World Class Programs
Why choose World Class Programs?
World Class Programs, established in 2016 by University of Minnesota alumni, offers a large array of study abroad summer programs for high school students. World Class Programs is the result of a cooperative effort by top-performing educators and young professionals from internationally recognized institutions and schools. Our team consists of staff members and curriculum developers from leading universities like the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, Gustavus Adolphus College, Toyo University and the University of Florence. World Class Programs provide quality learning that fosters cross-cultural understanding, academic enrichment, and personal development. We maintain an unparalleled reputation in the field of pre-college study abroad programs because of our credentials as well as our commitment to serve students beyond the trip itself. We help teenagers experience authentic language and cultural immersion in other countries while maintaining a safe and respectful environment for them to live within. Our staff of qualified professionals provide them with respect while inspiring their intellectual curiosity and making them feel comfortable with the foreign language and culture they are discovering.
World Class Programs, established in 2016 by University of Minnesota alumni, offers a large array of study abroad summer programs for high school students. World Class Programs is the result of a cooperative effort by top-performing educators and young professionals from internationally recognized institutions and schools. Our team consists of staff members and curriculum developers from leading universities like the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, Gustavus Adolphus College, Toyo University and the University of Florence. World Class Programs provide quality learning that fosters cross-cultural understanding, academic enrichment, and personal development. We maintain an unparalleled reputation in the field of pre-college study abroad programs because of our credentials as well as our commitment to serve students beyond the trip itself. We help teenagers experience authentic language and cultural immersion in other countries while maintaining a safe and respectful environment for them to live within. Our staff of qualified professionals provide them with respect while inspiring their intellectual curiosity and making them feel comfortable with the foreign language and culture they are discovering.
World Class Programs Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about the programs
Overall Rating
Total Reviews
Exciting and new adventures that happened with the World Class program!
August 24, 2026by: Isabella LopezLinde - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
This year I participated in the Osaka World Class program and I loved it! I experience many exciting activities with much to see and do. From sight seeing to eating delicious food, all of it was great. Hiroshima was one of my all time favorite places that we went to by far, it was a long day of traveling, but 100% worth it. I specifically remember the Hiroshima peace memorial, while it was a solemn memorial they still had a beautiful tribute to the lives lost. Informing others on how big this impacted their community and how they moved on from this. This program allowed the opportunity to immerse myself in an atmosphere where I can learn and understand the Japanese culture.
Osaka World Class 2026
August 23, 2026by: Kristin Duvall - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
Two of my daughters went to the 2026 Osaka World Class program. They absolutely loved it! From exploring Japanese temples, to visiting historical sites, learning Japanese language and cuisine, to shopping, they enjoyed every day to the fullest.
This Was Such A Once In A Lifetime Experience!!!
August 21, 2026by: Linnea Mersinger - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
Oh my gosh, where do I even start with this program? It was absolutely, positively, mind-blowingly amazing! Seriously, I can’t even begin to express how incredible it was. From the very first day, I was in love with World Class Programs. The energy, the staff, the excitement, the sheer awesomeness of it all was just overwhelming in the best way possible. First off, the people and teachers at World Class Programs were just the best. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and it felt like I was part of a big, happy family right from the start. The instructors were super knowledgeable and passionate about what they were teaching, and it was so inspiring to see how much they cared about helping us succeed. They continuously went above and beyond to make sure we understood everything and were always there to answer any questions we had, no matter how silly they might have seemed. And the activities! Oh my goodness, the activities were just out of this world. We got to do so many cool things that I never even thought I’d get the chance to try. There were trips to places like Kyoto, Nara (to see the deer!!!), Himeji, Hiroshima (on the peace day festival) and Tokyo! We also played group games, and even some fun, unexpected surprises that kept us on our toes and made every day an adventure (don’t even ask me about the “karaoke” experience! Haha). I learned so much and had a blast doing it. It was, seriously, like being in a dream. But it wasn’t just the people and activities that made this program so amazing. It was also the environment. Japan. Oh Japan. Japan was just beautiful, with stunning views and a vibe that was both really chill and relaxing, and also energizing at the same time. It was the perfect setting for us to focus, learn, and grow, and I felt so lucky to be there. Every morning, I would wake up excited to see what the day had in store, and every night, I would go to bed feeling grateful for the incredible experiences I had. I also have to mention how much I learned. This program was not just fun and games; it was also incredibly educational. I took the Japanese history course for my major and Photography for my minor. I gained so much knowledge and skills that I know will be super valuable in the future. The way the information was presented was so engaging and easy to understand, and I felt like I was really absorbing everything. Being able to EXPERIENCE things rather than just talk about them was great. It was like my brain was a sponge, soaking up all the amazing stuff being thrown at it. And let’s not forget about the friendships I made. I met so many awesome people who I will never forget. We had so much fun together, whether we were playing “taco cat goat cheese pizza”, hanging out during breaks, watching movies, or just chatting about life. Even though we all just met, It was like we had known each other forever, and I felt so lucky to have them in my life. We even planned to stay in touch after the program ended, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us. In conclusion, this program was just the best experience of my life. It was everything I could have ever hoped for and more. I learned so much, met so many amazing people, and had the time of my life. I will always look back on this program with fond memories and a heart full of gratitude. It was truly an incredible experience, and I am so thankful to have been a part of it. Thank you World Class Programs!!!



