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  1. Home
  2. Teachers and Group Leaders
  3. How it works

How we put “education first” on every tour

Travel-based learning is an opportunity for educators to bring your students on a group-based, international tour organized by EF and led by local experts. With over 60 years as the global leader in educational travel, we know that empowering a student’s personal journey is just as important as handling the details of their physical trip. We also value the same educational outcomes as your school, and are proud to be accredited by America’s most respected organizations.

A teacher and student talk as they overlook a European city with EF backpacks on

The opportunity

Travel-based learning equips students with key skills they need to succeed

Today's students face a world that's changing faster than ever. Many will have jobs that don't even exist yet, solving challenges we haven't imagined. Success won't come from memorizing facts and figures—it will come from knowing how to think critically, communicate across cultures, collaborate through complexity, and lead with empathy. The future belongs to students who can do more than simply know. It belongs to those who can adapt, connect, and create.

93%

of executives deem "soft skills" just as critical as technical skills

The Wall Street Journal

85%

of today's second graders will work in jobs that don't exist yet

The Washington Post

50%

of study abroad students say their experience helped them get their first job

Forum on Education Abroad

the EF difference

Every EF tour is intentionally designed with hands-on learning that builds essential future readiness skills

Our proven method, developed over 60 years, enhances what students are taught in the classroom with immersive learning that helps students develop the future readiness skills essential for their success—in college, the career world, and adult life.

students talking on tour

The EF Method

Explore the world

Global Perspective

EF takes students safely out of their comfort zones to experience the world firsthand.

  • Cultural awareness

    Cultural sensitivity

    Open-mindedness

  • Adaptability

    Curiosity

    Growth mindset

Discover yourself

Personal Development

This exploration transforms how students think and feel, leading to more self-discovery.

Self-awareness

Individual impact

Resilience

  • Agency

    Confidence

Make a difference

Action & impact

Students are empowered to take action and have a positive impact on the world.

  • Communication

    Active listening

    Authentic connection

  • Collaboration

    Empathy

    Flexibility

Cover and inside spread of the EF Educational Impact Report
Cover and inside spread of the EF Educational Impact Report

The EF WQ delivers meaningful data that proves on-tour growth

EF’s ongoing study of student growth, called the EF WQ (World Quotient), shows that students on 8 to 10 day tours increase their WQ by an average of +4.0%, especially those with less cross-cultural exposure at the outset. Though growth is modest, as you would expect from such a short time away, EF travelers do become more world-ready.

Read our Educational Impact Report

We design tours to fit every teacher’s educational goals and needs

ctae tours tile

Career Readiness Tours

Enhance career and technical coursework with real industry exposure

View the collection
winning group at global leadership summit

Global Leadership Summits

Blend an educational tour with a leadership conference

View the collection
TD explaining to student at panama canal

STEM Tours

Bring STEM principles to life beyond the classroom

View the collection

Let’s find the right tours for you.

We’ll pair you with an EF travel expert who will match you with the perfect tour.

See all tour collections
GL karen

“Educational travel isn’t optional, it’s integral to developing future-ready graduates.”

Dr. Karen Cheser
ED.D. Superintendent from Durango, CO

Read more in our Impact Report

What learning looks like for students before, during, and after an EF tour

When EF is your partner, educational travel is about way more than the days you’re away. You and your students embark on a learning journey that begins the moment you sign up, and it continues long after you return home.

BEFORE YOU GO

Prepare for the journey ahead

There’s so much excitement in the preparation for the adventure ahead—especially as students learn how to be world travelers.

  • Apply for a passport

  • Budget spending money

  • Figure out what to pack

  • Practice language skills

  • Study up on the places you’ll visit

  • Start an academic course to earn credit

during your tour

Immerse yourself in every moment

Every EF tour is enhanced with a curriculum of immersive learning designed to help travelers develop essential skills that will better prepare them for their futures.

Group of students in thailand taking a selfie

Traveling and living with peers

Students work together to build interpersonal skills like flexibility, adaptability, and compromise.

Student with headphones looking up

Immersion in new environments

Dive into destinations culturally, intellectually, and emotionally.

Tour Director speakign with group

Professionally guided travel

Discuss and reflect on your discoveries with the insightful context your Tour Director and local guides provide.

Artist talking with student drawing in park

Learning from subject experts

Gain intercultural knowledge and skills from local experts in their fields.

Students having fun in water raft

Team-based activities

Promote student communication and collaboration with engaging group exercises.

Student on local farm holding produce

Hands-on experiences

Multi-sensory learning at its best. See, hear, small, taste, and feel what a new place can teach you.

Students in Thailand talking to a local

Authentic cultural exchange

Engage in meaningful ways with the help of EF’s longstanding, respectful relationships with our host communities.

Student with EF backpack walking in Japan

Independent exploration

Build confidence, independence, and problem-solving skills by making individual discoveries.

AFTER YOU RETURN

Reflect and continue growing

Students are encouraged to take time to reflect on their growth. Some examples of impact are immediately obvious, while others may take months, or even years, to surface. Travelers can continue to build on what they’ve learned, making an impact on their communities and the world around them.


Powerful partnerships

Our world-renowned partners help bring education to life for students, like the Nobel Prize Museum, United Nations Associations of the USA, and Anne Frank House, just to name a few.

nobel prize museum, united nations, and anne frank house logos

Enhance any EF tour with academic credit

EF is an accredited, globally recognized educational organization, so you can easily offer your students additional opportunities for academic enrichment on any tour experience.

  • College credit

    In partnership with Southern New Hampshire University, EF offers students the opportunity to earn three college credits at a fraction of the usual cost through an exclusive online course.

  • High school credit

    Students can complete optional coursework before, during, and after their EF tour to deepen their learning experience and earn elective credit.

  • EF | Nobel Prize Museum Global Citizen Certificate

    By completing a multimedia project that addresses a tour-related prompt, students can earn a certificate to use on their resume, LinkedIn, and more.

Learn more
students laughing in a classroom
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Let’s work together to find the right educational tour for you and your students.

Browse our tours