For Parents
CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad
See Your Teen Live Their Dream
CIEE Global Navigator high school summer abroad programs offer your teen life-changing study abroad experiences in 40 destinations over 3 to 4 weeks. From the smallest travel planning detail to the coordination of the full experience in-country, CIEE provides support to keep teens safe, reaching their goals, and living the summer of a lifetime!
What You Want to Know
What to Expect
Follow our step-by-step guide to your teen's adventure and help set expectations for your teen.
Program Outcomes
Learn more about the skills that your teen can gain on a high school summer abroad.
Educational Teen Travel
Discover summer travel experiences that allow your teen to explore the world and build valuable life skills.
A Note from Our Founding Donor
Dear Parents,
Students who thrive in today’s interconnected world can navigate across languages, connect with cultures, and deal with complex issues. Study abroad is the avenue to these capabilities and, in today’s world, is an essential part of a quality high school education.
Having lived with a family in Mexico during high school, I know first-hand the life-changing impact that a summer spent studying abroad can have. It led me to focus my publishing career on the linguistically and culturally diverse classroom. For 30 years, I directed Hampton Brown, a K-12 publisher of language and literacy materials and the leading US publisher of English as a Second Language curriculum, and later served as CEO of National Geographic School Publishing and Hampton Brown.
When I decided to establish the Global Navigator Fund to award summer study-abroad scholarships to high-school students, I undertook extensive research and interviewed many study-abroad organizations. Uppermost in my mind was the safety of the participants and the quality of the programs they would experience. I chose to partner with the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in 2015.
CIEE’s program quality, its talent in placing students with host families, and its rich and authentic cultural activities promoting interaction with locals were instrumental in the decision to work with CIEE. Most important is that CIEE is the only study abroad organization whose programs are educationally aligned to US high school standards.
It is my goal that the Global Navigators who receive these scholarships will return home from their summer experience with gains in academic skills, the self-confidence to pursue a professional passion, and the commitment to make a difference in their school, community, and personal relationships.
All the best,
Sheron Long
Why Choose CIEE for Your Teen’s Summer Abroad
Safety
CIEE is dedicated to student safety year-round with local staff at every destination and a U.S. based team to answer your questions. Travel insurance for students is included with tuition.
Scholarships
CIEE awards more than $7 million in high school study abroad scholarships based on financial need and/or academic merit each year, which is the largest high school study abroad fund in the U.S.
Tenure
CIEE is the U.S.’s longest-running and largest international exchange nonprofit organization. More than 3,000 U.S. high school students travel with us each summer. Read more about CIEE Global Navigator programs.
Future Opportunities
CIEE provides high school students with valuable global experiences that build a strong foundation for success and set them apart in college applications and future careers. Exclusive college planning support is included with tuition.
Is My Teen Too Young to Study Abroad?
In a world moving at fast speeds, with industries going global and colleges and employers demanding intercultural competence, your teen can benefit greatly from studying abroad.
Your teen is now at their peak of open-mindedness and adaptability. Doing a cultural immersion program while in high school will set them up for even greater growth in a language, a more global perspective, and better preparedness for their future career. Read more about Program Outcomes.
However, it should still be your teen’s decision! Some feel ready at 14 while others are better prepared a little later on. We accept all teens (age 14+) currently enrolled in high school as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. If your teen isn't ready to go abroad after finishing their freshman year of high school, there's plenty of time the following years!
The majority of CIEE Global Navigator program participants are in their junior and senior year of high school, and about 20% of our participants are rising sophomores.
A Summer of Discovery Inside and Outside the Classroom
Hiking in South Africa, horseback riding in Morocco, ziplining in Costa Rica, and boat rides in Argentina... every program provides a thrilling mix of excursions that are unique to their location and complement classroom learning. See the Sample Activities section of each program page to get a sense of what your student will do on program.
Blogs for Parents
A CIEE Student's Reflections on the Beauty of Monteverde
This blog was written by Ava Choe. Ava was a student on one of our 2025 high school summer abroad programs in Monteverde, Costa Rica . She is an adventurous... keep reading
A Glimpse Into the First Week of High School Summer Abroad in Costa Rica
As the calendar turns to a new year, many students begin thinking about what’s next: new goals, new challenges, and experiences that will stay with them long after summer ends... keep reading
Turn Summer Break into a Learning Experience for Your Teen
Thinking about how your teen will spend their summer? These precious few months off the busy school calendar are an opportunity to learn, have fun, travel, or enjoy time with... keep reading
What Parents & Guardians Should Know About Summer Abroad
More Information
Have Questions?
Check out our FAQ page for more information on the application, pre-departure process, costs, and more.
Need Further Assistance?
For more help, call our team at 1-866-583-0332 or send us an email at hsabroad@ciee.org today.
Want to Schedule a Call?
If you want to schedule a call, find a time with a CIEE Enrollment Coordinator in your area on our bookings page.