
Frequently Asked Questions
Popular Categories

FOR PARENTS
As parents you want to make sure that all the elements of safe travel and chaperoning are addressed. Additionally you want to ensure that you are receiving value for money. Click here to view some of the FAQ’s concerning the safety and value of our experiences.

FOR STUDENTS
You and your parents are probably sacrificing in order to participate in this experience. You almost certainly have questions that need to be answered. Check out our FAQ’s section designed especially for students.

FOR ACADEMICS
Your students are your life! You are invested in their future. Our programs have an academic richness not found in other organizations programs. That is why you will see some recommendations from professors in our testimonial section.
For Parents – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum number of students on a trip?
Our absolute minimum is 15 students. In an effort to keep costs low, certain elements of a trip (like bus transportation) have a fixed cost regardless of whether you have one student or many. Fifteen students is the minimum in order to make the trip affordable to students.
Do your trips have a chaperone?
Most of our trips are run in conjunction with academic institutions who require a chaperone to be present on each trip. The ratio of students:chaperone varies by institution. Additionally; all of our trips have a local guide included who is present during the academic visit days and guides the students and chaperone to the visits. The guide is well versed in the intricacies of the particular city and is able to suggest best places to eat and local tourist attractions etc.
What is the maximum number of people on a trip?
We like to keep the number to somewhere around 30 people otherwise we lose some of the intimacy that our speakers are able to achieve with the students.
Do you offer any trips other than what are offered on your website?
Yes! We tend to work with professors and career directors to establish the destination and the topics that are relevant to the students but we are always open to new ideas so contact us with your request
What are your payment options?
We usually let our distributors handle payments and for each country there are different requirements concerning how and when payments are received. Please contact your distributor.
Does you price include travel medical insurance
No. DIfferent people have different requirements for travel medical insurance. It is absolutely MANDATORY to have travel medical insurance before embarking on one of our trips.
What type of accommodation do you offer?
In an effort to keep costs low, we typically offer quad accommodation. On some trips single and double are offered at extra cost. We try to choose hotels that are close to public transit and as close to the heart of the city you are visiting so you can take advantage of the full cultural experience in the evenings.
Do you provide visa services?
We will provide you with visa requirements for the particular country you are visiting together with how to acquire your visa. Visa services provided by the country you are visiting and we have very little ability to influence either the speed or acceptance of your visa application.
How old do I need to be to participate in your programs?
All participants must be 18 years old or must be accompanied by a legal guardian (parent/teacher/chaperone) with full legal documentation completed prior to leaving on the trip.
are your trips just an excuse for my child to travel?
No! While there is lots of pedagogical evidence of the positive impacts of any kind of international travel, our trips are solidly based upon the academic insights that the student will acquire. When we are designing a trip, the trip theme is the first criteria we consider and we then determine where in the world centres of excellence exists for that theme. Finally; we balance the costs associated with the destination (airfare, hotel and cost of living) to choose where the academic trip will be offered. Our objective is to provide as many students as possible with an academic trip that is meaningful and insightful for them without the cost excluding participation.
Why don't you offer meals as part of the package?
Meals tend to be highly personal with most people having specific tastes and limitations. Additionally; most people have different budgets for meals. When we choose accommodations, we usually ensure that there is a variety of meal options available close to the accommodations. We often provide people with meal budgeting information so that they can plan their spending money while they are at their destination.
how safe will my child be on your trips
We are careful to review the geo-political influences for all destinations and reserve the right to cancel a trip prior to departure for any reason including participant safety. We follow both Canadian and US travel advisories and usually pick destinations that are not included in those advisories. We usually choose 3 star hotels in either city centres or close to whatever activity they are engaged in. While no one can guarantee absolute safety in any destination we make every effort to choose destinations that are conflict free.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some pretty impressive companies that are going to be visited. Will you visit them all?
We always have a disclaimer that states that the companies we are visiting are fully operating businesses and may at any time have business priorities that supersede our requirements for a visit. We also indicate that we will attempt to substitute a similar organization. After visiting over 250 host companies – we have only had to substitute one visit for another due to a business emergency at a host company. Most leaders take their mentorship of our students very seriously and, in some cases, have made huge personal sacrifices just to make sure that they are present at an agreed upon time and place.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some companies that I have never heard of! Why did you choose them?
Our quick answer to that is that they are companies you will hear about! Some of the best of breed leading edge companies still do not have a public profile. The reason that we choose them is that they in all possibility could be the companies that your son or daughter will go to work for. Our mission is to open students eyes to emerging trends and possibilities, help them to understand how they can tailor their academic career to be ready for those opportunities and develop relationships with people who are already in the field.
My child is not sure what they want to do. Is there anything you can offer them?
Yes there sure is. We remember when we went through university and the decisions we made were very difficult. We offer a CAREER EXPLORATIONS trip which is specifically designed to give participants insights into various fields and where they could possibly direct their academic studies.
Don’t see an Answer?
For students – Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be fluent in english to join the trip?
