Applications are open for Summer 2023!
Loop Abroad offers both a one-week and a two-week version of the Sea Turtle Conservation Costa Rica
Your group will work with LAST, Latin American Sea Turtles, helping with their sea turtle conservation projects on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Each program also includes assisting in a local one-day spay and neuter program (only as part of the two-week program), which your tuition dollars help to support.
As part of the Osa In Water project, you will help with projects including:
You’ll learn all about sea turtles and sea turtle conservation in your time volunteering with this internationally respected organization, and you’ll help to support their important conservation work with your tuition dollars.
This program is designed for participants interested in learning more about sea turtles or conservation work and getting hands-on experience. High school programs are for students 14-18. On other program dates, participants must be at least 18 to 25 years old.
There are no prerequisites for this program. You do not need to be in school currently to apply. Individuals of any nationality may apply.
Each group of up to 15 students will share site staff and classroom time, and work together on projects on-site. All programming is in English – no Spanish skills are required (but if you have them, you’ll have some opportunities to use them!)
College Program (ages 18-25):
High School Program (ages 14-18):
These program sessions are covered by Loop Abroad’s COVID-19 100% Tuition Refund Policy. If a program is canceled by Loop Abroad due to COVID-19, we will refund 100% of any program tuition you have paid (including the deposit).
*The dates above indicate the day you must arrive in San Jose and depart from San Jose, which may mean leaving the US the day prior or returning the day after, depending on your flight time and beginning travel location. The Osa Peninsula is a long drive from the San Jose airport. For this reason, we cannot accommodate students arriving and departing outside of the required arrival and departure days.
*Please note that there is no group flight for this program. Students will be picked up and dropped off at the San Jose airport. Loop Abroad reserves the right to cancel any program at any time; in case of such cancellation by Loop Abroad, all payments will be returned in full.
This program is a full adventure on its own, but it can easily be combined with a veterinary medicine course in Costa Rica or Panama with minimal travel time and extra costs. Combine any two programs and save $100 on each program’s tuition!
See all the programs you could link together!
You will receive a certificate for 40 service hours per program week upon completion.
Most of your classroom and fieldwork time in this program is spent participating in research. Students can calculate their own record of research hours for their VMCAS or other applications (approximately 20 research hours and 3 vet hours per week).
This project does not have captive sea turtles or tanks – the sea turtles you will be researching, looking for, and working with are wild animals. As such, you will learn the proper way to capture, assess, and release sea turtles for their monitoring, health, and safety.
The Osa In-Water project was founded in 2010, after WIDECAST was successful with the same in-water monitoring method in 2007 in Cahuita, in the South Caribbean of Costa Rica. The dynamics of the local sea turtle populations are poorly understood, and while some information on females has been gathered from nesting beaches, little is known about population structure, genetic origin, and in-water habitat use.
Sea turtles spend only 1% of their lives on nesting beaches and due to this behavioral pattern, mainly only adult females are studied. Very little information is available about juvenile populations and the sex ratios of adult populations.
Therefore, more in-water work is needed to increase knowledge about habitats used by sea turtles in different life stages in order to assess the types of threats they are exposed to.
On the Osa Peninsula, LAST is working mainly with the Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the Pacific Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the Black sea turtle. Both species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Pacific Green sea turtle is ranked as “Endangered” and the Hawksbill sea turtle as “Critically Endangered”, which means if we don’t take serious measures, it is very likely that they will become extinct. For that reason, every helping hand is welcome!
This project is hard work. You will be out in the water and on the beach at all times of day helping with different aspects of sea turtle conservation. It’s not for everyone, but for those who are willing to put in the work, the experience will be extremely rewarding.
Groups will have a maximum of 24 students each. During your program, you may be split into smaller groups throughout the day to work on different aspects of the research and conservation projects in smaller groups.
You will be living at the OSA in Water project at LAST (Latin American Sea Turtles) on the Osa Peninsula. A Loop Abroad staff member will be on-site 24/7 to help you each day and in case of an emergency. Housing will include simple, shared rooms: rooms are shared with other Loop Abroad students of the same gender. Bathrooms are shared and have cold running water. Wifi is available, but you should not plan to use wifi dependably for high-bandwidth tasks such as attending virtual meetings or streaming video, as it will be shared by a large number of students using it at the same time.
The housing has screened windows and fans.
Please note that because summer is the dry season, you will be asked to stick to quick showers and limit laundry to a maximum of once per week.
All meals are included in your tuition. We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets and food allergies with advanced requests.
Please note that this is a project on the beach on a peninsula known for spectacular wildlife and conservation, and as such it offers simple, rustic lodging and food.
