Planning a school trip abroad comes down to six decisions, made roughly in this order: what you want students to learn, what they can afford, where to go, when to go, who to travel with, and how to prepare the group. Get the first two right and the rest gets much easier.
Last reviewed: 10.11.2026
1. Start with what you want students to gain
Decide what the trip is for before you pick a place. A biology trip, an IB CAS expedition and a geography fieldwork tour need very different itineraries. Write down two or three learning aims and share them with your senior leadership team early, because they make every later decision simpler and help you explain the trip to parents.
See our educational tours by subject for ideas.
2. Match the destination to your budget, not the other way round
Value isn't the lowest price; it's how much students get for their money. A long-haul trip on a tight budget can mean two long flights, jet lag and only a couple of days on the ground. If your budget is limited, a destination with short flights, no jet lag and plenty of educational value, such as Morocco, lets students hit the ground running.
Most students raise part of the cost themselves. See how STC supports student fundraising.
3. Choose where to go
Pick somewhere that serves your learning aims, suits your students' age and fitness, and fits your budget. Don't let a provider talk you out of the destination you want just because it suits their capacity. A good provider will build the trip around your aims, not steer you somewhere else.
Browse our destinations.
4. Choose when to go
The same country can be a great or a miserable trip depending on the season. Students who spend months fundraising deserve good weather, not three weeks of cloud. Check the rainy season, school holiday dates and flight prices together before you fix dates.
Editor's note: link this to the planned "best time to go" guide once it exists.
5. Choose the right travel company
Ask every provider the same questions:
- Safety: Do they have a written safety management system, and will they share it? Do their trips meet British Standard 8848? How do they follow FCDO travel advice?
- Financial protection: Are flight-inclusive trips ATOL protected?
- Leaders: Who leads the group in the country, how are they chosen and trained, and do they speak the language?
- Ethics: What is their responsible tourism policy? How much of the money reaches local people? Do they avoid harmful activities such as orphanage visits?
- Teacher places: How many teachers travel free?
STC's answers are on our safety page and financial protection page.
6. Prepare your students
- Make it part of the curriculum. Introduce the trip in lessons so students see it as learning, not a holiday.
- Share the itinerary so they know what to expect each day, and show photos and videos from previous trips to build excitement.
- Agree expectations on learning and behaviour well before departure, then again just before you go.
- Teach the skills they'll use, such as observation, recording data or interviewing, rather than assuming they have them.
- Plan kit early. See our packing guide.
- Plan for the unexpected. Most students behave brilliantly, but agree how you'll keep track of everyone and what happens if someone strays.
How STC helps
- Talk to us. Tell us your aims, budget and dates, and we'll ask questions to understand your group.
- We design the trip. We create or adapt an itinerary and send a fully costed proposal for you to review and revise.
- We help you launch it. Once you and your senior team are happy, we provide trip summaries, images and posters, and can present at a parents' evening.
- Booking and preparation. Deposits are paid, services confirmed, and we work through the safety planning and pre-departure information with you.
Ready to start?Get in touch or call 01392 660056.
For the best advice and expert help in planning your school trip abroad call one of our team here at The School Travel Consultancy on 01392 660056.