I hope we can get back to filling our lives and our student’s lives with beautiful meaningful immersive experiences again soon! Yes, culture shock is such a great thing.
Supporting Educators Before, During, and Beyond Travel
At Xperitas, we care about the teachers that entrust their student group to travel with us. We provide additional benefits to make sure teachers are supported when taking students abroad. Xperitas also offers rewards for teachers who travel on our immersion programs and invite others to join the Xperitas family of traveling teachers.
Financial Aid
Xperitas is a nonprofit educational organization committed to making our short-term immersion travel programs accessible to as many students as possible. We provide meaningful financial aid on a “needs based” sliding scale to create equitable access. Over the past decade we have dedicated over a million dollars to financial aid, scholarship and classroom grant programs.
The chart below is a guideline for financial aid eligibility. The minimum award is 15% of the program cost, and the maximum is 60% of the program cost. Award amounts will vary depending on the following conditions:
- Amount available in the fund
- Number of applicants eligible for financial aid
- Number of dependents in applicant’s household
Participants whose families have a household income of $60,000 or less are eligible.
| Household Income $50,000 – $60,000 | Financial aid awards up to 15% of total program cost. |
| Household Income $35,000 – $50,000 | Financial aid awards up to 20% of total program cost. |
| Household Income $25,000 – $35,000 | Financial aid awards up to 25% of total program cost. |
| Household Income $15,000 – $25,000 | Financial aid awards up to 35% of total program cost. |
| Household Income $0 – $15,000 | Financial aid awards up to 60% of total program cost |
My Contribution Page: Fundraising Tool
Over the years, we’ve learned that friends and family are eager to support students participating in language and cultural immersion programs. That’s why we offer My Contribution Page. This easy-to-use online tool allows family and friends to contribute directly toward a participant’s Xperitas program.
Please note that if a participant cancels their trip for any reason, all funds received will be refunded to the participant, not the contributor, in accordance with our cancellation policy.
Xperitas Coffee Fundraiser
Xperitas is excited to partner with Custom Roasting Inc., a Midwest-based, family-owned coffee roastery dedicated to crafting high-quality, ethically sourced coffee. Through this fundraiser, students can earn money toward their immersion program with no limit to how much they can raise—so the sooner you start, the better!
Bob & Edie Green Writing Scholarship
Up to four $500 scholarships awarded per program year
These merit-based scholarships are awarded annually in honor of two of our founders. Edie and Bob Green worked as World Language Teachers for many years before dedicating themselves to making language and cultural immersion programs available to high school and middle school world language students. Recipients of the Edie and Bob Green Writing Scholarship submit a blog post or a vlog following their immersion experience, to be featured on the Xperitas website and/or social media channels. All Xperitas immersion program participants are invited to apply. This is an especially great opportunity for high school students with an interest in writing, communications or journalism to produce professional work for their portfolio.
| Eligibility | You must be a student registered on an Xperitas immersion program. |
| Deadline | All documents must be postmarked or sent by email no later than October 15, 2025. |
| Notification of Awards | The Scholarship winner(s) will be chosen by a group of Xperitas staff and board members who will evaluate each submission based on the criteria listed in the above application. The winner(s) will be notified by email by December 9, 2025. |
Xperitas Student Contests
You can’t win if you don’t enter!
Send entries to info@xperitas.org
You may also officially enter via social media by using the hashtag #Xperitas2026 on Facebook or Instagram and tagging @XperitasOrg Photos must be publicly visible for social media hashtag entries to be considered. Contestants are required to read our full terms and conditions before hitting submit.
The Bluem Award
The Bluem Award is focused on images of the flora and fauna in your travel destinations. Channel your inner naturalist for this new category! This award was created in honor of Xperitas Air Manager, Debby Bluem, celebrating her 25 years of dedication before her retirement.
- Grand Prize Winner | $100 Amazon Gift Card
Photos must be submitted by December 31, 2026.
Winners selected by January 15, 2027
By submitting your photos and information, you agree to the complete terms and conditions of the Xperitas 2026 Bluem Award Contest. Read all of the contests terms and conditions below before hitting submit.
Xperitas 2026 Photo Contest
The Xperitas 2026 Photo Contest is open to all Xperitas Language participants and leaders who travel in the 2026 calendar year.
- Grand Prize Winner | $200 Amazon Gift Card
- Second Prize Winner | $100 Amazon Gift Card
- Two Honorable Mentions | $50 Amazon Gift Cards
Photos must be submitted by December 31, 2026.
