When and for how long is the 2026 Ecuador Summer HS Immersion Program scheduled?

The trip is scheduled from Monday, June 1, 2026 to Thursday, June 25, 2026. Students will be abroad for 3.5 weeks. In future summers, the trip will likely extend a week or so longer.

Who can participate and how many slots are available?

Students who have completed the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade of a U.S. high school are eligible to register. A minimum of four (4) students is required for the trip to take place. Since this is an inaugural offering of the program, a maximum number of six (6) students will be able to register.

High school students currently studying in any of the U.S. states and/or territories are welcome to register. The trip is not restricted to students from Indiana schools.

How much will the trip cost?

The full programmatic cost is $5,500 per student, plus international flights (traditionally $1000-1600 round-trip). Payment and registration will be handled through Globility Education & Travel (see payment page) in partnership with Fundación Taylor del Ecuador.

Please see the payment page for more of a breakdown and explanation of rates.

Will there be additional costs beyond the program fee and international airfare?

The only additional costs would be excess airline baggage charges, any necessary passport renewals, meals in the airports during international travel days, and souvenir/snack spending money ($200-300 would likely be sufficient for a 3.5-week trip). Travel insurance (through CISI) and all in-country domestic flights and transportation are included in the program fee.

As a reminder, Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as its currency. Not all businesses (such as open-air markets) accept credit/debit cards, so carrying some cash is advisable.

If a pre-trip cancellation insurance plan is desired, this can be purchased separately by registered students and their families, as it is not provided in the programmatic costs. However, for advanced planning purposes on behalf of Globility Education & Travel and Fundación Taylor del Ecuador, all registrations are legally final and binding as non-refundable.

Are there scholarship/ grant opportunities available?

Given the inaugural nature of the program, there are currently no scholarship or grant opportunities available. The hope is to have such funds available for future summer trips.

Is it currently safe to travel to Ecuador?

“Having now traveled to Ecuador fifteen (15) times since 2008, I can say with 100% confidence and transparency that, for the past seventeen (17) years, I have always found both Cuenca and the Amazonian region of Ecuador to be safer than most major U.S. cities, including Indianapolis.” - Brandon Fitzsimmons, Program Director and Owner of Globility Education & Travel.

Virtually all  "bad press" in recent years has drawn attention to crime and violence in Ecuador’s coastal cities and some sectors of Quito (a massive city of 2 million-plus). Over nearly two decades of visiting Ecuador for anywhere from a week to six months at a time, Cuenca and the Amazonian region of the country have not suffered any noticeably negative impact from occasional challenges in its two largest (and coastal) cities. The current Ecuadorian government is also very vigilant about making Ecuador, a consistently-growing tourist destination, as safe as possible.

Can parents register for this program?

No. In order to maximize the student immersion experience, there will be no parent program offering included. However, parents are certainly welcome to fly to Cuenca and visit in the background at any point during the program's duration. Parents who wish to visit in this manner are more than welcome to contact Brandon (info@globilityeducation.com) for advice and other details necessary for planning.

Can students pair up together with host families?

YES, this option will be available, though not in any way necessary. College students do not pair up with host families with the Fundación's Cuenca programs, though almost all middle school students do. High schoolers will have the opportunity to pair up or go solo, as they feel comfortable.

Since this is a program open to students from all U.S. high schools, there is no guarantee that a student will be paired with a friend, unless they apply contemporaneously and request this arrangement. Keep in mind that it may or may not work to a student's immersive advantage to be paired with a close English-speaking friend.

All that to say, this program IS open to all students, so former students can invite new friends from their high schools to register for and participate in this program. 

If interested, where do we go from here?

Please go to the registration tab and fill out the registration form. Registration will be open from Sunday, February 1, 2026 through Sunday, March 1, 2026.

In the meantime, please feel free to register for updates (scroll down to fill out the update info form) OR contact me (Brandon) by email ( info@globilityeducation.com).