Explorica is an accredited institution just like your school. Students traveling on qualified tours have the opportunity to earn academic credit, and educators are eligible to receive free professional development.
Free high school credit
We are independently accredited for K-12 education by regional accrediting bodies across the nation, including:
- AdvancED, the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, and the Northwest Accreditation Commission
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle and high school students traveling on an international Explorica tour can earn free high school credit for their trip. To participate, students simply choose a subject from our custom-designed options, then work at their own pace to complete online classes within three months of their tour. Students must be in grades 6-12 at the time of travel, and can earn .5 elective credits. For more information or to enroll, email academiccredit@explorica.com.
College credit
We partner with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to issue college credit related to our travel programs. UCSD is a top-rated institution with a highly competitive entering class and a low acceptance rate, so UCSD credits are highly respected and widely accepted at top universities around the world.
High school students traveling on an international Explorica tour can earn college credit for their trip. To participate, students choose from two course options (1 or 3 credits), then work at their own pace to complete online classes within three months of their tour. Students must be in grades 9-12 at the time of travel, and the cost of credits are based on UCSD's competitive fees. For more information or to enroll, email academiccredit@explorica.com.
Professional development
Educators traveling on an Explorica tour, either as a program leader or chaperone, can earn free professional development for their tour. A professional development certificate will be issued for up to 35 points/hours or 3.5 CEUs based on the length of the tour. To learn more, please email professionaldevelopment@explorica.com or call 1.888.310.7120.