High School Programs

Summer Programs for Students 14-17

be a traveler, not a tourist

On a Global Routes summer program, you’ll explore a new environment. Make new friends. Develop your independence. Overcome challenges. Discover new interests. And at the end of the summer? You’ll have uncovered who you really are. 

It all starts here – find your transformative summer program below!

Global Routes High School Summer Programs Greece

Greece

Archaeological Excursion, Island Hopping, Traditional Farming & Folklore

3 Weeks

Reflect, reimagine, and transform in the ancient heart of Western Civilization as you explore Greece with Global Routes.

July 19 - August 8, 2023

Tuition $8,995

high school programs Italy by global routes

Italy

Ancient History & Art, Sustainable Farming, Tuscany Expedition

3 Weeks

From ancient cities to centuries-old family farms, Italy holds the keys to adapting to social, political and environmental change while maintaining rich traditions.

June 28 - July 19, 2023

Tuition $8,895

Fiji and New Zealand by Global Routes

Fiji and New Zealand

Adventure, Honoring Indigenous Tradition, Marine Life

3 Weeks

Immerse yourself in a remote Fijian village, living with homestay families, and complete a Rite of Passage with Maori community in New Zealand (Aotearoa).

Session 1: June 28 - July 19, 2023. Session 2: July 13 - August 3, 2023

Tuition $7,895

Thailand & Cambodia by Global Routes

Thailand & Cambodia

Cultural Exchange, Jungle Trek, Sustainable Farming, Temple Retreat

3 Weeks

From the peaceful temples and old walled city of Chiang Mai to the world-renowned temples of Angkor Wat; the mountainous jungles of northern Thailand to the clear ocean waters of the country’s famed islands and beaches.

Session 1: June 28 - July 19, 2023. Session 2: July 13 - August 3, 2023

Tuition $7,895

high school programs ecuador by Global Routes

Ecuador & the Amazon

Ecological Sustainability, Indigenous Rights, Social justice

3 Weeks

Beyond biodiversity, explore Ecuador’s cultural diversity as you work in collaboration with indigenous a advocacy organizations across the country.

July 1-29, 2023

Tuition $7,895

High School Program Hawai'i by Global Routes

Hawai'i

Island Exploration, Social justice, Sustainability

3 Weeks

‘A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okahi. All knowledge is not learned in just one school. ‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia. No task is too big when done together.

July 1 - July 28, 2023

Tuition $7,895

High school program Leaders in action by Global Routes

Leaders in Action

Leadership Community Service Program

4 Weeks

The first words you hear when you arrive in Costa Rica may be “pura vida,” a greeting that expresses the peaceful spirit of a nation with a long tradition of democracy and a commitment to education.

July 2 - 30, 2023

Tuition $6,895

High school program Costa Rica by Global Routes

Costa Rica

Community Homestay, Rainforest Adventure, Spanish Immersion

4 Weeks

Costa Rica’s warm and hospitable people, known affectionately as Ticos, inhabit an extraordinary region of the world, one replete with active volcanoes, dense rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and pristine beaches.

Session 1: June 28-July 26, 2023
Session 2: July 7-August 5th, 2023

Tuition $6,895

Custom program Nepal by Global Routes

Nepal

Cultural Exchange, Himalayan Trek, Remote Homestay

5 Weeks

Nepal’s skyline includes eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, each towering over 26,000 feet.

June 29 - August 3, 2023

Tuition $7,895

How to enroll

Take the first step here

Learn more about enrolling in a summer program below.

The Application Process

1. Submit your Interest Form

If you’re curious about Global Routes, we encourage you to start your exploration with our Interest Form. It’s obligation-free and takes only a few minutes.

2. Interview with Global Routes Staff

After submission of your interest form, you’ll be guided to book a call with a member of our team. This call is an informal “interview” to help you determine if Global Routes is the best fit for you! We’ll also happily answer any questions you have about our summer programs.

3. Accepted! Complete Tuition Payment & Enrollment

When you’re sure Global Routes is for you and you’re ready to register, you’ll simply click “Enroll Now” to register and pay your program tuition.

Global Routes High School Programs

FAQ

Once we receive your application and reserve a space for you in the program, we provide you access to a password-protected webpage designed specifically for your program. There, we post information about passports and visas, detailed packing lists, all necessary travel information, information about your leaders, and much more! We’re also always on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Global Routes accepts students 14-17  from all over the world!  Right-fit participants are those looking for something more community-driven than a teen-tour and more culturally engaging than strictly outdoor education programs. Global Routes participants return as more confident, directed, self-aware, and adventurous global citizens with a better understanding of the unique contributions they offer their communities and the world. 

We expect you to have a positive attitude, demonstrate patience and flexibility in the face of the inherent challenges of group living in a foreign country, be sensitive to the cultures and customs of your host community, contribute to a positive group experience, and abide by the  student contract you sign on the application. No previous construction, teaching, or foreign language experience is necessary.

Living conditions will vary throughout your program, but they will always be safe and comfortable. During orientation and final travel you stay with your group in family-run guesthouses or small hostels or hotels. During the homestay portion of your program, your entire group will stay in one village where you and a partner live in a simple and rustic home, constructed of wood or cement block. When hosted, not all homes will have electricity or indoor plumbing. 

In each destination we have in-country staff who identify potential communities and  interview and select each host family. Prior to the start of your program, one of your leaders makes an additional pre-trip visit to your community to meet with village leaders, members of the project committee, and all host families. We go to new communities and work with new families nearly every year. This keeps the experience unique and special for communities and students alike. 

At other points in the program, we will find ourselves in hotels, hostels, or even camping as the final itinerary indicates.

We present all students with a certificate noting the number of completed service hours. You will complete anywhere between 40 and 100 community service hours, depending on your program. Each school determines whether or not Global Routes service hours meet their requirements. We’re happy to communicate with your school service advisor ahead of time to answer any questions they may have about your service work.

We believe that limiting technology on a program builds better connections to ourselves, our peers, and our new environments. We appreciate that cell phones can be helpful when meeting your leader or parent on travel days and therefore we permit the use of cell phones for communication on the first and last days of your program ONLY. Cell phone use is not allowed during the entire course of the program Although this can be daunting at first, most students cite the lack of phones as one of their FAVORITE parts of the Global Routes summer program!

Global Routes stays in close contact with each program and receives updates every few days. We are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to our group leaders for the entire summer, and provide regular updates via email and blog posts to parents, guardians, and mentors back home. Additionally, students will have a few opportunities throughout the program to contact home by mail, email, and phone.

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