Make a Private Group

Loop alums can organize a trip for a group of students from their organization, school, or club. This can be any formal group with a common interest- it can’t just be a random group of friends (as fun as that would be, it is hard to organize and get people to follow through on)! 

Examples of private groups include:

• Your college or high school

• Your specific major or academic program (education, vet tech, animal

science, marine bio, etc)

• Pre-vet club

• Environmental science club

• Service-learning organization

• Boy or Girl Scouts

• Any other club/organization you’re involved with.

* Note, this group is not directly affiliated with your school/organization- it is run by Loop Abroad but is made up of people that are part of your school/organization and share a common interest! Therefore, you don’t need to ask your school for permission.

You can choose any of the pre-existing Loop trips for your group to go on and the summer dates* that you want, and we will create a specific page on our site with “(Your Name)’s Private Group” information and registration for you to share.

We suggest you make your group’s trip the same as the one you went on because you are an excellent source for advertising and answering questions. People will feel better knowing that you have done the program. Note, college veterinary groups can also plan a January trip, instead of a summer trip. January weather is usually beautiful and flights are generally cheaper as well!

Group organizer responsibilities: 

• Recruiting for group 

• Setting up a meeting with your school's pre-vet club

• Answering simple questions about the group and directing students to admissions@loopabroad.com if you don't know the answer

• Being the "airport staff" on travel days

Benefits for you: 

• 8 people enroll = tuition is waived for one two-week program OR $2000 check OR $2000 credit towards internships for you

• 10 people enroll = Loop Abroad will waive your $499 credit fee 

• 12 people enroll = Loop Abroad will book your international flight from the group flight airport or closest international airport.

• 14 people enroll = you gain free access to one self-paced online course. If you take it during the summer of your included trip credit, you can also add credit for free. 

• 16 people enroll = you get a second trip tuition OR $2000

• 20 people enroll = Loop Abroad will your second trip international airfare 

If you choose a free two-week trip, it can be the same trip or a different one that you are organizing for the group and you can also use it for a different year. You do not have to go on your group’s trip and can choose to be paid instead.

If fewer than 8 people actually go on your group trip (or have their deposit in by the due date), you get your referral fee for each of the individuals that do go. The group is then open to other outside students to join. So, your group still goes together but there will be other students as well (from different schools, organizations, etc).

Benefits for the group: 

* Whether the full group goes or not, anyone that signs up with your private group gets the same benefits

• Discounted price (10% off tuition)

• The application fee will be credited towards their tuition (so if they go, there is essentially no application fee).

• Simplified application: no essay, no transcript, no references. They just have to enroll!

• They still have the option to add a bonus week if they want.

• Possible academic credit (depending on trip and school). Ask Loop!

Important Things to Note About the Benefits:

• For you to get your free trip or the $2,000, at least 8 people have to have their deposits in by the due date and actually go on the trip (not just sign up).

• No other financial aid from Loop Abroad is available for those going on a private group because of the discounts already involved.

• There are some fundraising options that Loop can help with (selling elephant pants) and with a group, fundraisers can be even more effective!

• Students can also look for financial aid from outside of Loop Abroad, including:

  • • If students are getting credit from their school, they may be able to use federal financial aid toward their tuition.

    • If students are getting credit from their school, they can borrow up to 100% of their tuition from the Ascent Program for Funding Education (students at most 4-year colleges in the US are eligible)

    • Gilman Scholarship from the US State Department provides up to $5,000 in funding for study abroad. Applicants must be US citizens and must be receiving a Pell Grant. 

Click here for a sample letter to send to your club or organization!

Click here for a sample Facebook event and post!

If you know a faculty member from your school that would be interested in leading a group trip, we have created sample template emails for you to use as a reference in the “Step-by-Step Guide” to contact them. This would be an official trip affiliated with your school that the teacher or professor would lead.

You assist the faculty member in recruiting students, but ultimately the faculty member helps organize and leads the trip (traveling with Loop for free).  If you find a faculty member to help recruit students, you would still get your benefits for making the connection between Loop and that faculty member and assisting them. Benefits are the same as described in "why organize a group" above. 

Click here for a sample email to send to your professor!