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Around-the-World Semester®

Concordia University Irvine

The Around-the-World Semester challenges students to think globally as they travel, learn, and serve in 10 different countries.

The ATW experience is a unique study-abroad experience because it offers students the opportunity to work in a learning community. Students travel from country to country in airplanes, trains, buses, and even camels—but they always travel together. Students study, attend classes, and earn 15-units of college coursework, and they do this academic work together. Each day of the semester involves some form of service, and yes, the students accomplish this service in teams together!

The ATW Semester has been crafted to help students grow in their Christian faith, to grow in their intellectual capacity, to grow in empathy and cross-cultural vision.

See Where We've Been

Girl in Nature

ATW Overview

Overview

  • Learn through unique, built-in comparative academics.
  • Serve others through philanthropic/humanitarian work in every country.
  • Grow your faith through new encounters with God and His people.
  • Experience adventures in every new place you land.
Man teaching to students on the Great Wall of China

Academics

Learn

  • Earn a minor in Global Cultural Studies.
  • Complete 18 units in 8 courses.
  • Read primary literary and religious texts from each country.
  • Study in a learning community with other students.
  • Learn about, from, and with locals from each country.

Learn More

Students playing with children

Service

Serve

  • Serve with missionaries and church leaders who are using their influence to bless their communities.
  • Make meaningful connections with people living around the world.
  • Share your gifts and love with other students.

Serve More

Students sitting on a boat

Spiritual Growth

Grow

  • Pray, worship, and study the Christian scriptures with your teammates.
  • Live in community with your fellow travelers.
  • Devote yourself to the study of God's Word.
  • Find and develop your identity in Christ.

Grow More

Experience

Some of our teams have:

  • Camped in the Jordanian desert outside Petra.
  • Trekked by horseback across the Mongolian steppes.
  • Gone swimming under waterfalls in places like Bali, Thailand, and Brazil.
  • Spent the night on top of Mount Sinai.
  • Explored safaris with African wildlife in Kenya and South Africa.
  • Hiked through Peruvian mountains to Machu Picchu.
  • Climbed through the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat.

Experience More

Program Costs

Students who participate in the Around-the-World Semester pay a program fee of $13,000. The ATW program fee comes in addition to tuition (academic scholarships still apply). The program fee takes the place of room and board expenses typically paid for a semester on campus.

The ATW program fee includes:

  • Logistics management from departure to return
  • Round-trip international airfare
  • Regional transportation
  • Lodging & approximately 1/3 associated meals
  • Service project materials and planning
  • Special experiential team meals
  • Mid-semester destination vacation
  • Excursions (kayaking, ziplining, horseback riding, etc…)
  • Team museum entry fees
  • Robust travel insurance policy
  • Visa application fees
  • Orientation and Debrief

The ATW program fee does not include:

  • Cost to acquire a passport
  • Required vaccinations
  • In-country discretionary costs such as shopping
  • Personal meals, approximately 2/3
  • Covid testing and any covid-related costs
  • Laundry during the program
  • Airport transportation to LAX & pickup from LAX
  • Anything not listed in “The ATW program fee includes.”

Apply Now

Complete the general study abroad application to get the process started!

Apply to Study Abroad

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