse our 2024 study tours below for examples of our offerings. You can also find more information about our study tours by attending an info session and reviewing the study tour policy .

Examples of Recent Study Tour Programs

Just Healthcare in Developing Nations (HCE/THE 368) :  Students enrolled in HCE/THE 368 in Fall 2024 with Father Peter Clark will travel to Costa Rica in January 2025. The course examines the issue of just health care for all peoples from both a public health perspective and an ethical perspective. Participants will have the opportunity to visit public and private health care hospitals, clinics, and centers.

Fair Trade Coffee in Costa Rica (SOC 316) :  Students enrolled in SOC 316: Fair Trade Coffee Study in spring 2024 with Dr. Keith Brown traveled to Costa Rica in May to trace the path of fair trade coffee beans, from cultivation in a co-op to a consumer's cup in the U.S. 

International Residency: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing (PMK 720): Graduate students in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing traveled in May to Italy with Dr. Tony DelConte , making stops in Milan, Florence, and Rome. 

A study tour is an academic course offered by SJU faculty combined with a required short-term travel component. The course is held on campus, primarily during the spring or fall semester. Study tours are designed to enhance coursework by introducing students to other countries and cultures.

Any student who is not on academic or disciplinary probation or deferred suspension may enroll provided that they have received academic advisor approval and have met course pre-requisites. Some study tours may have participation restrictions such as class year, course pre-requisites or GPA.

It varies. Some tours are spring courses with travel over spring break or travel in May. Others are summer courses with travel in May or June. Occasionally there are fall courses with travel in January.

Most last 7-10 days, while others may last only a few days or even two weeks.

All students must take the study tour courses for credit. Students cannot enroll in a study tour course for the travel portion only. This means you must register for the course, for which you will get a grade and pay tuition. Once you register, your SJU account will be billed for both tuition and the program fee.

Students interested in gaining international experience may be unsure as to whether to pursue a study tour course or a semester, year or summer program. Here is a brief outline of some of the considerations. However, many students choose to have more than one type of international experience!

• Courses:  Semester abroad students must get pre-approval to take courses overseas so that they will transfer back to SJU for degree requirements. When enrolling in a study tour, a student is registering for an SJU class, taught by an SJU professor who will both meet with the group on campus before and after travel and who will lead the group in classes or site visits during the study tour.
• Immersion:  Semester abroad is typically done during a fall or spring semester with the individual U.S. student enrolling in an overseas university or host program to take a full load of courses. Semester abroad allows students many months to immerse themselves in the host country, culture, and language. A study tour is a short travel period designed for a group of students to visit one or several countries. Study tours will have class meetings on-site, and students may engage in service learning or other experiences with host country nationals. Study tours move as a group from site to site quickly, with lots of bus, train, and airport transfers in a short time.
• Housing:  Semester abroad students may be able to live with a host family, with host country nationals, with other international students, or with other Americans in dorms or apartments (depending on their program). A study tour will typically have students living in dorms or tourist-class hotels.
• Free Time:  Students who live in a host country for a year, semester, or summer will have time outside of classes to explore the host city, culture, and country, or neighboring countries. For study tour students, the focus is on the group visiting the sites associated with the course, so there is less free time for students to do their own thing.

There is a program fee for all study tours that covers airfare, lodging, site visits, insurance, some meals, and more. Program fees vary based upon location and length of stay. If the academic course is part of the student’s full-time semester load, there is no additional tuition charge. Any financial aid or payment plans will apply. If the study tour course takes place during the summer or is an overload course, the student is required to pay summer or overload tuition as well.

Deadlines vary from program to program. Students applying for spring courses with spring travel will apply in the preceding fall semester. Students applying for fall courses with January travel will apply in the preceding spring semester. Please see each program for individual application deadlines. Please keep in mind that spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Some programs fill before the advertised deadlines.

Prior to departure, students complete reading and assignments that help them prepare for the upcoming travel portion of the class. They meet with their professor and classmates throughout the semester to prepare for travel. Students must also attend a mandatory pre-departure meeting and a mandatory health and safety meeting held by the CIP. Here, students receive important information on their itinerary as well as tips for traveling related to topics such as packing, currency, and much more. They also receive information on emergency procedures and health and safety issues, among other topics. See the  Health & Safety  page for more information.

