Programs
AUIP combines travel, a sense of adventure, and academic credit to provide a truly unique study abroad experience. You will travel throughout the country with a group of ~15 - 30 students on faculty-led programs that are 25% classroom and 75% field-based.

Credits
By receiving credit for educational travel programs that occur during the summer or winter months, you can enjoy all the benefits of studying abroad while also graduating on-time or even earlier! For all programs (except South Africa) credit is issued by major universities in the U.S., which means that course credit can easily be transfered back to your home university.

Cost
AUIP programs are the most affordable available. This occurs because (1) regardless of your home institution, you will pay in-state tuition at one of the U.S. accrediting universities and (2) you travel as a group, thereby reducing fixed costs for accommodations, transportation, activities, and classrooms, etc.

Quality
We strive to provide the most academically rewarding, personally enriching, and cost-effective programs possible. Our students often comment that this was the single-most influential experience of their college careers (see student comments).

Employment opportunities
Study abroad is an investment in your future. Today's companies are seeking to employ people with cross-cultural communication, global views, and problem-solving skills. Not only does AUIP introduce you to potential employers for internship and/or career opportunities but it encourages the development of life-long learning skills that help you compete for positions in an increasingly diverse and international workplace.

First-time abroad?
Our faculty-led, group participation approach is ideal for students with limited or no international travel experience. Past students often comment on the new friendships they develop, how easy and smooth the programs operate, and the positive relationships that are nurtured with faculty and staff. Furthermore, the South Pacific is a relatively safe travel destination, meaning that AUIP programs are particularly suitable for students traveling abroad for the very first time. However, the diversity and breadth of activities and educational travel also means that even seasoned travelers will experience something new.

Student comments
Below is a selection of student evaluations (taken anonymously) from previous programs...

• "It was the best, most fulfilling experience of my life." (New Zealand)
• "It is unlike any other study abroad program that I have heard about. It is very active and fast-paced, and the group bonding is incredible. The activities are something I would never have done otherwise or will do again." (New Zealand)
• "My only fear is that nothing will impress me after this trip - from mountains to beaches to river canyons and rainforests, every place we visited was amazing." (New Zealand)
• "The trip was awesome. We got to experience life in Australia, not just tour around it as outsiders." (Australia)
• "I learned more about myself than anything else on this trip and to me that's the best thing I could ever take home with me." (Australia)
• "I would not change anything about this program! I learned more culturally this week than I ever thought I would!" (Fiji)
• "A total experience that changed the way I look at the world. I would never have dreamed of the people that I've met and the time that I've had." (Fiji)

Faculty testimonials
Below is a selection of testimonials from faculty who were involved with previous programs...

• "The AUIP Study Abroad programs in the South Pacific are academically rigorous and socially intense. Students are introduced to a biological world as unique and ancient as any on earth, and they will study cultures that have developed, independently of our Euro-centered societies, for thousands of years. Indeed, these South Pacific venues are ideal for studying the critical questions surrounding the concept of sustainability, for ecosystems and societies."
  Dr. Nicholas Wheeler, Faculty Member, University Of Oregon.
• "This program is a highly successful one that offers terrific academic outcomes with great value for money. Students report excitement and enthusiasm for the program, and very high levels of satisfaction. They leave with good insights and appreciation for the culture and ecology of the country, and a new found respect for travel and the exploration of other lands."
  Dr. William T. Borrie, Associate Professor, University of Montana.
• "Participation in the AUIP programs has been the most significant change for me in the 20 years I have been at Virginia Tech. The opportunities these programs permit for; adventure, education in unique environments, cultural expansion, and self-discovery are grand beyond imagination. For me, the characteristic of these trips having paramount benefit are the opportunities for developing mentor/student connections which, by far, surpass any such connection that has occurred for me on campus."
  Bob Wright, Research Associate, Virginia Tech.