You must be enrolled and in good standing in high school, between the ages of 14 or 15 depending on the program and 18 (although we allow for some exceptions to be made), at the time of the program. You must also possess a desire for knowledge and adventure, be willing to step outside of your comfort zone, and be ready to have fun! And no, you do not need to write an essay to qualify for our programs. If your school is not a Magellan Network School, we will ask for a recommendation letter from your foreign language teacher and a copy of your transcript or report card. Student safety is a high priority for us and Magellan Study Abroad reserves the right to decline admittance to any applicant who we believe is unsuited for our programs for health and behavioral history reasons.

Depending on the program you select, the number of participants ranges from 15 – 35 per group. The chaperone to student ratio is always excellent, at approximately 1: 7. Once our programs reach capacity, we assess the size of the group and -depending on our waitlist- close program enrollment or hire more chaperones as needed. We have found that a group in the 25 - 35 student range is most dynamic, providing great energy for the students as well as the adult leaders.

For the language studies, we require at least one year of study in the target language, as this makes it easier to interact with your host family and the locals. However, we have had students who had less than one year of language, found the home stay a bit of a challenge, but still had a wonderful time with the remainder of the program. Our schools abroad provide multiple levels of classes based on proficiency, determined by a placement test on the first day of class. The most important thing to remember is that the more open you are to learn from your surroundings, the more enjoyable your program will be - no matter how good your language skills are. For our community service and travel programs, proficiency in the target language is not essential.

Magellan’s first concern is the safety and well-being of all participants. Our many years of experience living, working, and traveling in the destinations we have chosen have provided us with excellent knowledge of the people, culture and surroundings. We select only the safest cities to run our programs, which is why you will not see us in many locations offered by other companies.
We operate only in cities where our students can explore freely, and care is taken to work with only the best in service providers at the locations we have chosen. Nonetheless, there are always risks when traveling overseas and living in a foreign country. As with any travel program, we have rules by which we expect our students to abide. For example, inappropriate behavior or use of alcohol and drugs is prohibited. Following these rules will provide the best protection from dangers. Our onsite staff is available to participants 24 hours a day to assist with any problem or issue. However, the staff cannot supervise everyone at every moment; it is the responsibility and obligation of each participant to follow our Program Rules and use good judgment while traveling and studying abroad. We have never had a problem with safety on any of our programs, and we are confident about maintaining that record.
Click here for fundraising suggestions that can help you raise the funds you will need to travel with us.

Program costs are simple, with the exception of airfare and incidentals, our program fees are all inclusive. 

Absolutely! We get this question all the time. Click here for fundraising suggestions that can help you raise the funds you will need to travel with us.

Yes we do. But to cover the fees charged by credit card companies, all program fees paid by credit cards will incur a 3% fee. Our programs prices are very competitive and we still accept payments by checks or money orders without surcharge. 

Of the $500 deposit, $150 will be retained as an application processing fee and $350 will be returned in event of withdrawal prior to departure. If the program for which you are applying is at capacity, and we are unable to place you in another program of your choice, we will of course refund your $500 in full. Requests for withdrawal must be made in writing and postmarked on or before April 1 to qualify for refund. There will be no refund for any withdrawals after April 1 concerning summer programs.

Yes, once we receive your downloaded and printed PDF application and eligibility forms in the mail, we will mail out enrollment documents and payment due dates. We do not charge extra for our general payment plan. We offer an interest-free payment plan so long as payment deadlines are met. If you miss a payment deadline, you will be charged a late payment fee of $80. This fee also applies to returned checks. We insist on strict adherence to payment as well as document deadlines so that we can continue to maintain our favorable program pricing. It is also important to make your payments when due to guarantee your place in the program.

Your enrollment documents will provide all the details you will need to successfully enroll; you shouldn’t have any problems. After all, we dislike paperwork as much as the next guy. We would much rather be traveling to our next destination.

You can call us first to see if space is still available. The quickest method is to send us your PDF application and eligibility forms with your $500 deposit as soon as you have chosen to travel with us. Your deposit is fully refundable if the program you have chosen is closed and we are unable to place you in another program of your choice.

Information on refunds for cancellations or withdrawal from our Programs will be included with your enrollment documents. Additionally, Magellan Study Abroad provides Travel Protection through Seven Corners Insurance at no cost to you. You will receive information outlining your coverage, which includes Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance, along with your enrollment.

Airfare is not included in our program fees, so you will need to make your own arrangements to meet your group at the group destination point. Don’t forget that summer is a busy time to travel; advance bookings guarantee the best fares.

Since we are based in Los Angeles, some of our local students may actually travel with other students or one of our teacher chaperones. Students from outside of the Los Angeles area would travel directly from their home airport and meet their Program Director and the rest of the group at the airport. We can provide the flight arrival and departure windows for your group before you book your flight. If your flight arrangements necessitate a personalized airport pick-up that does not coincide with the group pick-up, you can choose our Special Welcome Service for $125 per airport transfer.

Magellan provides Travel Protection through Seven Corners at no additional cost for all of our participants. Details about this coverage will be provided along with your enrollment documents. Parents love the convenience and the added peace of mind provided by this automatic protection for their young travelers.

Passport applications are available at most U.S. Post Offices. If you already have a passport, check to make sure the expiration date is at least 6 months after the program end date. If not, you need to renew your passport. Keep in mind that it can take 3-4 months to process new or renewal passports by regular mail in peak seasons. Expedited service is available for a higher fee. You will not need a Visa for any of the Magellan programs.