If Saint Joseph's cancels a tour, the $300 deposit is refundable. However, if the tour runs and a student decides not to participate, the deposit remains non-refundable. Depending on when a student withdraws their participation in the program, there will also be other program fee withdrawal penalties.

Yes. CIP offers grants to several study tour participants. Students must be full-time degree-seeking undergraduates applying for one of the SJU Study Tours. Please see the  application  for more information. The grant committee will select students based on merit, need, and an essay. Students should also check with academic departments for any scholarships they may have available as well.

After the study tour program fee has been posted to the student's account, the student can pay the program fee online just as they pay their regular tuition. You may also pay by check made payable to  Saint Joseph’s University  and sent to the Office of Student Accounts. Please be sure to include the program name in the ‘memo’ section of the check. The program fee can be paid all at once or in installments adhering to payment deadlines. If a student has any questions regarding Study Tour payments, they should contact the Office of Student Accounts at 610-660-2400.

Study Trips

Japanese study trips by go go nihon.

An immersive travel experience, combining Japanese language lessons with authentic cultural experiences and engaging activities in Japan.

We partner with leading Japanese language schools to help you level up your Japanese skills.

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We have a range of accommodation options, from fun share houses, cosy dorms to private hotel rooms.

Our activities are carefully chosen to give you a full experience of life, culture, and society in Japan. 

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What is a study trip.

Study Trips by Go! Go! Nihon are your chance to live and study in a Japan for a short time, while experiencing the culture through a range of unique and fun activities. The trips last between two to four weeks and encompass your language lessons, cultural activities, and accommodation.

Our Japanese Study Trips are the perfect way to experience Japan, the language, and the culture in a short amount of time – a great option for those who can’t commit to learning at a language school long-term, or those who are looking for a more immersive experience.

Whether you’re interested in pop culture, traditional Japanese culture, Japan during the spring, or something else entirely, you’ll find a trip for you in our offerings. Experience a Japanese tea ceremony one day and visit the Ghibli Museum the next; or start your week stepping into a traditional yukata and finish it off with a karaoke session.

studytrip.com brings all our trips together so that you can pick the life-changing experience that’s right for you, simply choose the trip that suits you best.

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Our experienced Study Trips team plans and organizes your entire experience, so you only need to worry about booking your flights. We take away the stress, so you can focus on immersing yourself in travel.

Make friends for life

Our Japanese Study Trips attract people from all over the world. Your fellow travelers will not only be immediate travel buddies, but you’ll leave Japan with global friendships and irreplaceable memories.

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Our trip leaders are the best, if we do say so ourselves! They’re experts in Japanese culture and language, know all the best spots to visit, and will support you fully during your trip.

A taste of Japan life

Maybe you’ve thought about living in Japan, but aren’t sure if you’d like it? Study Trips are a fantastic way to see if living in Japan longer term is for you.

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College Study Tours: The Top Benefits of Learning Abroad

Last Updated on February 28, 2017

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Know that, we only share companies and services I know and trust to be valuable recommendations to our readers.

What is a study Tour?

A study tour is an experience where students study abroad as an alternative to traditional classroom-based learning. Students are required to meet course objectives and graded on specific learning outcomes based on the class syllabus. Traditional travel destinations include:

• Europe region
• Asia region
• Latin America region
• USA and Canda region
• Austraila region
• New Zeland region

The most common ages for travelers are 18-35 years old.

Here are the benefits of study tours to students:

Aids in learning.

As one famous adage goes and I quote, “There's no education quite like the lessons of travel.” It is a great and effective way to learn specific subjects beyond textbooks and lectures. Joining a study tour with an expert guide who's very knowledgeable about the place or topic is like having on-hand answers to questions that may not be fully accounted in some books. A study gives you a solid picture of how or what one really is when seen in person.

When we talk of a sculpture, let's say the famous Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, seeing it on a picture, many of us may have said to ourselves, I wonder how it looks in person or what made it very interesting. Once you see the actual piece and how impressive and detailed the work is, then you now have instant answers to your questions. Most famous sites even have their own facilities that hold records of a site's/subject's history, founding and everything related to it.

Creates a new and fun experience

We may have heard from someone before that “we learn from experience.” While good teaching is still an important learning foundation for each of us (especially during our younger years – and I don't think that can be easily replaced) the world is also an effective classroom. Although classroom learning can be rewarding, long hours of lectures may sometimes be a daunting event; an option for a study tour anytime in the course of study can be an exciting and fun new experience that students may look forward to.

