CUSTOM GROUP TRAVEL
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Choose the FAQ that is most relevant to you.
Browse our FAQs for students, parents and educators to learn more.
Choose the FAQ most relevant to you:
FAQ for High School Educators
Will my students be safe, especially in a foreign country?
Absolutely. Student safety is our top priority, with a five-point system that includes vetted accommodations, safe transport, trained staff, and 24/7 support for your group and families. We partner with providers who meet strict safety standards and hire staff who maintain full supervision throughout the trip. Before departure, we conduct medical vetting and set clear expectations to ensure every student is prepared.
What tools do you provide to help me communicate with parents?
From recruitment flyers and a secure custom travel portal to pre-departure webinars and real-time phone support, we are equipped to handle parent communication so you don’t have to. While students are in the field, families can follow along via a student-run blog and reach our team at any time through a 24/7 emergency hotline. Our communication system is designed to give parents peace of mind and free you up to focus on your students.
I don’t want this to become a second full-time job; will your team handle flights, passports, insurance, etc?
Yes, we’re here to make this easy for you. From student recruitment and enrollment to document collection and group flight booking, we handle all logistics so you can focus on teaching, not trip planning.
What if a student gets sick or misbehaves?
Our staff are trained to respond to both medical and behavioral situations with care and professionalism. We’ll work with you to ensure students are supported, appropriate steps are taken, and parents are kept informed.
How do your trips align with my classroom curriculum?
Whether you’re bringing your own travel vision or choosing from one of our proven itineraries, we work closely with you to integrate your learning goals into the experience. Our programs incorporate hands-on activities, site visits, and guest speakers that bring academic concepts to life. Some trips are even eligible for college credit through our accredited school of registrar.
What materials can I use to get school approval?
We provide customizable program proposals, risk management plans, and approval request letters for school administration. We’re happy to join school meetings or answer questions from leadership to help get your trip approved.
Tell me more...
Support your students to discover their interests, expand their worldview, and develop the confidence to lead through an immersive travel experience.
Whether volunteering in the Dominican Republic, completing an internship in Thailand, or exploring historical cities in Europe, our programs are designed to deepen students’ learning and inspire future pathways. 90% of high school travelers with GLA say their experience helped clarify their college or career goals.
We make it easy for you to take your students abroad. From recruitment to 24/7 family support, we provide tools for parent trust and student readiness. Our professional staff manages student safety and logistics in the field, so you can focus on showing up for your students!
You bring the vision; we take care of the logistics.
FAQ for Middle School Educators
Will my students be safe, especially in a foreign country?
Absolutely. Student safety is our top priority, with a five-point system that includes vetted accommodations, safe transport, trained staff, and 24/7 support for your group and families. We partner with providers who meet strict safety standards and hire staff who maintain full supervision throughout the trip. Before departure, we conduct medical vetting and set clear expectations to ensure every student is prepared.
What tools do you provide to help me communicate with parents?
From recruitment flyers and a secure custom travel portal to pre-departure webinars and real-time phone support, we are equipped to handle parent communication so you don’t have to. While students are in the field, families can follow along via a student-run blog and reach our team at any time through a 24/7 emergency hotline. Our communication system is designed to give parents peace of mind and free you up to focus on your students.
I don’t want this to become a second full-time job; will your team handle flights, passports, insurance, etc?
Yes, we’re here to make this easy for you. From student recruitment and enrollment to document collection and group flight booking, we handle all logistics so you can focus on teaching, not trip planning.
What if a student gets sick or misbehaves?
Our staff are trained to respond to both medical and behavioral situations with care and professionalism. We’ll work with you to ensure students are supported, appropriate steps are taken, and parents are kept informed.
What materials can I use to get school approval?
We provide customizable program proposals, risk management plans, and approval request letters for school administration. We’re happy to join school meetings or answer questions from leadership to help get your trip approved.
Will this be fun and educational, or will it be too intense?
It’s the perfect mix. Your students will participate in interactive, hands-on activities tied to real-world learning goals, designed with their age in mind. We balance cultural exploration, adventure, and structured reflection to keep students engaged without overwhelming them.
Are 11- to 14-year-olds mature enough for this kind of travel?
Yes, with the right structure and support. Our programs are specifically designed for middle schoolers, with built-in supervision, clear routines, and staff trained to meet students where they are developmentally, while helping them grow in confidence and independence.
Tell me more...
Offer your students hands-on learning and safe exploration beyond the classroom. Whether domestic or abroad, we simplify planning for you and your families, from pre-departure to 24/7 support. Our trained staff ensure student safety and well-being with small groups and vetted housing, transport, and meals. We manage logistics so you can focus on curriculum and student growth. One teacher travels free for every ten students.
FAQ for Parents
What’s included in the program fee?
GLA Custom Group Travel’s tuition covers lodging, meals, in-country transportation, full supervision, expert staff, and medical insurance, including evacuation. Flights, visas, immunizations, travel insurance, and airport taxes are not included.
What about financial support?
GLA provides a fundraising kit to help families raise partial or full tuition.
Are flights included?
No, international airfare is not included in the program fee. GLA provides schools with guidance on booking flights to facilitate easier travel for student groups.