Winners selected by January 15, 2027
By submitting your photos and information, you agree to the complete terms and conditions of the Xperitas 2026 Photo Contest. Read all of the contests terms and conditions below before hitting submit.
Who Can Enter?
- Xperitas program participants and leaders who travel in the 2026 calendar year.
Where to Submit:- Tag @XperitasOrg and use the hashtag #Xperitas2026 on Facebook or Instagram (must be publicly visible for consideration), or send your submission directly to info@xperitas.org
Rules
- Unlimited entries allowed!
- Deadline for submission is December 31, 2026
- No limit to the number of entries from an individual participant
- You must have permission from any recognizable person(s) to use their photos
- Participants agree to contest’s complete terms and conditions (see the link below)
- Xperitas staff and family of Xperitas staff are not eligible
Winners Selection
- Winners will be selected by Xperitas staff and traveling teachers.
Video Contest
We’re excited to launch our Xperitas Immersion Program Alumni Video Contest! This is your chance to share your unforgettable language and cultural immersion experience with us. Whether you’re a storytelling pro or just want to try your hand at making a fun video, we can’t wait to see what you create!
Video Contest Overview
Students who have participated in Xperitas programs are invited to create a short video, Reel, or TikTok, highlighting their unique immersion experience. For example, students could showcase what it was like with your host family, cultural encounters, and language skills, or share tips on traveling as a student in your destination country! Other examples include titles such as,”My Family Stay Experience® in Peru,” “Traveling Tips in Germany,” or even,” Top 3 Cultural Lessons from My Xperitas Program in Costa Rica.”
Video Contest Rules & Guidelines
Eligibility
- Open to Xperitas immersion program alumni
- Entrants must have completed their program in 2026
Video Requirements
- Video formats: Instagram Reel, TikTok, or general MP4/AVI file
- Length: minimum of 30 seconds to 1 minuteVideo must focus on your experience during your
- Xperitas immersion program, including topics such as cultural exchange, language learning, tips for future travelers, or the impact of the experience on your personal growth, for example.
How to Enter
- Incorporate the hashtag #Xperitas2026 in the caption of your video once posted on social media, AND tag @XperitasOrg on Instagram/Facebook/TikTok if posted on those social media outlets.
- If you created the video in a social media platform, make sure the video has your sound or voiceovers. This can be done by a simple screen recording, for example.
Prizes
- Grand Prize: $300 Amazon gift card
- 2nd Place: $200 Amazon gift card
- 3rd Place: $100 Amazon gift card
- All winning videos will be featured on Xperitas’ social media channels and website.
Deadlines
- Submissions are due by December 30th.
- Winners will be announced by January 20th, 2027.
Tips for Your Video
Need some place to start? Below are some questions that could help get your video off the ground:
- What was one of your favorite parts of your program? Why?
- What do your current photos and videos have in common?
- If you have a friend doing the same program as you next year, what advice would you give them?
- Did you experience culture shock?
- What drove you to experience a language immersion program in the first place, and how do you feel after returning?
Experiential Learning
Fully Supported Programs
Real-World Immersion
Hear From Other Teachers and Students
The partners in Costa Rica are fabulous! Everything was well-organized, and kids were always engaged. Our guide, Jimmy, truly is an educator and ambassador of his country. All of the students and leaders really enjoyed his personality, love of his country and knowledge. The Family Stay Experience was also very wonderful!
The first day, I immediately went up in a restaurant and ordered my food in full German. That confidence and encouragement from the restaurant staff set me up to feel confident in my skills and I was extremely proud of myself! Be open to new experiences. It’s a whole new culture and way of life, so if you seclude yourself from really cool opportunities, you won’t get as much out of everything!
Immersing students in the language and culture are keys to a successful trip overseas with students, and I can always count on our in-country Xperitas guides to communicate exclusively in the target language with our students while showing them a new culture.
It was really amazing. I got to hang out with my friends and classmates while touring Berlin and then I got to experience German life with my host family. Spending time with my classmates from America in the German school also made it more fun, since I could still hangout with friends and make new ones in a different language. I saw beautiful sights and ate wonderful food and got to see a sliver of German life and a little bit of the world too.
Plan Your Program with Confidence
Xperitas supports teachers at every stage, with a dedicated program manager, trusted local partners abroad, and 24/7 emergency support throughout the program.
