Faculty-Led Programs
Custom Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs
Bring your course to life with a custom international program designed around your curriculum, destination, and budget. FTI partners with faculty and study abroad offices to create meaningful short-term programs that combine academic learning, cultural connection, and real-world experience.
Why Build Your Program with FTI?
- Expert guidance from concept to completion: Your dedicated FTI team helps design course-aligned itineraries, manages program logistics, and provides 24/7 emergency assistance while your group is abroad.
- One partner, every detail covered: Work with one point of contact who keeps every element in alignment. FTI coordinates flights, accommodations, transportation, meals, educational visits, cultural activities, and service-learning opportunities.
- A cost-conscious approach: We help you make informed choices that support both your academic goals and your budget, sharing insider tips and practical recommendations to manage costs.
- Richer experiences through local expertise: Our established in-country partners bring trusted on-the-ground insight, local connections, and tailored recommendations that elevate each itinerary with meaningful experiences aligned with your course goals.
- Simple tools for easier administration: Our online portal, Ubi, gives faculty and administrators 24/7 access to program documents, traveler details, payments, deadlines, registration tools, and destination resources, all in one place.
Programs Designed Around Your Course
Every FTI program is built from the ground up around your unique goals. Tell us what your students need to learn, where you want to go, and any activities you have in mind. If you are still exploring options, we can recommend destinations and program components that are a strong fit for your course, then provide the in-country support you need to lead with confidence, even in a place you have not visited before.
Whether you are planning for a secondary school, college or university, or professional organization, FTI can build a program around your learning objectives. We also design interdisciplinary programs that bring together two complementary areas of study in one shared itinerary. Working closely with faculty and administrators, our team develops academically meaningful, logistically sound itineraries with your group’s budget in mind.
Your custom faculty-led program may include:
- International group flights
- Hotels and other available accommodations
- Airport transfers, private coaches, rail, and local transportation
- Educational visits, company visits, guest lectures, and classroom space
- Cultural activities, guided tours, interactive local experiences, and hands-on learning opportunities
- Service-learning and volunteer opportunities
- Group meals and culinary experiences
- Travel insurance options
Because each itinerary is built specifically for your group, viable group size depends on the destination, program details, and travel dates. Faculty-led programs are generally designed for groups of 15+ participants, and group airfare is available for 10+ travelers.
Where Can Your Program Go?
FTI creates custom faculty-led programs in destinations around the world. Use the table below to explore countries by region.
Don’t see your destination? Contact our team. We can help you explore possibilities in additional locations based on your academic focus and travel needs.
Egypt
Ghana
Kenya
Madagascar
Morocco
South Africa
Tanzania
Tunisia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Argentina
Cambodia
Austria
AustraliaMake Learning More Experiential
A faculty-led program can turn course concepts into firsthand learning through experiences such as:
Our custom itineraries provide a blend of education, exploration, and unforgettable experiences.
Explore fascinating museums, iconic landmarks, and historical sites. See the beauty of natural wonders and engage in meaningful experiences through service-learning or volunteer activities, connecting with local communities. Immerse your students in local culture by securing tickets to exciting events, whether it's cheering at sports matches or enjoying live music.
Are you partnering with a faculty leader in another field or offering your program to students with a variety of majors? We can design itineraries to foster collaboration across diverse academic disciplines. Explore the intersections of different fields of study with a holistic approach, then split into groups to focus on activities tailored to each course. Combine subjects such as: WWII history & art in France; genetics & sustainability in Iceland; women's empowerment & microbusiness in Tanzania; or whatever your dream program includes.From health and engineering to business, humanities, language, social sciences, and beyond, FTI helps faculty create programs that connect students with the people, places, and perspectives behind their studies.
Support for Faculty & Study Abroad Offices
For Faculty Leaders
You bring the academic vision. FTI helps turn it into a practical, engaging international program.
Whether you are leading your first faculty-led program or have traveled with students before, our team is here to help. We can brainstorm destinations and distinctive program components, recommend experiences that strengthen your course objectives, and build an itinerary that gives students meaningful learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
Once your program takes shape, we support the details that make it possible, including logistics, timelines, traveler information management, and coordination throughout the planning process.
For Study Abroad Offices
FTI works within your institution’s approval processes, policies, preferred partners, payment timelines, and reporting requirements. Our team has extensive experience supporting custom international programs for colleges, universities, and education-abroad organizations.
Administrators can also receive organization-level access to Ubi, FTI’s online portal, for visibility into all FTI-operated programs at their institution. From one place, your team can view program documents, traveler details, payments, deadlines, registration activity, and other key information across programs.
We can also partner with your office to host faculty roundtables or information sessions focused on program recruitment, budget-conscious planning, brainstorming future programs, and practical strategies for developing successful faculty-led experiences.
Ubi Makes Planning Easy!
See what our free online portal can do for you.
How it Works
1. Share Your Program Vision
Tell us about your course, destination ideas, travel window, anticipated group size, learning objectives, and budget priorities.
2. Build Your Custom Itinerary
Your FTI program advisor works with vetted in-country partners to develop an itinerary that balances academic value, cultural learning, logistics, and cost.
3. Launch and Manage Your Program
Once services are confirmed, use Ubi to manage registration, traveler details, documents, payments, and key deadlines.
4. Prepare and Travel with Support
Your Trip Operations Specialist helps with traveler updates, payment tracking, special needs, itinerary changes, and pre-departure readiness. During travel, ticketed travelers have access to FTI’s after-hours emergency helpline; custom-program leaders also receive in-country emergency contacts.
Click the button below for frequently asked questions about running faculty-led programs with FTI.
Ready to Build Your Faculty-Led Program?
Share your course goals, destination ideas, preferred travel dates, and expected group size. An FTI program advisor will help you turn your academic vision into an international learning experience your students will remember.
Fellowship Travel
International
Connect with Us
