Semester at Sea Alternatives: 6 Unique Sailing and Study Abroad Programs to Consider
Offering a mix of adventure, learning, and cultural immersion, ship-based education and study abroad programs are a popular way for high school graduates and college students to see the world and broaden their horizons without putting their academic careers on hold.
While programs like Semester at Sea® are among the best-known options, they’re far from the only ones providing unique study abroad experiences.
In some cases, a program like Semester at Sea® may not be the right fit depending on your study abroad goals. There are many other choices for study abroad programs, ship-based or not, with different focuses and experiences catering to different interests.
If you think Semester at Sea® is not the right fit for you, or you want to learn about all the different options available to you before choosing a program, here are six other leading options for both ship-based and traditional study abroad programs to consider.
What to Consider When Choosing a Study Abroad Program
When choosing the right study abroad program for you, it’s important to consider what type of experience you want to have and whether the offerings of a particular program align with those goals and interests:
- Season: Some programs only sail or are available during specific times of year. For example, Semester at Sea® only offers voyages during spring and fall to align with traditional Western school calendars. But others offer programs throughout the whole year, including summer, giving you more options.
- Program Length: Not everyone wants to be traveling on a ship for months at a time or an entire semester. Different programs offer varying lengths and date flexibility, ranging from shorter two-to-three-week stints to multi-month trips.
- Hands-on Learning: Some ship-based programs operate more like cruises, with students living on the ship while learning and taking classes but not being actively involved in sailing. The same goes for some land-based programs. If you want a more hands-on international experience where you learn skills or are doing more than sitting in a classroom (even if it’s a classroom on the other side of the world), there are programs geared toward that.
- Destination and Location: Do you have your heart set on a study abroad program in Asia? Do you want to hopscotch around Europe? Spend days at sea without seeing land? You want to pick a program that’s going where you want to go.
- Program Size: Do you want to be part of a larger program with hundreds of other students, or choose a smaller program to become part of a closer-knit group? While you’ll likely make great friends in either scenario, the experience of big groups versus small ones is vastly different.
- Academic Focus: Some programs offer a more generalized curriculum, with classes covering all manner of subjects from art to business, while other programs can be focused on specific areas of study like marine biology or nautical science.
- College Credit: Many study abroad programs are accredited through major universities, allowing students to earn college credits.
- Skills and Certifications: Studying abroad with different programs can allow you to gain new hard and soft skills and earn certifications in everything from scuba diving to leadership skills like communication and opening dialogues.
- Cost: While most study abroad programs offer scholarships and financial aid, cost is another crucial consideration.
Once you’ve narrowed down what kind of study abroad experience you want, you can find a program that fits that criteria.
6 Alternatives to Semester at Sea for Studying Abroad
Here are six other leading programs geared toward high school, college, and gap year students.
1. Sea|mester
Best For: Ocean Lovers, Diverse Destinations, Science Education, Small Group Experience
With its focus on seamanship, marine science, and leadership, Sea|mester’s small-ship programs are a great fit for any student with a passion for the sea. Sailing aboard smaller schooners on voyages ranging from 20 to 90 days, students get hands-on experience learning to run the ship as part of a team, take classes in topics like marine biology for college credit, and see destinations around the globe from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and Fiji to South Africa.
With sailings in spring, fall, and summer, each voyage hosts between 16-26 people, and students can earn certifications in scuba diving and sailing. Open to ages 17 to 22, these programs can be a great fit for graduating high schoolers, gap year students, and college freshmen. Sea|mester’s sister program, ActionQuest Teen Adventures, offers similar experiences during the summer months for younger teens ages 13 – 18.
2. Outward Bound
Best For: Land-based Adventures, Nature Sports, Wilderness Survival Skills
If you love being out in nature doing things like hiking or climbing, Outward Bound is a fantastic option. Specializing in outdoor education, its programs range from short, 1-2 week trips for middle and high school students to semester-length expeditions for ages 18+. In epic destinations both far away like Patagonia and Costa Rica and close to home like US national parks, students master hard skills like wilderness medicine or rappelling as well as interpersonal skills like leadership and problem-solving.
3. National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Best For: Outdoor Adventure, Mix of Land and Sea Programs, Diverse Destinations
At NOLS, you spend all your time outside enjoying nature in some of the world’s most spectacular places from Patagonia to East Africa to Baja. As the name implies, learning leadership and other interpersonal skills is a core part of the NOLS curriculum. But participants also take part in tons of outdoor activities, ranging from backpacking trips to sea kayaking.
Trip lengths vary from two weeks to 80 days, with courses and expeditions for a wide range of ages starting at 14. Along with outdoor education and adventure, students can also enjoy cultural immersion on the semester-abroad trips and gap year options.
4. A+ World Academy
Best For: High School Students, General Academics, Sailing Skills, Small Group, Full School Year at Sea
Spend an entire school year living aboard a historic tall ship while sailing around the world with the A+ World Academy, a small group, ship-based education program geared toward high schoolers ages 16-19. In between standard and AP classes in topics like math, English literature, language, and natural science, students learn the skills it takes to run and operate a small ship.
One thing to consider is that A+ World Academy’s yearly voyage lasts for a full academic year, taking roughly 10 months to wind its way to 14 countries across four continents.
5. Verto Education
Best For: Cultural Immersion, Humanities, Homestays, Language Learning
Verto Education is another great Seamester at Sea® alternative for those wanting their study abroad experience to be more focused on cultural or language immersion. Living abroad with a local family in destinations like Argentina, Italy, or Spain, gap year and freshman university students get to live the classic study abroad experience while taking classes in the humanities, social studies, and sciences.
Earning between 12-17 college credits depending on the program and courses, Verto’s partnership with over 50 top US colleges ensures students can stay on track with their academics without missing this wonderful life experience.
6. Sea Education Association
Best For: Learning at Sea, Small Group, Marine Sciences, Ocean Lovers
With programs for high schoolers, college students, and gap year students, Sea Education Association offers ship-based educational sailings around the world from the Caribbean to New Zealand, with programs available both during the school year and during the summer.
On board its two brigantine vessels, young adults embark on trips ranging from several weeks to several months, immersing themselves in hands-on research work and a science-focused curriculum covering coral reef conservation, field oceanography, marine biodiversity, and much more. Many of its programs also have a strong focus on studying climate change, sustainability, and how governmental policies impact oceans and coastal communities around the world.
About The Author – Jo Meighan
Jo serves as Sea|mester’s Chief Financial Officer, bringing over 25 years of dedicated experience to the team. Beyond her professional role, Jo is also a proud mother of two high school graduates. She has extensive experience in researching and planning overseas travel programs for her children, combining her professional expertise with personal passion to ensure enriching experiences for her family.
