Group Travel

Thanks to The Experiment’s global reach, The Experiment’s program design experts can create exchange experiences based on country and time frame of your choice. Group program options can be combined and/or adjusted to create the optimal cultural learning experience for your students. The Experiment will ensure that the program design meets the highest industry standards for cultural and language immersion and academic rigor. Partner organizations and schools can also choose from one of The Experiment’s existing programs.

Group Size Options: We accept a wide range of small and large group sizes

Destination Options: Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We also offer domestic options

Term Options: Spring, summer, fall, or winter

Duration Options: One week to semester-long

Accommodation Options: Homestays* (highly recommended), dormitories, temples, camps, guest houses, hostels, and hotels. A combination of accommodation options can be integrated into any program itinerary

Theme-Focused Programs: language learning , cultural discovery and the arts, sustainability and the environment, leadership, and peace, politics and human rights

Additional Pre-Program Support: The Experiment offers an array of pre- and post- program activities designed to improve students’ overseas experience, facilitate smoother transitions in and out of country, and help students share their experiences

Additional Post-Program Support:

Returning students are encouraged to apply their newly developed leadership skills, intercultural knowledge, and awareness of issues within their home communities.

We offer online training for students to successfully organize social impact projects, in addition to video-based training on social innovation, and “training of trainers” for partner organization and school representatives who plan to oversee projects or mentor students. The Experiment can also administer small-grants programs for returning students if a partner wishes to help fund community service efforts.

Optional Add-Ons:

• In-person pre-departure orientation seminars or webinars
• Pre- and post-program student surveys for your evaluation
• Post-program reflection session for maximizing the student learning experience
• Intensive group leader training for adult leaders

*Homestay Accommodations & Activities: The homestay experience has been the cornerstone of The Experiment from the beginning. Living with a host family offers a meaningful cultural immersion experience and is often remembered as the highlight of the program. Group travel programs may include a homestay option that can range from a few days to three weeks. [Our in-country partners work diligently to match participants with the appropriate families and have many returning families we have worked with for years.] Our staff facilitates an extensive recruitment and vetting process that includes interviews, home visits, and where permissible, background checks. Host families attend orientation and pre-arrival sessions prior to meeting their homestay student. Students are placed with families in the same region or town, which allows for group gatherings, meetings, and cultural activities, and ensures participants can easily reach their group leaders.

One option for designing custom group programs is to choose a thematic focus—intended to equip students with specific cultural skills and deeper awareness of the critical global issues shaping the diverse communities and regions they visit. Below are descriptions of theme options The Experiment offers:

One option for designing custom group programs is to choose a thematic focus—intended to equip students with specific cultural skills and deeper awareness of the critical global issues shaping the diverse communities and regions they visit. Below are descriptions of theme options The Experiment offers:

Arts & Cultural Discovery: Students take inspiration from their new surroundings to hone their artistic talents in fields such as fine arts, performing arts, painting, photojournalism, photography, anime and manga, poetry, and music. In some programs, students learn about their host country’s art history and explore the relationship between art, politics, and society in different historical periods. Other students discover how art has been used in social movements and social change. While engaging with different art forms, students learn under the mentorship of local professional artists, musicians, and educators.

Global Health: Focused on modern and traditional medicine and health care practices, students in this thematic area explore the relationship between public healthcare delivery institutions and community—with an emphasis on marginalized communities.

Language Learning: Students immerse themselves in a new language and discover the cultural complexities of a new country as they explore renowned historical sites, contemporary realities, and regional differences. They engage in meaningful community experiences such as homestays and public service projects. Many of these programs offer formal language training inside and outside of the classroom.

Leadership: Student learn how to become effective leaders through programs that develop their teamwork, communication, cross-cultural competence, language acquisition, and problem-solving skills. They grow personally to become confident and accountable leaders. 

Global Leadership: In addition to cultivating leadership, this theme fosters discussion on critical global issues such as worldwide health, human rights, and social change. Themed activities promote understanding of global issues, and provide students with an opportunity to see what communities are doing to address these challenges. 

Peace, Politics & Human Rights: Students experience the impacts and interplay of history, politics, and civil society on and within a host country. They explore how community groups and individuals have built bridges of peace, tolerance, and understanding to foster more democratic and fair societies. 