A study tour helps students appreciate their field of study more and it really helps them better realize the interaction between their chosen fields of study to the rest of the world. Study tours help students open themselves to many possibilities that are not just contained in one geographical location or culture.

Study tours expose students to other cultures

Study tours can be a great way to learn new things about different cultures and be aware of certain differences between them, as well as similarities. It makes students see certain issues in a new perspective and some study tours even allow students to immerse themselves in a different community even if it's just a short period of time. In return, they are exposed to cultures of different socio-economic statuses which help them build compassion and better understanding for these cultures. To a certain extent, we can say that study tours allow people to gain a new perspective on things simply because they've been there; they have experienced it and somehow built a connection to that culture or place.

Opportunity to find new interests and enhance existing ones

After traveling to many places, there will be different things you'll see that may not be available or done in your area or country. Being exposed first hand to things related to your study, as well as new things you'll see for the first time, there are a lot of opportunities for you to discover new interests or enhance existing passions. A lot of business ideas nowadays are based on things they saw in another place but couldn't find it in another – so they decide to build one.

Builds friendship and enhance social skills

Spending time with people outside of the classroom and exploring and finding new things together definitely allows students to have and share a common experience. Especially if you are traveling to a different country for your study tour, before leaving it is definitely advisable to somehow learn quite a few words as well as common practices in that country for a better social experience. Let's say, you are traveling to Denmark, it wouldn't hurt to learn a few helpful Danish words, don't you think? And once you're in that country, maximize the opportunity to socialize with locals; you might learn a thing or two that is way different from the country you came from.

Good study tours offer great possibilities to people of different ages and cultures. They are definitely an effective tool for experiential learning not only about your field of study but also its relation and effects to different places and culture . Study tours may be arranged to accommodate both small and large groups and depending on your needs. Check out your course syllabus if a study tour is included or reputable travel agencies to find out more about your options for great study trips.

So go ahead! Take advantage of a study tour opportunity, make new friends, increase your knowledge and understanding, and explore new terrains, people, and culture.

Abigail Agres and Kaylee Wilson are lifestyle and mom bloggers. They write for TeamBenns, Denmark's premier travel agency for group travel and student tours .

Kaylee Wilson is a proud single mom and a professional writer. She currently contributes at http://helpyourteennow.com/ . Help Your Teen Now brings together a vast collection of resources that will help families find their bearings. Click here to learn more.

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Harvard Immersion Study Tours

We enlighten and inspire youth from across multiple backgrounds, we help the kids and youth to get immersive experience with harvard & mit, and we invite harvard & mit scholars to share their study experience and enlighten our kids..

The Harvard Immersion Study Tours, led by students from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) and organized by ECC senior education consultants, enable students to immersively experience the world’s top universities from mind to heart. Multiple activities, in-depth communication with Harvard students, all-inclusive services, and the full escort of two education consultants will relieve you of all worries and enjoy the wonderful journey!

During the 5-day tour, the students will meet like-minded friends and travel around Harvard and MIT, talk face-to-face with Harvard students, and learn about valuable experiences and wonderful life stories. Specifically, students will observe new technologies at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as well as Harvard Innovation Labs, experience campus life at Harvard Business School and Law School, browse rare books at Houghton Library, listen to anecdotes at Harvard Yard, explore the magical world at Harvard Museum of Natural History, appreciate classical art at Harvard Art Museum, and discover the beauty of science at MIT Museum.

Furthermore, in Boston, the place where American civilization originated, students will walk into history on the Freedom Trail and feel the present at Quincy Market. The 5-day immersion study tour is an integrating journey of academics, history, culture, art, science, and technology, as well as an inspiring journey of students’ knowledge, thoughts, spirit, and soul. The 5-day study tour will definitely enrich and impress the students in many aspects, enlightening and motivating their future life.

Join Harvard Immersion Study Tours today and change our kids’ life from now on!

Communicate face-to-face with Harvard/MIT students

The Harvard Immersion Study Tours, led by students from Harvard University and MIT and organized by ECC senior education consultants, enable students to immersively experience the world’s top universities from mind to heart. Multiple activities, in-depth communication with Harvard students, all-inclusive services, and the full escort of two education consultants will relieve you of all worries and enjoy the wonderful journey.

