Choosing a Summer Program
Many Hotchkiss students spend part of their summer break engaged
in community service, research, travel, leadership building, and
language study. These can be important educational experiences,
and often shape students' personal and professional interests.
Research is important to ensure a rewarding experience with a
summer program. Students and families should consider the
following questions and use the links below to direct a search
for a program.
Additional guidance and information is available
from the International
Programs Office.
Important Questions
- Where do I want to go?
- How much time do I want to spend?
Programs can be as short as a week and as long as 8 weeks.
- What type of program am I interested in?
Travel, adventure, cultural or language immersion, academic,
community service, leadership skills?
Next Steps
- After answering the questions above, request information
from programs that meet your initial criteria.
- Ask the program for contact information for recent participants
and talk to them about their experiences. This is a good way to
learn more about the program curriculum, safety, living conditions,
and leaders and faculty. Program evaluations by Hotchkiss students
are available for some programs; contact the
Director of
International Programs.
- If you will travel internationally, make sure your passport is
valid for six months after the end of the program. If needed,
apply for or renew a passport as soon as possible, and apply
for any required travel visas.
- Attend the annual Summer Opportunities Fair, which Hotchkiss
usually hosts in February. Representatives from some 20 programs
will be on hand to answer questions and conduct interviews.
Financial Assistance for Summer Programs
Many programs offer discounts to repeat participants, or those
who apply or register early.
Grants are also available from Hotchkiss. Many of these funds are
intended to support community-based service work in the developing
world, but there are also funds available for travel and language
study. Interested students should speak with the
Coordinator of
International Programs about applying for grants from the School.
More information is also available on the
International Programs
Funding page.