Research published by organizations like NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Institute of International Education, and Diversity Abroad shows that, when it comes to making a decision to study abroad, money matters.

Cost is one of the most prohibitive factors for students and their families. 

And costs can add up quickly.

Unless, of course, you embrace a few “tricks” with some strategic decision-making.

Over the past decade, our team has planned and run countless custom programs for students ranging from middle school to university, both domestic and international, and based on a wide variety of academic subjects and objectives. Ten years of experience has taught us a thing or two. One of those things is how to keep the price of a program as low as possible.

a few important choices you can make to keep the price down: 

• SCHEDULING. If you can be flexible with your dates, you can plan strategically around busy periods, like school breaks and other typical vacation periods. Instead, travel during off-peak seasons when prices for flights, accommodation, and even some activities are very often lower. Sometimes quite significantly so.

• HOUSING. Where will you and your students stay while traveling? In many locations, we have partnerships with universities that can provide housing that is much more affordable than renting rooms in traditional hotels. University accommodation can offer you and your students a safe and comfortable place to rest your heads, often within a fun campus atmosphere that is built with learning in mind.

• CLASSROOM SPACE. Some group leaders choose to teach fully on the go, but for most, some classroom space is essential—or at least useful. Again, this is a great place to lean into the relationships we have with our university partners. Their classrooms are often much cheaper to secure than renting an external space would be. Plus, they’re purpose-built for teaching.

• ACTIVITIES. While it’s tempting to take longer day trips or move around often, the cost of transportation for big groups can really drain a budget. We recommend working with us and embracing our local expertise to carefully choose the best host location for your itinerary so that your activities can be as central to your accommodation as possible. Minimize distance and maximize the time spent exploring! This will also make your program more accessible for students with limited mobility or other considerations where traveling long distances might be an obstacle.

• LOCATIONS. Traveling to multiple destinations sounds exciting—and it definitely can be—but, if cost is a priority, remember that this approach can also add considerable expenses. We recommend focusing on one or two places that have diverse cultural experiences to not only make for a deeper and more immersive experience but also to lower transportation costs.

• COMING AND GOING. To eliminate the extra travel costs that are associated with multi-city flights, you’ll ideally want to fly in and out of the same airport. Not only does this approach lower expenses, but it keeps logistics simple and lowers the potential for unexpected and stressful delays.

• CITIES. Balance your budget by spending less time in big cities which are known for their higher costs,—especially capital cities or very touristy cities. Consider second cities or towns or destinations that are not so reliant on tourism. These experiences can provide just as much educational value for your students but at a lower price point.

“Our team is here to advise our partners on these points,” EdOdyssey President and Founder Peter McGovern said. “We are always eager to collaborate with schools to help make their custom programs accessible.”

We understand that affordability is a priority for many of our partners. When you collaborate with us to build a custom program, you have the power to make these strategic decisions that result in more accessible—and therefore more inclusive and successful—programs for your students. If keeping costs down is important, a few key choices like those explored above can make a big difference, and our team will guide you in that direction.

If you’re interested in creating a custom program for your students but are worried that they might be put off by high costs, let’s talk! There are many ways to make travel more budget-friendly without losing educational impact. This is one of our areas of expertise; let us walk you through it.