Do I need to arrange any other documents?
Yes. Students are typically responsible for securing a valid passport, any necessary visas, immunizations, and travel-related fees such as airport taxes.
How are students supervised?
Minor students are supervised 24/7 by trained, background-checked staff. GLA’s 5-Point Safety System includes secure housing, healthy meals and water, safe transportation, strong staff oversight, and real-time support.
Is there medical coverage and emergency support?
Yes. Tuition includes secondary medical and emergency evacuation.
What resources do you provide to help us prepare for the trip?
We make sure you and your student feel confident and informed before departure. You’ll receive a detailed packing list, a day-by-day itinerary, and access to a live pre-departure webinar that covers everything from travel logistics to what to expect on-site. You can also reach out to our team at any time via phone or email—we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Do these trips have academic value?
Yes. Our programs are highly immersive and designed to bring learning to life through meaningful, real-world experiences. Students engage in hands-on activities, cross-cultural interactions, and dynamic learning environments that deepen their understanding of global themes and often spark lasting curiosity.
Do students grow personally?
Absolutely. By stepping outside of their comfort zones and navigating unfamiliar environments, students build independence, resilience, and confidence.
What about career clarity?
Many alumni discover new academic or career interests through their experiences. For example, working in local health clinics or with conservationists often sparks a passion that shapes future goals.
Is this more than just a trip?
Yes. GLA Custom Group Travel isn’t just travel, it’s transformation. In fact, 97% of alumni report that their experience was life-changing, even three years after their program.
Tell me more...
At some point, learning needs to go beyond textbooks and classrooms. That’s where educational travel comes in. With us, your student explores the world safely, guided by experts every step of the way. Our five-point safety system—housing, food, transportation, staff, and 24/7 oversight—ensures they’re cared for no matter where they are.
Every program pairs trained educators with local professionals and in-country support teams. We design each experience to meet your child’s developmental and safety needs, while keeping you in the loop with regular updates and clear expectations.
In this safe space, students quickly gain independence, navigating new places, solving problems, and taking responsibility in ways they can’t at home. Academic subjects come alive through real-world experiences, sparking curiosity and making complex topics meaningful. They broaden their worldview, build lifelong friendships, and learn to lean on peers when challenges arise.
When you choose educational travel, you give your student more than just a trip. You offer them an experience that transforms how they learn, grow, and see the world.
FAQ for Students
What will we be doing each day?
Your daily schedule will vary based on the theme and destination of your trip, but most days follow a similar rhythm. You’ll start the morning at your lodging with breakfast, then head out for an engaging, hands-on activity—this could be anything from a cultural workshop to an outdoor adventure or expert-led project. In the afternoon, you may have a more relaxed activity or excursion before returning to your lodging for dinner, group reflection, and time to unwind and connect with friends.
Once you enroll in your GLA Custom Group Travel experience, you’ll receive a daily schedule of your trip.
Who else is going? Just our school, or other students too?
GLA Custom Group Travel organizes trips specifically for your school, so you’ll be traveling with your classmates. Depending on how your school designs the program, you might also spend time with students from other grades. This creates a great chance to connect with classmates outside the classroom and in a fresh setting.
If you’re interested in traveling with students from other schools or meeting new people, GLA’s open enrollment programs offer experiences designed for mixed groups.
Will we be with our classmates the whole time, or will we be split into groups?
While you’ll participate in many full-group activities and typically stay with your entire group in the same accommodation most of the time, you may also be assigned to smaller groups upon arrival. These smaller groups are used for activities that require fewer participants.
The flexibility to switch between small and larger groups provides opportunities for more personal, one-on-one interactions with individual students and allows you to enjoy the full experience group.
How much independence will we have while traveling?
Our itineraries are carefully designed to help you build independence throughout the trip.
While you’ll have chances to make decisions, take initiative, and manage daily activities, you’ll always be supported by school chaperones and TEPA staff who provide 24/7 supervision—especially for minors.
For university trips, students typically enjoy more independent time.
Our goal is to help you grow in confidence and self-reliance within a safe, supportive environment.
Tell me more...
There are some things you can only learn by doing.
Educational travel takes you into the heart of a culture. Instead of reading about traditions or watching videos in class, you’re living them – whisking matcha at a tea ceremony in Japan, tracking rhinos with a conservation team in South Africa, or learning to weave alongside artisans in the mountains of Peru.
Experiences like these help you see the world through a wider lens. You start to notice how people live, what matters to them, and how those differences can shape the way you think about your own life and learning.
Our programs give you access to places, people, and experiences that most tourists don’t get. Thanks to local connections and thoughtfully planned activities, you’ll dive into hands-on learning that makes everything you’ve studied in school feel more real and relevant.
And the learning doesn’t stop when the activity ends. It sparks conversations with your group, with the people you meet, and in your own mind that can shift how you see global issues, your place in the world, and what it means to truly connect with others.
As you step into new environments, you’ll likely step into new versions of yourself. You’ll face unfamiliar situations, work through challenges as a team, and grow in ways that are hard to explain until you’ve experienced them yourself.
Educational travel turns a lesson into something you can feel, remember, and carry with you. It helps you understand the world more clearly and your place in it with more purpose.