Two-week program: Regular tuition for the two-week program is $3750
One-week program: Regular tuition for the one-week program is $2650
Tuition does not include international airfare.
There is a $100 tuition discount for combining this program with another 2-week program.
During COVID-19, conservation efforts around the world have suffered as they have lost the funding and help often provided by tourists and visitors. Your participation in this program helps to support this important sea turtle conservation effort in a fragile time. Your support truly means the world to the organizations we work with. There is so much that we can learn from their experts on staff!
Interest-free payment plans are available. Current college students may be able to use federal financial aid toward their tuition. Your space is not held until your $1,000 deposit (credited toward tuition) is paid.
Tuition is all-inclusive less airfare. Tuition does not include medical insurance (the policy we suggest is under $25), a passport, snacks, and any COVID vaccinations or testing required for travel.
This program requires you to pack certain items you might not already have and may need to purchase for the trip, including a headlamp, extra headlamp batteries, a waterproof watch, a mosquito net, reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag, a snorkel, and mask.
Airfare is not included. There is no group flight for this program. We will have multiple pick-ups and drop-off times at the San Jose airport on arrival and departure days. Your transportation between the San Jose airport and the program location is provided and included in your tuition.
All participants will need to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (which may include boosters if eligible). All participants will adhere to the Loop Abroad COVID policies of testing yourself for COVID-19 within 2 days prior to travel, reporting symptoms if they arise during the program, masking or testing if asked to by staff, and isolating if you test positive.
If a program is canceled by Loop Abroad due to COVID-19, we offer a full refund of all tuition paid, including the deposit.
We understand that sometimes even though a program is not canceled, an individual participant may be unable to travel due to illness or other personal reasons. In addition to our refund policy, if you must cancel your program enrollment less than 35 days before travel, for any reason at all, you can replace your program with the following virtual package.
This package includes 5 university credits from Iowa Wesleyan University (if you successfully complete the courses) and has a retail value of $5,080.
This offer is valid for cancellation of travel programs between 35 days and 1 day before the program begins when no refunds are available for participants canceling their travel. One virtual package available per participant; non-transferable. A participant canceling their enrollment more than 35 days prior is welcome to select this option over their refund if they so choose.
Link this program to another two-week program and save $100 on each tuition. Costa Rica programs are an excellent choice to combine with Panama, as air travel between the two locations is short and convenient. This program can combine with:
Costa Rica is a popular travel destination for visitors from the US because of its wildlife, beaches, volcanoes, and rainforests. Travelers find it both safe and welcoming.
We have worked with Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST) to design a sea turtle research program for you that will give you hands-on experience guided by local experts. While you will experience living on a beach on the beautiful Pacific coast of Costa Rica, this hard-working program will not be a relaxing beach vacation! You will, of course, have time to explore the area and enjoy the beach, but there is a lot of important work to do when it comes to sea turtle conservation. We’ll be starting early in the morning each day!
The Osa In-water project is located in Playa Blanca on the Dulce Gulf of the Osa Peninsula. The region is one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots of the world including the Dulce Gulf, one of 4 tropical fiords worldwide. Surrounded by different kinds of beaches, mangroves, and estuaries, the Gulf creates unique habitats for permanent and migratory species. More than 40 different fish species, as well as dolphins, whales, whale sharks, and sea turtles thrive in various ecosystems of the Gulf. The Osa Peninsula hosts a large variety of tropical ecosystems, providing habitats to numerous animals like scarlet macaws, monkeys, sloths, wild cats, and other wildlife, and countless tropical plants. A truly lush nature that still needs to be explored and researched is waits here for volunteers. The exceptional natural surroundings make conservation work an exciting and enjoyable experience!
LAST is part of WIDECAST, the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, which is an expert network of biologists, managers, community leaders, and educators in more than 40 nations and territories who are all committed to the recovery and sustainable management of depleted sea turtle populations.
LAST asks important questions to guide their research:
What would a sustainably managed sea turtle population look like? What would it look like to a government? To a fisherman, a coastal community, a child? To an hotelier, a dive operator, a tourist? What would it look like to a reef, a sea grass bed, a sandy beach?
From the perspective of sustainable development, a sustainably managed sea turtle population would be defined as a population that meets the ecological, economic, socio-cultural, political, aesthetic, and spiritual needs of the present without compromising the ability of the population to fulfill these needs in the future.
LAST seeks to bring the best science to legislation and policy, education and outreach, for training and professionals, conservation and advocacy, and to research and population monitoring.
This program is designed to both ask big questions and empower you to make more informed choices everyday – choices rooted in the belief that decisions today create the choices and opportunities of tomorrow just as the decisions of past generations painted the landscape that we see today.