This was the greatest summer EVER!!!
August 21, 2026by: Abbi Kelly - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
As a study abroad student in Japan, I am having so much fun! And I highly recommend this to others who might be interested in this! There are tons of fun and interesting adventures!! And the teachers are the BEST!! I’m currently in Japan and I leave tomorrow! I am excited to see my family, but also I genuinely don’t wanna leave Japan. I feel like I could stay here another week!
Living My Dream For Three Weeks!
August 21, 2026by: Lily Wallace - US Virgin IslandsProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
Let me tell you, World Class Programs is the way to go, especially the Japan program. If you’re wanting to experience a fun and exciting adventure that broadens your worldview, this is it. Throughout the three weeks, they not only made me feel safe and supported, but also like family. The staff were also super nice and helped you keep on going even when you were tired. We were all in it together! The activities were also all immersive and varied, so you get a good mix of history, culture, and souvenirs to bring home! If your a history buff, you’ll be especially happy!This is a program that everyone, atleast once in their life, needs to experience!
My time at world class programs
August 21, 2026by: Robin Scheldberg - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
I went on a 3 week study abroad trip to Japan in 2026 and I had sososo much fun! I was nervous about traveling alone but all the staff were friendly and experienced in travel, so they took all the stress away. The whole trip all the staff were extremely kind, fun and understanding. They always accommodated everyone’s needs. I had lots of fun doing the classes and genuinely learned so much more than I knew before this trip. I felt like I was learning even outside of class in the funnest way possible, I feel like I might even be able to navigate a train station by myself! I really enjoyed free time and I bought so much stuff. I loved going to the malls and animate, my clothing and figure collection has grown substantially. This trip was genuinely a once in a lifetime experience and I had worlds of fun. My only con is that I wish we could have our own rooms the whole time, mostly because I’m a big introvert and I just enjoy having my own space!! Everyone on the program and not was so friendly and Japan is a great place to visit, especially with world class programs!!