Led by scholars from Harvard/MIT

Led by scholars from Harvard/MIT, our students visit Harvard Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard Innovation Labs, Harvard Business School, Law School, browse rare books at Houghton Library, listen to anecdotes at Harvard Yard, explore the magical world at Harvard Museum of Natural History, appreciate classical art at Harvard Art Museum, and discover the beauty of science at MIT Museum.

Enlighten and motivate our kids and youth

The 5-day immersion study tour is an integrating journey of academics, history, culture, art, science, and technology, as well as an inspiring journey of students’ knowledge, thoughts, spirit, and soul. 

The 5-day study tour will definitely enrich and impress our students in many aspects, enlightening and motivating their future life.

Reasons Why You Need To Do A Study Tour

A Study Tour is exactly what it sounds like. It is an interactive way to learn. You could learn about anything. From parliamentary systems in Italy, Food and Wine Industry in France, Dutch’s Water Management System, as well as learning about culture in different countries in Europe. It allows you to study, meet new people from other departments and industries and get firsthand experience at the same time. If you are looking for a team building activity that will actually work and help them learn something new, Study Tours are a great choice.

Interactive and Effective Learning

The aim of a Study Tour, of course, is to learn and gain new skills and knowledge. Wave goodbye to boring presentations or long seminars. Study Tours take you beyond the classrooms or meeting rooms so that you get hands-on learning experience. At our most recent Study Tour on Food and Wine, participants were able to not only study about French’s famous food and wine producers but also able to experience the taste of locally made cheese, olives and pastries. In addition, cooking classes were also available as part of the tour.

Our next Study Tour is dedicated to learning about the Dutch Parliamentary System. As you can tell, Study Tours are designed for clients’ specific needs and can range from a variety of subjects.

Immerse in a Different Culture

Beyond the subject of the Study Tour, the fact that you are placed in a different environment is truly rewarding. Experiencing a different culture is eye-opening!

Whether it would be learning about how various government institutions work or reshaping your views and values by experiencing a different culture, Study Tours are so much more than just learning a new skill.

Go Back to Work Re-Energised

Of course, the main reason you are doing a Study Tour is to gain new experiences, new skills and knowledge to take home with you. Employees will come back to work re-energised feeling fulfilled, educated and filled with new ideas. Studies show that organisations that provide personal development and good culture increase employee retention rates. It is a small price to pay for long-term success and contentment in the organisation.

Are you ready to join a Study Tour? Please contact us to enquire about our next available Study Tours. EuroTafe Education’s Study Tours are tailored to suit our clients’ individual needs and can include airport transfer, accommodation, learning resources, private tours and specific needs such as halal meals. Feel free to contact us for any other queries or for more information.

Contact EuroTafe

EMAIL: [email protected]

Molenvlietbaan 22 3448 DC Woerden The Netherlands

Via dell’Annunciata, 23 20121 Milano ITALY

Study trips and experiential learning: from preparation to post-trip reflection

Rebecca Wang outlines the key steps to take before, during and after a successful international field trip

Rebecca Wang

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At the heart of our master’s course in international business and management are what we term the “six Cs”. We support our students in developing:

• cross-cultural competence
• collaboration
• communication
• critical thinking
• compassion.

To foster the six Cs, we place emphasis on integrating students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and encourage them to develop these competencies through experiential learning. To achieve this, we organise international and domestic study trips. A key feature of these trips is linking a genuine business challenge with a specific module’s authentic assessment. The tasks require students to work within multicultural teams and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.

I will use a field trip to Tashkent, in Uzbekistan, to illustrate how best to prepare and engage students with authentic business assignments overseas. The task was to answer the question: “What would be the predicted proportion of online and offline shopping, specifically in the grocery sector, in retailing businesses in Uzbekistan in five years, 10 years etc, based on the experience of developed countries such as the UK, the US and Japan?”

This is what we learned:

Promote the aims of the trip early

To support students in understanding the learning outcomes and objectives of the study trip, start your promotion as early as possible – ideally when students enrol on the course. Provide a briefing focusing on the aims and desired learning outcomes of the field trip, as well as outlining the nature of the business challenge they will be handling. It is worth familiarising students with travel procedures for the intended destination, so they know what to expect.

• How to make campuses and courses more compassionate
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Establish industry partners

Establish partnerships with local businesses or organisations that are willing to jointly set up authentic business challenges that students can work on in a professional consulting manner to enhance their learning. A partner university in situ is likely to have an extensive network of local business contacts.