This itinerary is subject to change but should give you a good overall sense of the program. Above all else, we want to keep you safe during your program and minimize your risk of exposure to COVID-19. To accomplish that, we will:
You will arrive in San Jose on the first day of your program and meet your group. We will then travel together to LAST. (We will advise you on what time to arrive if you’d like to minimize waiting time to meet your group.) It is a long drive from the airport – we have private transportation for our group.
The one-week program gives you a short version of the Sea Turtle Conservation Costa Rica program. It’s perfect for participants who can’t travel for a full two weeks but still want a full travel experience.
You will learn all about the sea turtle conservation project and the work done at LAST and have two full days of working on turtle research. This includes boat capture, monitoring, health tracking, and ocean release as well as beach monitoring. You’ll have two full days working on other aspects of the conservation project, including the mangrove reforestation program, which is vital for turtle health.
One day of your program will be spent assisting in a local cat and dog spay/neuter campaign. Then, we’ll have a chance for fun activities to explore Costa Rica, such as a day hiking and exploring the national park and a kayak tour of the area.
Our regular two-week program is a full itinerary that lets you gain a deep understanding of the LAST conservation project and feel at home on the beach where you’ll be living.
You will learn all about the sea turtle conservation project and the work done at LAST and have four full days of working on turtle research. This includes boat capture, monitoring, and health tracking, and ocean release, as well as beach monitoring.
You’ll also have four full days working on other aspects of the conservation project, including the mangrove reforestation program, which is vital for turtle health.
One day of your program will be spent assisting in a local cat and dog spay/neuter campaign. We will help provide you with the training you need so that you can be as helpful as possible during this important project and get the most out of it.
This longer program also gives us a chance for fun activities to explore Costa Rica, such as a day hiking and exploring in the national park, a kayak tour of the area, learning some Spanish, and a visit to a local chocolate farm. The two-week program is perfect for students who want more research hours and a chance to build a deep connection to sea turtle conservation.
We will return to San Jose on the final program day for departing flights.
There are lots of ways to help fund your online and travel programs with Loop Abroad, and we are here to help!
Scholarships are a terrific way to cover some or all of your tuition for a Loop Abroad program. When you look for scholarships for pre-vet programs, you need to look at all your options!
The Gilman Scholarship could fund $5000 of your tuition and the next deadline is March 9 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time!
The Gilman Scholarship was designed to help students of limited financial means have the opportunity to study abroad – online or in-person. Nearly a third of applicants are awarded the scholarship! This is a great opportunity to help cover your tuition.
Students can receive up to $5,000 for travel or virtual programs. The scholarship can be applied to any of our online programs, to our semester programs, or one of our 2-week programs.
Along with their application, students must submit two essays, the Statement of Purpose Essay, and the Community Impact Essay. Students must also upload their transcripts (unofficial or official). For more information on the application guidelines, please click here.
See the official website and read about Loop Abroad students who have received this scholarship. If you are a US citizen receiving a Pell Grant and currently enrolled in college or university, we encourage you to apply for this scholarship. The March 2023 Deadline application will open in mid-January 2023 for applicants whose in-person programs or internships start between May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. This cycle encompasses Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Academic Year 2023-2024, and Spring 2024 programs or internships. The application deadline is Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is Thursday, March 16, 2023.
Loop Abroad is offering one FULL TUITION scholarship to cover one travel program (up to 2 weeks) of your choice. Applications for 2023 are now CLOSED. Applications for 2024 will re-open in January 2024. We’re proud to add this to the list of scholarships for pre-vet programs.
Who can apply: This scholarship is open to all students age 18 and over. You do not have to be a US Citizen. You do not have to be currently in school.
You do not have to complete an application to Loop Abroad in order to be selected for the scholarship. The scholarship winner must be able to complete the Loop Abroad enrollment paperwork, requiring a doctor’s signature, and must meet all safety requirements of program enrollment.
Note: if you have already applied to Loop Abroad and been accepted, you can still apply for this scholarship. If you have made any payments toward tuition and later receive the scholarship, your payments will be refunded.
Criteria for selecting the scholarship recipient:
We will consider financial need, commitment to conservation and/or animal science, academic performance, and ability to be a positive team member as factors in our decision. We are not looking for the applicant with the highest grades or the most animal hours. We are not looking for the applicant with the saddest story. We are looking for a student who embodies Loop Abroad’s values of teamwork, commitment to a cause, and hard work, and for a student who would not be able to otherwise afford Loop Abroad tuition (whether because of household income or recent change in circumstances).