All our meetings in North American destinations are conducted in English so being able to listen and understand English is essential for you to obtain the most from the academic experience. Some of our speakers in some destinations are Spanish speakers and are more than happy to conduct the meeting in Spanish but this tends to be the exception rather than the norm.
What is the minimum number of students on a trip?
Our absolute minimum is 15 students. In an effort to keep costs low, certain elements of a trip (like bus transportation) have a fixed cost regardless of whether you have one student or many. Fifteen students is the minimum in order to make the trip affordable to students.
What is the maximum number of people on a trip?
We like to keep the number to somewhere around 30 people otherwise we lose some of the intimacy that our speakers are able to achieve with the students.
Do your trips have a chaperone?
Most of our trips are run in conjunction with academic institutions who require a chaperone to be present on each trip. The ratio of students:chaperone varies by institution. Additionally; all of our trips have a local guide included who is present during the academic visit days and guides the students and chaperone to the visits. The guide is well versed in the intricacies of the particular city and is able to suggest best places to eat and local tourist attractions etc.
Do you offer any trips other than what are offered on your website?
Yes! We tend to work with professors and career directors to establish the destination and the topics that are relevant to the students but we are always open to new ideas so contact us with your request
What are your payment options?
We usually let our distributors handle payments and for each country there are different requirements concerning how and when payments are received. Please contact your distributor.
Does you price include travel medical insurance
No. DIfferent people have different requirements for travel medical insurance. It is absolutely MANDATORY to have travel medical insurance before embarking on one of our trips.
What type of accommodation do you offer?
In an effort to keep costs low, we typically offer quad accommodation. On some trips single and double are offered at extra cost. We try to choose hotels that are close to public transit and as close to the heart of the city you are visiting so you can take advantage of the full cultural experience in the evenings.
Do you provide visa services?
We will provide you with visa requirements for the particular country you are visiting together with how to acquire your visa. Visa services provided by the country you are visiting and we have very little ability to influence either the speed or acceptance of your visa application.
How old do I need to be to participate in your programs?
All participants must be 18 years old or must be accompanied by a legal guardian (parent/teacher/chaperone) with full legal documentation completed prior to leaving on the trip.
Are your trips fun?
We like to think so. Not only do you get a taste of what it is like out there in the real world with the company visits but you also usually get a couple of tourist days where you really experience the international experience of the city that you are in. We usually provide public transit passes so you can fully explore the city at your leisure.
Why don't you offer meals as part of the package?
Meals tend to be highly personal with most people having specific tastes and limitations. Additionally; most people have different budgets for meals. When we choose accommodations, we usually ensure that there is a variety of meal options available close to the accommodations. We often provide people with meal budgeting information so that they can plan their spending money while they are at their destination.
Am I going to be safe in the city that I go to
We are careful to review the geo-political influences for all destinations and reserve the right to cancel a trip prior to departure for any reason including participant safety. We follow both Canadian and US travel advisories and usually pick destinations that are not included in those advisories. We usually choose 3 star hotels in either city centres or close to whatever activity they are engaged in. We expect you to exercise normal safety precautions as you would do in any city. We also provide a local guide to accompany you on your academic visits and although they will not be present during your tourist days, they can tell what is safe and where to exercise caution. While no one can guarantee absolute safety in any destination we make every effort to choose destinations that are conflict free.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some pretty impressive companies that are going to be visited. Will I visit them all?
We always have a disclaimer that states that the companies we are visiting are fully operating businesses and may at any time have business priorities that supersede our requirements for a visit. We also indicate that we will attempt to substitute a similar organization. After visiting over 250 host companies – we have only had to substitute one visit for another due to a business emergency at a host company. Most leaders take their mentorship of our students very seriously and, in some cases, have made huge personal sacrifices just to make sure that they are present at an agreed upon time and place.
CaN ANYONE JOIN YOUR TRIPS OR DO i HAVE TO BE FROM A SPECIFIC SCHOOL?
Most of our trips have an academic sponsor from a specific school but we often a couple of extra spots where we can accommodate additional students from other schools. Sometimes students from other schools introduce us to their academic advisers at their school and we can arrange a trip through their institution. If that is the case with you- contact us and our distributor will be more than happy to meet with your adviser.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some companies that I have never heard of! Why did you choose them?
Our quick answer to that is that they are companies you will hear about! Some of the best of breed leading edge companies still do not have a public profile. The reason that we choose them is that they in all possibility could be the companies that your son or daughter will go to work for. Our mission is to open students eyes to emerging trends and possibilities, help them to understand how they can tailor their academic career to be ready for those opportunities and develop relationships with people who are already in the field.
What extra costs am I going to be faced with
Our trips usually include:
- airfare
- hotel
- academic visits
- local guide
- local public transportation
- transportation to/from arrival city airport
You will be responsible for:
- visa acquisition costs
- Transportation to/from departure city airport
- Travel Medical health insurance
- All meals in the destination city
- Airline Baggage fees
- Roaming charges on your cell phone
(We try to provide an estimate to students on what these costs are likely to be in the host city)
Do you offer refunds if I decide I do not want to go on the trip?