Sustainability & the Environment: Students acquire entirely new perspectives on critical environmental challenges, diverse ecological systems, and natural resource conservation and sustainability. They explore ecological wonders and the rich biodiversity of a country as they travel through it. Students might learn about earth sciences, marine biology or sustainable food production methods. Activities may include sailing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, zip-lining, snorkeling, safari tours, and visits to ecological sanctuaries.

Founding Philosophy

Go to learn, not to teach   |   Expect the unexpected

Turn a crisis into an adventure   |   Learn to live together by living together

Be quick to observe, slow to judge

The Experiment’s Educational Philosophy is immersive, experiential, and student-centered. The Experiment fosters the natural curiosity and sense of adventure of youth and prepares them to explore, value, and understand different perspectives. On our programs, students develop critical skills that help them advance their studies, accelerate their careers, engage in their communities, and thrive in an ever-changing world. Experimenters gain self-confidence, mindfulness, and connections that will help them address the critical global issues facing their generation. We believe experiential learning and leadership are the keys to making that possible.

Experiential Learning

We believe in experiential leaning, a rich process by which knowledge is created not simply from experience (learning by doing), but also by reflecting on experiences and extracting lessons learned (learning by processing). This process is woven throughout all activities. The Experiment group leaders are trained to guide participants and collaborate with teachers and administrators throughout the program to ensure experiential learning success.

Group dynamics are also essential to experiential learning. Our leaders cultivate vibrant group interaction, helping students relate to others and self-actualize. Participants are held accountable not only to themselves, but to the members of the group. They reflect on the impact they have on others and learn skills for inclusive and effective dialogue.

Leadership Development

The Experiment develops young leaders by setting clear goals, providing opportunities for immersive learning, and guiding participants through reflection that leads to personal growth.

We support students in their ability to:

• Explore a new country through hands-on experience
• Connect and engage meaningfully with another culture
• Deepen consciousness toward critical global issues shaping the country visited as well as communities back home
• Cultivate empathy and harmony across ethnic, religious, and national communities in the program country, within the student group, and while back home
• Develop teamwork, communication skills, cross-cultural competence, language acquisition, and problem-solving skills
• Grow personally to become a confident and accountable leader

Participants come away from The Experiment program with a new way of learning, seeing, and thinking about the world.

Mitigating risk is our top priority. Our staff and international partners are trained to manage risk, health, and safety throughout the entire program cycle.

Partnering with The Experiment gives your group access to one of the most experienced risk management teams in high school study abroad. We recognize risk as an inherent component of all travel, so we place the highest priority on health, safety, and security. The Experiment has created a comprehensive plan to provide safe learning environments abroad. Our 360 degree approach takes the burden off you to mitigate risk and manage health issues abroad. We make it easier for teachers and administrators to focus on their students.

In designing a custom program that works best for your students, The Experiment has cultivated an extensive professional network of in-country resources that includes partner offices, international educators, in-country co-leaders, homestay coordinators, and local guides. We collaborate with our partners to ensure the best program design and support for our groups on the ground throughout the program cycle. These in-country professionals have access to communication, healthcare, transportation, and infrastructure to make sure that each student receives the highest quality attention and support.

The Experiment is committed to education that develops global leaders. To achieve this goal, we also provide customized global education training in program management and facilitation for educators. Educators can then maximize learning for their students using the best practices from our training. The Experiment can build a Professional Development Training program based on your priorities.

The Experiment’s Professional Development Training program offers educators:

• A thorough understanding of health and safety standards and policies, and tools to assess and manage situations
• The ability to facilitate students’ personal and group development through the group experience
• An understanding of the experiential model of education applied through cross-cultural immersion
• The skills to effectively achieve thematic learning goals by facilitating orientations, reflective dialogues, and re-entry workshops
• Guidance on how to manage on-the-ground logistics and support program delivery

Each year, The Experiment trains up to 100 teachers, youth leaders, and facilitators on a range of topics relating to the broad areas of youth, education, logistics, and health and safety. Sessions cover these areas beginning with nuts-and-bolts and best practices, followed by a deeper exploration that includes hands-on activities, usable materials, and practical application of new skills.