With the support of our partner university, Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT), we were connected with an industry partner in a relevant sector.

The three main criteria for choosing a business partner were:

• The authentic business challenge should have impact on the local economic development .
• It should be a win-win situation for students and the partner organisation.
• The study trip should play a crucial role in enhancing transnational education and cooperation.

How to prepare for a study trip

• Team building: Guide students to self-select teams that are balanced in terms of numbers and nationalities. To support students in developing teamwork skills, assign pre-study trip activities. For example, we asked our student teams to find reports, journal articles and news about Uzbekistan’s economic and business environment in the relevant sectors, and to research the client company.
• Knowledge-input workshop: Organise a workshop or training sessions to help students develop the knowledge and skills they will need during the field trip. For our students, these skills included designing surveys, interviewing, analysing data and presenting. Ensure that any fieldwork or real-world challenge is related to the contents of your core module.
• Consultancy and research skills workshop: Invite industry professionals to deliver intensive skills workshops that equip students with relevant professional skills. In our case, an international business consultant was invited to train students in workplace skills, such as consultancy principles, consultancy style, professional behaviour and communication, and key tools for planning and executing a consultancy assignment.

If you partner with a local institution ahead of a study trip, involve their staff and students in working with your students on the project, as we did with WIUT. Each team should be given significant free rein in how they direct their projects, such as choosing methods for collecting data. But make sure their lecturers or tutors are on hand to check their progress and provide guidance when needed.

It’s important to keep the focus and pace throughout the trip. Students’ progress was moderated and checked through daily briefings and summary meetings. Our students had two days for data collection, analysis and presentation preparation. On the fourth day, students presented their findings to a panel that included the CEO of the client company, WIUT lecturers and students.

Post-study-trip phase

Ask each team to produce a reflective diary, in which they consider and feed back on the study trip process, what went well, what they achieved and learned and how they could do it better next time. Students’ feedback and our own reflections on everything from preparation workshops to post-trip reflection helped refine the second study trip.

Four key pieces of advice for organising a successful study trip

Get management and administrative support.

From planning, organising and coordinating to implementing the trip, seek support from other teams within the university, drawing on your institution’s expertise and resources. Find others to help with travel itineraries, transport and accommodation so you have the time to teach, liaise with partner companies and plan workshops and learning activities.

Engage and support students with targeted workshops

Workshops helped equip students with knowledge of the specific subject area, as well as hard and soft skills. Ask students to consider how to resolve practical difficulties they may come across in an unfamiliar country, such as language barriers and cultural differences. Lecturers met regularly with each team to monitor students’ progress throughout the project. This helped identify teams or students in need of support or a nudge.

Collaborate with a partner institution

The course team benefited from our partner institution when organising study trips to Tashkent. Through its contacts, we sourced the companies that participated. Our partner institution helped us find local students who volunteered to be interviewed, and who acted as interpreters when our students interviewed local people.

Build in a self-reflection activity

After the trip, as a round-up exercise, we asked students to apply Gibbs’ reflective cycle to think about what they had learned, and how to further their competencies and learn from intercultural dialogues, both in and out of the classroom. The study trip provided meaningful opportunities for students to develop their six Cs.

By arranging the field trip in the first semester of the course, we helped students build strong foundations in these six key competencies, as well as aiding strong course bonding. The success of the study trip reflects the collective efforts of a wide range of faculty at the University of Westminster and WIUT and the commitment and enthusiasm of a diverse group of students.

Rebecca Wang is principal lecturer in international business and management at Westminster Business School .

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 - Elizabeth Bartman, Past President of the AIA

Meet The Team

Eos Study Tours is located in the historic town of Walpole in southwestern New Hampshire along the Connecticut River.  We work with administrators and educational leaders to plan, execute, and evaluate your travel program.

Todd Nielsen

Director & Co-Founder

Patricia Dooley

Business Manager & Co-Founder

Planning/Operations/Marketing

Emily Clever

Program Coordinator

Kat Fulcher

Marketing Coordinator

Brittany Walters

Guest Services Manager

Administrative Assistant

Guest Services

Lauren Cummings

Education & Program Manager

Laura Honey

Operations Manager

CONTACT Eos

47 Main Street, Suite 1

PO Box 938, Walpole, NH 03608-0938

800-856-8951 (toll-free) or 603-756-4004 [email protected]

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Study tours should offer more 'learning' experience

"Ink on paper can only convey so much, true understanding requires putting knowledge into action." The popularity of study tours continues increasing during the summer vacation. Many parents are arranging for their children to go on educational trips, in order to break the relative monotony of classroom education. By providing them immersive real-life experiences, parents are seeking to broaden their children's horizons, enhance their knowledge, and help them integrate learning with exploration and enjoyment.

