Study Abroad | Galápagos Islands

Housing

Homestay

Students will stay with a carefully selected homestay family. By staying with local families you will gain a unique insight into island life and how the locals live and work.

• Daily breakfast and dinner with the families
• Most lunches in town or at the site of the academic visits

City Facts

Geography

San Cristóbal is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago and has a population of about 6,000 inhabitants. 

History

San Cristobal is where Darwin first set foot to write his famous book, “On the Origin of Species.” 

Nature

San Cristóbal is home to many animals like sealions, marine iguanas, tortoises, and more!

Site Staff

AIFS Program Director

AIFS provides a dedicated Program Director for this program who will assist students throughout their stay in the Galápagos. Details and contact information will be available prior to the start of the summer program.

The Program Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.

Cultural Activities

Learning does not begin or end in the classroom. Visits and field trips are a key part of your academic study in the Galápagos, while social and cultural activities in Quito give you a better understanding of Ecuador, the South American country which governs the islands.

• Welcome lunch
• Quito historic center and Middle of the World Monument guided tour
• Visit to El Junco, a permanent freshwater lake where you can see frigate birds bathing in order to preen their feathers
• La Lobería, a coral sand beach where you can snorkel and hike to see sea lions, a large colony of marine iguanas and a huge variety of birds
• La Galapaguera, a man-made breeding program for tortoises and an information center for visitors. You can see giant land tortoises living in a semi-natural habitat
• Kicker Rock, one of San Cristóbal Island’s most iconic sites and an excellent location for snorkeling to spot manta rays, sea turtles and sharks
• Frigate Bird Hill, to spot the magnificent frigate birds
• The Interpretation Center which focuses on the history of the archipelago from its volcanic origins to the present
• USFQ and AIFS promote conservation and sustainable tourism in the Galápagos Islands through education and research. All visits on the islands are to designated visitor sites

Many activities involve snorkelling – participants should be able to swim and confident in water.