Lead your students on your very own custom designed program in Ireland.
We specialize in experiential learning. We know that there is so much more to learning than what happens in a classroom and we believe in facilitating meaningful interaction between participants and their host culture in Ireland. This interaction makes for a lasting educational impact and an unforgettable experience.
With over 50 years experience in the field of intercultural learning programmes, EIL/AFS provides you with unique access to academics, community organizations, local leaders, politicians, schools, universities, artists, musicians and Irish families all over the country. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail, our quality logistical arrangements, our 24-hour local support and our ‘can do’ attitude.
Why Choose EIL?
Testimonials
“Ireland’s vast history and the large amount of IT businesses in and around Dublin made Ireland a great choice for our students. Our program was created with a nice variety of professional and cultural visits so the students continued to experience new things and learn throughout the duration of the trip.”— Steve Ebben, Instructor Information Technology, Fox Valley Technical College
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“I can’t thank you enough for your assistance with our program.I have never met anyone who took more care with any of our programs.You were absolutely superb, and I hope that we have the opportunity to use EIL again, hopefully with more students!”— Ryan Dye, Director of International Education, St Ambrose University
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“I have taken groups of American students on trips abroad since 1992 and have always had a wonderful experience.However, nothing compares to the recent experience I had with our group of 13 Americans on the EIL trip to Ireland.You have the market cornered on great service! You all survived my frequent emails and pleas for play titles, you crafted our trip with care and personalisation, and gifted us with the best tour guide one could dream of! I will never again consider study abroad trips on my own when EIL is an option.” — Dr Corrine Johnson, Professor, Theatre Department, St Ambrose University
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“We had a delightful time in Ireland.The students were awesome and under Sarah’s guidance that got to learn, play, relax, and experience the beautiful country you get to call home.” — Lois McCollough, Vice President for Finance and Management, Defiance College
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“I so love dealing with you and EIL. It feels like we have family in Ireland.Your greatest asset is the full service and attention that you provide to your clients. Your efforts to stay connected throughout the trip planning process and your willingness and expertise in offering a strong academic experience for our students is your strength.” — Mary Ann Studer, McMaster School for Advancing Humanity, Defiance College
Safety & Support
The safety and wellbeing of participants is paramount in all of our programmes. We adhere to a comprehensive child protection policy. EIL in conjunction with the National Youth Council of Ireland was a primary partner in developing Child Safety and Youth Exchange Programmes national guidelines for good practice. As your partner in Ireland, EIL provides 24/7 emergency support, carefully recruited and trained Irish group leaders and a local coordinator in all host communities. Your group will participate in a welcome orientation to Ireland facilitated by EIL which includes comprehensive cultural immersion tips and tools, as well as practical safety advice.
Custom Designed Program
As your partner EIL/AFS will help you to build a program of exceptional quality that is designed to meet your special requirements. Here are some examples of services we can provide:
Academic courses, lectures and field trips
An in-country coordinator
Expertly led excursions & hands-on learning adventures
All types of accommodation options (dorms/youth hostels/homestays or hotels)
Airport meet & greet
Welcome orientation
Private coach transport
Irish host family dinners or stays in multiple communities around Ireland
Visit to an Irish farm & Irish baking workshops
Guided cultural visits or business visits
Traditional Irish music, dance and storytelling workshops
Irish arts & crafts workshops
Expertly led folklore and archaeological hikes
Post-program evaluation
Examples of Previous Programs
In the past few years we have designed a wide range of programs, from Tech & IT to Literature. Here are some examples:
Nursing Program: including service placement in a residential home, talks on food & community health, wellbeing, active citizenship for the elderly and visits to community health projects.
Sustainable Tourism Program: including talks from management in several of Ireland’s leading tourist attractions and from the General Managers in the hotel industry. The group also met with a member of Cork Convention Bureau.
Literature Program: mostly based in Dublin, this program included a James Joyce walking circular, a backstage visit to Ireland’s national theatre, and a talk on ‘Multiculturalism & Immigration in Ireland’.
Tech/IT: this program comprised of several visits to companies in Ireland such as Dell, Siemens, Microsoft, Dropbox and Irish organisations such as Cork City Council.
Each group also balances their academic learning with cultural visits to some of Ireland’s many attractions.
These are just some examples of our recent programs, but anything is possible!
Supports and Services
As your partner, AFS/EIL Intercultural Learning will help you to build a program of exceptional quality that is designed to meet your requirements. Here are just some of the supports and services we can provide:
In-country coordinator
Academic courses, lectures and field trips
Expertly led excursions
Hands-on learning adventures
All types of accommodation options
Pre-departure information packet & academic reading list/preparation materials
Airport meet & greet
Welcome orientation
24/7 emergency support
Private coach transport
Transportation and town maps/guides
Post-program evaluation
Contact Us
Contact Us - Faculty Led
If you have a question for the Faculty Led Team please fill out the form below and a member of the team will get in touch as soon a s they can
FAQ's
How long is a program?
The length of the program is determined by your needs. We can design a program from one week to a number of weeks.
What kind of accommodation can be arranged?
All types of accommodation options are available. We can arrange 3 or 4 star hotels, youth hostels, university accommodation and have a wide network of carefully selected host families.
Will my group have an Irish leader?
This is again determined by your needs. There are many advantages to including an Irish leader, such as ensuring the smooth coordination of the program on the ground, thereby allowing the faculty to focus on the academic needs of their group. An Irish group leader can significantly the learning experience by sharing relevant and topical local information and knowledge as well as helping to ensure the safety of participants on the program. All of our leaders are carefully selected and trained to provide an insight into Ireland and Irish culture.
When can I bring my group to Ireland?
As all our programs are custom designed we can provide your program in Ireland at any time of year.
I would like my students to hear from Irish professors. Is it possible to arrange local academic speakers?
Yes, we have access to professors and lecturers in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland across a wide range of academic fields and can arrange for them to meet your group to give a lecture, share their academic perspective, and facilitate discussion..
What about community groups and NGOs?
We have arranged visits, socials and talks with a wide variety of such organisations, from the smallest local community group to international NGOs. We also arrange talks with politicians, councilors, Lord Mayors and Members of Parliament both North and South.
How do I get started?
If you would like to know more about how EIL can help you to build an exceptional faculty led program in Ireland please get in touch with me with your ideas and I will be happy to put together a proposal for you.
How big is a group?
A group can be as small as 6 -10 students and as big as 100 students. We can arrange programs for all sizes.