According to the summer travel data forecast from several online travel platforms, this summer is expected to witness a huge surge in demand, surpassing that of the same period in 2019. Among the emerging trends, "study tours" are new for the tourism industry, contributing significantly to its gradual recovery and improvement.

In 2021 the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the"14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Cultural Industries", which laid stress on the vigorous development of study tours. The plan is aimed at creating innovative study tour products that integrate cultural experiences, technological innovation, knowledge dissemination, entertainment, leisure and interactive parent-child activities.

According to available data, the number of participants in study tours reached 4.94 million in 2021, far exceeding the pre-pandemic figures. In 2022, the number crossed 6 million, an all-time high.

The concept of "combining learning with travel" has become a new consumer trend, with study tours becoming an emerging tourism model. Study tours promote the integration of "culture, tourism and education", a novel way to experience cultural tourism and engage in practical education by studying people's daily lives. Study tours also combine family education, school education and community education.

Compared to developed countries in Europe and the Americas, China's study tour market started relatively late, with a lower overall market penetration rate, indicating that there is still considerable untapped potential to expand the market.

According to the "China Study Tour Development Report 2022-23" published by the China Tourism Academy, since the joint release of the "Opinions on Promoting Study Tours for Primary and Secondary School Students" by the Ministry of Education and 11 other departments in 2016, people's understanding of study tours has increased. The study tour demographic now includes preschool children, primary, middle and high school students, as well as adults and senior citizens, representing a broader developmental space.

With the combined impetus of favorable policies and the demand for quality education, the study tour market has grown rapidly in recent years. This year, study tourism has experienced even more robust growth, with more than 5,000 "study camps" and related enterprises across the country. To better develop study tours and avoid superficial experiences, tourism destinations can focus on the following aspects:

To begin with, it is essential to clearly define the positioning of the study tour market and expand the supply chains of study tour products. To establish a distinct identity and highlight the core values of "research" and "learning", study tours should not only focus on providing immersive experiences but also prioritize educational aspects, integrating them through products and services. This approach will ensure study tours offer high-quality educational resources for students.

It is also crucial to continuously optimize the study tour product chains. This can be achieved by incorporating the latest educational concepts and technological advancements to create a complete industry chain encompassing base construction, itinerary design, qualified instructors, curriculum development, safety assurance and other essential elements. This comprehensive approach will drive high-quality development in the study tour sector.

Furthermore, there is a need to capitalize on the diverse resources of each region and cultivate study tours as a branded intellectual property. Local authorities should engage in comprehensive planning, and consider study tours to be a significant vehicle for cultural and educational enrichment.

They can delve deep into local intangible cultural heritage, the country's revolutionary culture, ethnic minority culture, and traditional Chinese culture, among other distinctive cultural traits, to promote unique study tours.

For instance, in June 2023, the Guizhou provincial cultural and tourism authorities announced six study tour routes centered on intangible cultural heritage. Leveraging Guizhou's abundant intangible cultural heritage resources and tourist attractions, the province developed high-quality specialized courses to attract more young students to go on study tours in Guizhou.

This initiative aims to facilitate the effective transformation of intangible cultural heritage resources into cultural and tourism intellectual property, ultimately developing the "Study in Guizhou" study tour brand and driving the high-quality development of the tourism industry in the province.

Finally, to enhance the quality of study tour products and promote innovation among students, it is important to prioritize content innovation in study tours. So, local authorities should tailor the development of prominent educational study tour activities with strong regional characteristics. They should introduce innovative elements, such as incorporating technology education, implementing interdisciplinary projects, and creating a series of exemplary study tour bases. Additionally, they can design influential and high-quality study tour itineraries.

Like Guizhou, other provinces and regions can also leverage local events such as Guizhou's "Chinese Rural Football Super League" or "Village Super", which has become a rage across the country, "Village Basketball" and the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope installed in Guizhou, to showcase their unique natural resources and cater to the demands of study tour travelers.

Jiang Yiyi is the deputy head of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University; and Gao Ziyi is a postgraduate student at the same university.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.