IPSL Ecuador
The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadernship
 

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Program Terms • Fall • Spring • Summer Program Participants • Undergraduate (College) • Graduate (College) • Adults		Quick Look • Location: Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil, Quito - Ecuador • Language of Instruction: English and Spanish • Academic Credit Available: Yes Overview Galapagos Islands The Galapagos Islands are a unique, world-renowned ecological treasure—important in world history as the place where Charles Darwin began his work on the theory of evolution, but known equally today for unparalleled beauty and ecological diversity. Service-learning in the Galapagos offers an opportunity available nowhere else to live and learn about a delicate and complex natural environment and the impacts—both positive and negative—of human settlement, fisheries, and tourism in that setting and, at the same time, contribute through service to maintaining this unique environment. You may choose one of two concurrent programs, with either a biology focus or a social science focus. After an initial period on the campus of the Universidad San Francisco in Quito, you will attend a full schedule of classes at the Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS) on Isla San Cristobal, learn from world-class faculty, and engage in service related to island ecology and/or the local island community. All program courses are taught in English. Guayaquil Ecuador spans the equator on the northwest coast of South America. With its cultural diversity and wide range of environments—the Galapagos Islands, the coastal areas of the Pacific, the Andes mountain range, and the headwaters of the Amazon—Ecuador provides an ideal location for you to live in and learn about South America, encountering directly the issues and concerns of this great southern continent. In Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and gateway to the Galapagos, you will enjoy a tropical climate with varied and abundant flora and fauna and a newly revitalized waterfront, or “Malecon.” You will also encounter dramatic contrasts of wealth and poverty, and the social issues generated through that disparity. You will spend a semester, summer or year developing your Spanish skills; studying Ecuadorian history, culture, and society at Universidad Espiritu Santo; living with an Ecuadorian family; and serving 15–20 hours a week in an Ecuadorian community agency. Your volunteer service immerses you in the culture and deepens your understanding of Ecuadorian society in a way that goes beyond that experienced in traditional study abroad programs. It also facilitates your mastery of Spanish. Quito Ecuador spans the equator on the northwest coast of South America. With its cultural diversity and wide range of environments, Ecuador provides an ideal location for you to live in and learn about South America, encountering directly the issues and concerns of this great southern continent. Surrounded by the magnificent volcanic Andes mountains, the capital city of Quito boasts one of the finest collections of Spanish colonial architecture in the world. It is home to a large Indian and mestizo population, as well as those of European descent. As you master Spanish, you will study the rich history of Ecuador and be challenged by serving the social and educational needs of the many marginalized people in the city. You will spend a semester or year developing your Spanish skills; studying Spanish language and Ecuadorian history, culture, and society at Universidad San Francisco de Quito; living with an Ecuadorian family; and serving about 20 hours a week in an Ecuadorian community agency. Your volunteer service immerses you in the culture and deepens your understanding of Ecuadorian society in a way that goes beyond that experienced in traditional study abroad programs. It also facilitates your mastery of Spanish. Academic Credit Academic credit is available.  College Undergradute Academic Credit Eligibility Students must be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma. Some Ecuador programs require prior Spanish language study. A GPA 3.0 is required for the Galapgos program as well as one college-level course in ecology and biology. Housing/Accommodation • Dormitory • Homestay / Host Family Program Costs Galapagos Islands: $13,000-$14,000 Guayaqui: $10,000-$11,000 Quito: $11,000-$12,000 Costs Include:  Galapagos:Fees include: tuition (15 credits); pre-departure materials; service placement and supervision; health insurance; administrative fees; airport transfers; private transport to/from the university during your stay in Quito; mainland trips; room and most meals in Quito and the Galapagos (3 meals per day); transport of textbooks from Quito to the Galapagos; domestic airfare (Quito-Galapagos-Quito); National Park fee; program-related trips in the Galapagos; boat tour of the islands; Resident Coordinators in Quito and Galapagos. Personal expenses not covered by fees include: international airfare; textbooks (approximately $300-500 per semester); international medical insurance; personal expenses and spending money. Students are also strongly encouraged to buy dive accident insurance (available from Divers Alert Network [DAN] and other sources) to cover the diving portion of the program. Guayaquil: Fees include all instruction; orientation; housing and most meals; service placement and supervision; health insurance; field trips; administrative fees; and pre-departure materials. Personal expenses include airfare; books; spending money; and local travel. Year students may need to arrange alternative accommodations between semesters. Quito: Fees include all instruction; orientation; housing and most meals; service placement and supervision; health insurance; some field trips outside of Quito; administrative fees; and pre-departure materials. Personal expenses include airfare, books, local travel, and spending money. Year students may need to arrange alternative accommodations between semesters. Financial Aid Yes. Students may use financial aid received through their home institution. Dates Galapagos Islands: Late August - Mid December; Early Januray - Mid May Guayaquil: Late May - early June; Late June - Early August; Late Auguste - Mid December; Early January - Late April Quito: Late August - Mid December; Early January - Mid May Deadlines March 15 for summer Guayaquil; June 1 for Fall; November 1 for Spring Contact The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership 815 2nd Avenue 8th Floor New York, NY 10017 USA Tel: 212.986.0989 Fax: 212.986.5039 Email Send Email Web Visit Website
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