Sophia’s Japan Trip
August 21, 2026by: Sophia Lopez-Linde - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
This trip was a rich experience that helped me learn about the local life as well as enjoy the simple and fun experiences in Japan. From the quiet shops to the towering skyscrapers, every day was a new adventure. The nature in Nara, tech in Tokyo, and the cuisine in Osaka all stole my breath. It was an amazing trip and couldn’t recommend it enough. Not only that, but it teaches kids social skills and cues. Going to a different country will teach far more than we know.
Great program
July 24, 2026by: Aether Nelson - United StatesThis is my second trip with this program I did the Japan last year and Italy this year also intend to go again next year and I loved the different classes there were I took cuisines and art history we made many different kinds of Italian food and went to different places almost every day there were also many different day trips on the weekends that were amazing to go on and ending in Rome and seeing the colosseum and learning about it was a great way to end the trip and the staff was really amazing and accommodating with the need of the students
My favorite academic experience
July 24, 2026by: Maxwell KrauskopfMy experience with world class programs can never be replicated. The program is so good that my only complaint is the heat outside, which isn’t even really a problem because the staff even think of that giving everyone fans. From the begging to the end I learned about Italian history and cuisine in an extremely interesting and enjoyable way. Everyone was kind and fun to be around, everywhere we went was presented in an incredible way and everything down to the food and rooms was extremely good
Italy trip 2026
July 24, 2026by: AndersItaly was such a great trip. I got such a well rounded trip. I learned a lot of cool stuff some stuff I liked to learn about some I didn't care for as much but yet I am still glad I got to learn it all. I also got plenty of time to do my own thing explore shop hangout relax. I also got to see so many cool places, 8 different Cities. My favorite part of the trip is that the instructors are more like friends than teachers. This is my second trip with this program and I love the instructors. They Genuinely make the trip as good as it is. They are the perfect amount of strict for safety and learning but also laid back for fun and stress free. I love these trips so much. Highly recommend.
A extremely enlightening and very fun experience
July 24, 2026by: Seth Nelson - United StatesI learned so much on this trip through the art history course and photography course. I wasn’t that interested in many of the art made in periods such as renaissance, but I learned so much about them and got quite good at identifying them. I similarly wasn’t that knowledgeable about Christianity and especially Catholicism (at least more than the average American) but I learned so much about it as well and really came to respect the ideas related to it. Finally I also knew literally nothing about photography but through this I learned a lot about different styles and the essentials of photography to the point that I think I’ll be taking better pictures for the rest of my life. This is all without saying the fun and incredible sights and art I got to see, yes we went to churches and art museums to learn about it but we also went to appreciate it and through that I got to see some beautiful art that might be some of my highlight pictures from the trip. Also the day trips to other prominent cities are so much fun and so different Florence is a great base to operate out of and through that base different cities especially Venice and Siena contrast very well, Venice being very tight and of course featuring water, and Siena being very hilly.
Very good
July 24, 2026by: Conrad Krauskopf - United StatesWorld class program is great because it’s more than just a summer program it is an absolute immersion into Ancient Rome; the renaissance in Florence, and amazing medieval art were extravagant and eye popping. Going into the different museums and churches was, like dunking yourself into a beautiful shining spring in Ancient Rome taking you back in time to the minds of Roman’s and what they were thinking while walking into grandiose church. The different day trips were amazing in total there were four day trips one to Lucca where we rode bikes around the city walls, and explored the city, one to cinque terre where we hiked across a mountain with a view of the Mediterranean and ended on the beach. One to siena where we explored the city on the mountain and saw the amazing views. My favorite day trip was the one to Venice where we saw Murano the glass making city and we took boats around to different locations. The pros of the program was the amount of stuff that we had easy access to because of the great connections and the staff. Another pro is the community all the people were easy to connect with and make good friends without any problems. The amount of free time to explore and shop in Florence was great you were able to get what ever lunch you wanted or go to what ever shop in all of old Florence. The cons weren’t many. The program was genuinely so amazing. The only one I can think of is the heat in Italy, but it wasn’t the programs fault it is Italy’s faults for not having good american a/c. The only other con I can think of is not being able to go longer.



Best trip of my life
July 24, 2026by: Aiden Peterson - United StatesIt was a very fun program where they taught us a lot about Itlay and I also enjoyed it so much that I did it twice. They gave us 3 to 4 hours of free time almost everyday was definitely one of the biggest highlight of the trip.They gave us enough time to do what we wanted. The staff was always supportive and you weren't forced into doing all of the activities if we didn't feel well or didn't want to. They tried to make the trip the most enjoyable as possible and we're very flexible with what we wanted to do. We also weren't in just one city we went all over the Italy visiting at least 9 cities.
Best 2 weeks ever!!
July 18, 2026by: Jane Manello - United StatesMy study abroad experience was truly unforgettable, largely because of the amazing and easy-going staff who made every day enjoyable. Their friendly nature and sense of humor created a welcoming atmosphere that helped me feel at home even when I was far away. I often found myself laughing with them, which made the whole experience not just educational but genuinely fun. Their support and kindness made a big difference, turning challenges into opportunities to grow. One of the most meaningful parts of my time abroad was the relationships I built. I connected with people from all over the world, and these friendships became an important part of my journey. Sharing experiences, learning about different cultures, and supporting each other made these bonds truly special. These relationships taught me the value of understanding and empathy, and I know they will continue to be important in my life long after the program ends. Beyond the social side, I learned so much academically and personally. The new environment pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and adapt in ways I hadn’t before. I gained knowledge in my field of study, but I also learned life skills like independence and problem-solving. This experience has not only enriched my education but also helped me grow into a more confident and open-minded person.



