Summer Study Abroad Programs in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Traveling and seeing the world doesn’t necessarily mean taking a break from your studies. Study abroad with AIFS and broaden your academic knowledge while learning about foreign cultures! Serving more than 1.5 million students since 1964, AIFS is a recognized provider of study abroad programs. We offer a broad range of unique programs in the Americas, South Africa, Europe, Australia, and Asia. And you don’t even have to be proficient in a foreign language to join because most AIFS campuses conduct courses in English or other foreign languages across all levels. AIFS offers all-inclusive program fees, making it simple for students to experience everything the world has to offer while living and studying abroad! Most of all, we guarantee their safety and welfare anywhere they are.

Seamester is the educational adventure of a lifetime! For more than 40 years, we have offered unparalleled educational voyages where students spend a semester at sea sailing between islands, countries, and even continents. We design our programs to provide engaging learning experiences with real outcomes in ways that are impossible to replicate in the traditional classroom. Living as part of a close-knit team on an ocean-going vessel, our students learn fundamental lessons beyond academics: teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility. They receive academic credit from the University of South Florida, along with PADI scuba certifications and IYT sailing certifications. Our programs are designed to inspire students to realize that it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters the most.

Study abroad in Ecuador with IES Abroad and experience one of the most culturally and geographically diverse countries in the world. Roughly the size of Colorado, Ecuador has the environmental megadiversity of a much larger country. Four eco-regions—the Amazon basin, the high Andes, the coastal plain, and the Galápagos Islands—offer a wealth of flora and fauna that attracts biologists, botanists, and environmentalists from around the world. These internationally known natural wonders are at your fingertips when you study in Ecuador. Adventure and learning opportunities will surround you when you study abroad in Ecuador. Snorkel in the Galápagos Islands as you study biodiversity, learn about indigenous culture as you stroll through Otavalo Market, and study environmental science in the Amazon rainforest! To make the most of your time in Ecuador, study abroad is a great opportunity to not only visit, but also learn about this stunningly diverse country.

Track a tapir and Andean bears in a cloud forest. Study primates and rainforest ecology in the Amazon. Then get ready to explore the Galápagos, one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, on this 20-day adventure for high school students 16 and up. Tropical ecosystems exhibit an amazing degree of biodiversity and species richness, and this program brings you into the heart of it all - the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Galápagos Islands. Conduct biological surveys while you track Andean mountain bears, jaguars, and the elusive tapir. Head into a remote part of the Amazon jungle where the world's most biodiverse region is right at your fingertips. Snorkel and explore the pristine islands of the Galápagos Archipelago, home to the widest array of flora and fauna on the planet. We are offering two sessions for 2026 (while space lasts): June 22 - July 11, 2026 July 13 - August 1, 2026

Earth Expeditions (EE) are Miami University study abroad courses designed for people looking for inspiring professional development opportunities while earning graduate credit. All courses engage with grassroots conservation and sustainability programs making a difference in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Our planned 2026 EE sites are the Amazon, Australia, Baja, Belize, Borneo, Brazil, Costa Rica, Galápagos, India, Kenya, Mongolia, Namibia, Paraguay, and Thailand. Awarding seven graduate credit hours (5 credits for the Summer Term + 2 credits for the Fall Semester), EE courses are hybrid and combine direct global study experiences with engagement in a web-based online learning community. Summer field courses typically run from mid-May through mid-August, with pre-course work beginning in April. The international field “in-country” portion of each class generally lasts 9-10 days. The 2-credit-hour follow-on fall semester course, “Inquiry & Action,” is entirely online and typically runs from late August to mid-December. This component is optional for students taking an EE course for stand-alone graduate credit outside the master’s program.

Snorkel in crystal-clear waters alongside sea lions, sea turtles, and marine iguanas, and observe the iconic wildlife that inspired the theory of evolution. This unique program takes you aboard the National Geographic Islander II, an intimate expedition ship designed for daily exploration across the Galápagos Islands. Led by National Geographic Explorer and professor Dr. Alizé Carrère, you’ll experience the Galápagos both on land and beneath the waves. Each day brings new opportunities to engage with this extraordinary ecosystem—through guided hikes, snorkeling, and close-up wildlife encounters. This once-in-a-lifetime journey offers more than just travel; it’s a deep dive into one of the world’s most biologically significant regions, designed to inspire curiosity, scientific thinking, and a lifelong connection to the natural world.