Scholarship details:
This scholarship covers tuition to one Loop Abroad program with a duration of 1 to 2 weeks in the summer of 2023. It is not transferable to other individuals or future semesters. It does not include airfare, travel or medical insurance, passport, college credit fees (optional), visa (if required), or any optional incidentals during your program. Please understand that a full tuition scholarship does not make travel completely free: passport, airfare, and other expenses depend on the program location.
Once a scholarship winner is chosen, the winner will need to complete full application paperwork for Loop Abroad. The winner must then also complete the enrollment paperwork, which includes waiver forms and a medical form signed by a doctor indicating that you are able to safely participate in a travel program.
The scholarship winner agrees that Loop Abroad may publicize the awarding of the scholarship, including the recipient’s information such as name and current university. The scholarship winner will be subject to all regular rules of participating in a Loop Abroad program.
How to apply:
To apply, you must complete the following three steps:
Why is it called the Erica Ward Scholarship? Dr. Erica Ward is our Academic Director. We believe that she embodies the values we are seeking in our scholarship applicants: she is passionate, dedicated, hard-working, and driven to make the world a better place. Dr. Ward consistently strives to find ways that Loop Abroad can support projects in need and help its students and alumni have fulfilling academic opportunities. We have decided to name this scholarship after her to honor her continued commitment to her values and purpose. (PS – She isn’t dead. Please don’t write your essay about honoring her legacy. She is very much alive and still working here. If you are a finalist for the scholarship, she will read your essay.)
Details:
The scholarship will be credited toward tuition for the winning student toward the Loop Abroad program of their choice.
The scholarship is non-transferable. If the student cannot attend, the scholarship will be void – it is not a cash prize and cannot be paid as such. Applicants must be over the age of 18. Citizens and residents of any country may apply.
ALL PARTICIPANTS IN LOOP ABROAD TRAVEL PROGRAMS MUST BE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19. All participants are subject to other COVID requirements, such as providing a negative COVID test taken within the 2 days prior to travel. If you are unable to meet these requirements, you may use your scholarship toward a Loop Abroad online program of your choice within the 2023 calendar year.
Loop Abroad reserves the right not to grant a travel scholarship for the 2023 year if there are no qualified applicants who have applied by the deadline.
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona.
This scholarship is open to US citizen undergraduate students who are child dependents of active duty service members and receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid. Students can receive awards of up to $5,000 for 2+ weeks of international travel or online programs. The scholarship can be applied to any of our online programs, semester programs, or 2-week travel programs.
The deadline for this scholarship is March 9, 2023.
The Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. This scholarship is open to both US citizens and permanent residents who are undergraduate students at a two-year or four-year college or university.
Recipients can receive up to $3,000 in awards for summer programs. This scholarship can be applied to our Thailand programs for 2+ weeks.
In order to apply, students must fill out an online application. Read the scholarship instructions here and the eligibility requirements here.
All student applications for Academic Year 2023-2024, including the following terms: Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Academic Year 2023-2024, Spring 2024, and Calendar Year 2024, are expected to open in February 2023.
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) invests in promising students with financial needs who wish to study abroad. Potential applicants who meet our eligibility requirements may participate in any international education program that meets their academic objectives.
This scholarship is open to US citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a college or university in the US. Scholarships range from $1,250 – $10,000.
Along with their application, students must submit a financial aid form (filled out by the financial aid office at their school), one recommendation letter, and a copy of their unofficial transcript.
Applications for Spring 2023 (programs from January- May) are due by September 15, 2022 at 12pm (noon) EST. Students may review the scholarship and application instructions here.
Scholarships of note that you can apply for through the Fund for Education Abroad include:
SeniorCare.com continues to bring more awareness to the key issues we face as an aging population. For the 8th consecutive year, we will be awarding an annual college scholarship to an individual that best demonstrates to us why “Aging Matters” to them. A $1500 scholarship will be given annually to a selected college student that currently cares for an aging loved one, works within the senior community, or intends to pursue a career that will have an impact on the elder population. Any existing student (or incoming freshman), in good academic standing, at a 2 or 4-year accredited college can apply for this scholarship. The recipient will demonstrate a unique and admirable understanding and desire to show us that “Aging Matters” to them.
All applicants can get more information and apply online here. Applications are due May 15, 2023.
FirstTrip.org offers scholarships for students who are studying abroad for the first time. At the time of writing, Thailand, Costa Rica, and Belize programs would be eligible for these $1,500 scholarships. Find out more and apply at FirstTrip.org. Applications are rolling and suggested to be submitted at least 3 months before your program. They also have funding available for passports ($130) as well as some other supplemental awards.