No! We do not usually offer refunds. The airfare and hotels are booked far in advance and you have contracted with us to participate in the trip. Please note: this also includes failure to obtain the necessary travel documentation like a passport and/or a visa for entry into the destination country.
Don’t see an Answer?
For ACademics – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum number of students on a trip?
Our absolute minimum is 15 students. In an effort to keep costs low, certain elements of a trip (like bus transportation) have a fixed cost regardless of whether you have one student or many. Fifteen students is the minimum in order to make the trip affordable to students.
What is the maximum number of people on a trip?
We like to keep the number to somewhere around 30 people otherwise we lose some of the intimacy that our speakers are able to achieve with the students.
Will I be the chaperone on the trip?
Usually. Most academic institutions have fairly strict rules concerning the ratio of students to chaperones and if the trip is exceeds that ratio then we may require your assistance to recruit another chaperone in addition to yourself.
Do you offer any trips other than what are offered on your website?
Yes! What you see on the website is a sampling of the trips we are offering based upon close collaboration with other professors and academic advisers. We tend to work with professors and career directors to establish the destination and the topics that are relevant to the students but we are always open to new ideas so contact us with your request
are my accommodations included if I am a chaperone?
Yes. Both your accommodations and airfare are included free of charge to you.
What type of accommodation do you offer?
All chaperones have a single room in the same hotel as the students.
what are your expectations of me regarding the trip?
Once we together have established the academic objectives for your trip and the most appropriate destination to achieve those objectives we expect you to work with us to promote the trip to the student. This may include providing the students with brochures, facilitating a meeting with our representative and the potential students and potentially their parents as well. We also expect you to be a chaperone for the students if your academic institution requires it. While you are on the trip we expect you to handle any discipline problems that occur with the students (we have not had a case of that occurring as of yet). If there are any emergencies that occur during the trip you job is to ensure that the student receives the appropriate care. You will be expected to liase with the local guide to ensure that the group is not late for meetings and help the students to engage with the speakers if that seems appropriate.
if a student is under-age what documentation is required?
All participants must be 18 years old or must be accompanied by a legal guardian (parent/teacher/chaperone) with full legal documentation completed prior to leaving on the trip. If you are going to act as the students legal guardian you must obtain legal authorization in your home country for the student to travel and ensure that the documentation is available to you when you are crossing international borders. Additional documentation could include the right to seek medical treatment for the student if that is necessary.
Are the trips purely academic
There is lots of evidence concerning the pedagogical benefits of international travel. To achieve some of the additional benefits we usually configure our trips to include one or two days of tourist activities. This allows the students exposure to different cultures and will open their eyes in different ways than is achieved purely through company visits.
Why don't you offer meals as part of the package?
Meals tend to be highly personal with most people having specific tastes and limitations. Additionally; most people have different budgets for meals. When we choose accommodations, we usually ensure that there is a variety of meal options available close to the accommodations. We often provide people with meal budgeting information so that they can plan their spending money while they are at their destination.
How safe are the destinations you choose?
We are careful to review the geo-political influences for all destinations and reserve the right to cancel a trip prior to departure for any reason including participant safety. We follow both Canadian and US travel advisories and usually pick destinations that are not included in those advisories. We usually choose 3 star hotels in either city centres or close to whatever activity they are engaged in. We expect you to exercise normal safety precautions as you would do in any city. We also provide a local guide to accompany you on your academic visits and although they will not be present during your tourist days, they can tell what is safe and where to exercise caution. While no one can guarantee absolute safety in any destination we make every effort to choose destinations that are conflict free.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some pretty impressive companies that are going to be visited. Will they all be visited?
We always have a disclaimer that states that the companies we are visiting are fully operating businesses and may at any time have business priorities that supersede our requirements for a visit. We also indicate that we will attempt to substitute a similar organization. After visiting over 250 host companies – we have only had to substitute one visit for another due to a business emergency at a host company. Most leaders take their mentorship of our students very seriously and, in some cases, have made huge personal sacrifices just to make sure that they are present at an agreed upon time and place.
Will the participants on the trip be solely from my institution
Most of our trips have an academic sponsor from a specific school and we can make the trip exclusive for your institution. If you are having trouble filling the minimum requirements for the number of students we can open the trip up to other institutions.
I noticed on the brochure that there are some companies that I have never heard of! Why did you choose them?
Our quick answer to that is that they are companies you will hear about! Some of the best of breed leading edge companies still do not have a public profile. The reason that we choose them is that they in all possibility could be the companies that your students will go to work for. Our mission is to open students eyes to emerging trends and possibilities, help them to understand how they can tailor their academic career to be ready for those opportunities and develop relationships with people who are already in the field.
Do you offer refunds if I decide I do not want to go on the trip?
No! We do not usually offer refunds. The airfare and hotels are booked far in advance and you have contracted with us to participate in the trip. Please note: this also includes failure to obtain the necessary travel documentation like a passport and/or a visa for entry into the destination country.