Everything that you will need will be outlined in a Student Orientation Handbook which is distributed to students well in advance of the departure date. It will include a list of what to pack and a whole host of information to get you ready.

It really depends on your shopping habits. Magellan programs provide full room and board (half board on portions of some programs) as well as all regional travel costs and entrance fees for all of our planned venues and activities.

You should have spending money for the occasional snack or meal with friends (after notifying your host mom that you are not returning for lunch or dinner, of course!) and enough to satisfy your shopping needs. We will provide all students with a Student Orientation Handbook, which will answer this question and many others that you will have, once you are enrolled. Here’s a good site to review for the most current exchange rates; go to

Our study abroad language classes are taught based on proficiency level; you will not be placed in a class that you are unable to handle. You do have a choice of programs; we also offer programs that do not include a “study” component. To review our offerings for this year,

The academic portion of each program is offered for enrichment, not for credit. You attend a well-established, accredited language school, where you are grouped in classes according to your language proficiency. (Proficiency is determined with a placement test the first day of school.) For about 3 hours, five mornings a week, certified teachers -all of whom are native speakers- provide instruction in the target language aimed at developing your conversational skills and building your vocabulary. Classes are small, averaging ten students per class, and are more relaxed than language classes at home, encouraging more personal attention from the instructors and more interaction among the students.

Our students find that the classes provide a good foundation for the extra activities offered during the program, giving them the confidence to comfortably go out and explore their surroundings. We invite you to read a journal written by one of our students to get a better idea of what to expect from school and our programs in general.

You might, but there’s no need to worry. Don’t forget that you will be with a group of other Magellan Study Abroad students who are just like you. Some students are apprehensive about their ability to communicate; others are anxious that they may not like the food, but all in all, everyone gets over their shyness in a day or so and finds that most aspects of their experience are really positive. Our onsite Program Directors and chaperones are but a phone call away 24 hours a day if you really need to talk with someone.

No, generally not, but there's no need to worry. Living with a family is the best way for you to improve your language skills, and you will be amazed at how quickly you acclimate to the new lifestyle. Remember too that your host family has hosted American students before. Because we have used the same families in the past, these are families whom we know well. We know that they understand that you are there to learn their language and want to help you.

Magellan Study Abroad has very strict standards and requirements for our host families. Our home stay families as well as their homes are screened and selected with the utmost care by our onsite staff. They are chosen based on their motivation and willingness to help our students learn a new culture as well as proximity of home to school. Because we select families that provide stable, caring, and healthy environments, most students remember their home stay experience as one of the most rewarding aspects of their time abroad.

Additionally, because we have placed students with many of the same families before without any problems, we are assured that our students will be satisfied. Our teacher chaperones live only minutes away and are accessible by cell phone 24 hours a day. If it is determined that there is a problem with a host family and not a cultural misunderstanding, we will certainly make the necessary changes to ensure everyone’s comfort. To read a profile of one of our host families,

Yes, Magellan students are placed in groups of 2 – 3 in each home stay family. You will be notified of your assigned roommate(s) in advance of your departure. Although we encourage our students to make new friends, we will honor requests for rooming preferences when friends are traveling together.

Occasionally, our students have the added bonus of having an international student as a roommate, as our home stay family may also be host to students from other countries. In addition to the cultural immersion of the home stay experience, having an international student as a roommate or housemate adds interest and provides an additional opportunity for our students to learn and connect.

The food is great and will be typical of each host country. Be prepared to try new things! The more open you are, the more you will learn, and the more you learn, the more you will like.

No problem. During the enrollment process, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire listing any diet restrictions, preferences and allergies. Our host families will try to accommodate diet preferences provided we are aware of them in advance.

Magellan formulates contingency plans for medical emergencies in the locations where our programs are based. The best in local medical care is located and arrangements made to make such care available if needed. We have joined forces with one of the best travel insurance providers in the USA. Seven Corners performs medical, administrative, and assistance services for PeaceCorps, AmeriCorps, and the United States Department of State. We have included the Seven Corners Travel Protection, which covers medical emergencies while traveling to ensure that every one of our participants is well protected and has consistent coverage.

Yes, we encourage our students to keep in touch by email or phone. Some even keep in touch with the occasional postcard. The school where our students attend their classes usually makes internet access available to their students and there are a number of internet cafés that are available as well. After you are enrolled, Magellan will provide you with information on the various methods of communication. In the past, we have offered cell phones for purchase, though new regulations in certain countries have limited the number of cell phones that we are permitted to purchase. We will be happy to assist students with their cell phone purchases once we have arrived at our destination. Home stay / hotel / residence phone numbers are provided to our students prior to departure so that families can contact them as well.

Our students have found that ATM cards work best, but again, this is covered in detail in the Student Orientation Handbook, which is distributed well in advance of departure so that you can make the necessary arrangements.

Magellan organizes many supervised group excursions and activities, and although our days are busy, each day is not filled with pre-planned activities, allowing students to spend time with their families or friends. Magellan understands the need for teens to have their own space, away from adult supervision at times, and builds free time into our itineraries. Because safety is our top priority, we expect our students to maintain the same high standards of personal behavior while at school, with our host families, during supervised group activities or when out on their own spending free time with friends.