I had the time of my life!
July 18, 2026by: Christian Steiniger - United StatesMy study abroad experience with World Class Programs was absolutely incredible! From start to finish, the staff was truly exceptional – so supportive, knowledgeable, and genuinely made the trip unforgettable. I honestly wish I could have stayed longer! I learned an immense amount, particularly in subjects like color theory and various painting periods, which has been invaluable. This program provided such a rich and immersive learning environment. Highly recommend!

Wonderful Course
November 10, 2025by: John Brimm - United StatesThe course itself was a wonderful mix of cultural immersion and learning about the history, art, historical figures who lived in Florence centuries ago. My one and only complaint can be summed up as, if you go on this trip, don’t expect everyone to be as into as you. I was deeply passionate about the history of Italy, and made a friend or two on the trip who was equally as passionate, but as a consumer of this tour, be aware that some are here to passively take in the sights, rather than eagerly devouring everything they can see.
My experience on the trip
August 27, 2025by: Isabel Miles - American SamoaProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
I had a amazing time in Japan! I learned a lot about the history of the country, saw many amazing sites, made awesome memories, and tried new things. I made some really good friends on this trip and always felt safe so I would recommend it for teenagers who are looking for life experience. The housing situation is great in Osaka and Tokyo and most of the time we were well fed. Meals could run late at times, but they always made sure to feed us. I recommend the history major because in that one you will take the most advantage of the country your in, sometimes even getting to see more sites than the other majors. But all in all I had an amazing time and am super glad I did it!

Sunset in Osaka, Sunrise in Kyoto, Departure in Tokyo!
August 19, 2025by: Eduardo Abascal - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
In short, this program offers an adventure of a life time in the 3 biggest cities of Japan. From climbing a mountain in Tokyo, to visiting the Osaka Castle, everyday is filled with fun, learning, and support from the amazing staff on this trip. The staff here are what make the trip so enjoyable, in fact one of the staff, Derick, bought me and my friends Uno at a convenient store in Kyoto and we had loads of fun playing it along the trip. We also got to go to a traditional Tea Ceremony in Kyoto where we wore traditional ceremonial clothing and got to whisk our own matcha
Amazon Japan Trip
August 18, 2025by: Olivia Steese - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
This study abroad was genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The staff really takes time to connect with the students as well as teaching them in fun and effective ways. The program was so well planned and I really feel like I made the most of my three weeks in Japan. There was such a great balance of education and fun activities. The other students on the trip were incredible, and I made friendships I’ll never forget. I loved this study abroad so much and will cherish the time I spent in Japan with World Class Programs.
Best trip ever!
August 17, 2025by: Veronica black - United StatesProgram: Discover Yourself in Osaka, Japan
this trip was so fun everyone was so sweet and kind and they all felt like family. i’m totally gonna do it again next year. the classes were fun and so were all the activities. it was definitely a lot of walking but they were really supportive if you needed a break or stay back for a day. definitely went to A LOT of shrines and temples which was fun but also meant a lot of walking. had a lot of stuff to ship back so make sure to bring extra money for that. overall one of the best things i’ve ever done and im so happy i got to do
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Interviews
Read interviews from alumni or staff

Violet Sunde
Interviewed in 2026
Violet is a seasoned art educator with an animation industry background. After years of working on various projects, she discovered a love for teachin...

Violet Sunde
Interviewed in 2026
What inspired you to travel abroad?
The first trip I taught on with World Class Programs was to Osaka, Japan, in 2023. Having had a lifelong love of Japan and Japanese culture, I was very excited for the opportunity to teach the Manga and Anime art forms in the country where they were created.

Steven Gottsacker
Interviewed in 2023
In 2018, Steven served as the Program Director for the Pilot trip to Osaka, Japan. He was selected for the Osaka Program Director position because of ...

Steven Gottsacker
Interviewed in 2023
What inspired you to travel abroad?
I have always loved Japan, its culture, and language. World Class Programs is unique in that it offers a study abroad program for high school students.

Jaclyn Tano
Interviewed in 2022
Jaclyn has been traveling her entire life! She has been with World Class Programs since the first program, and originally joined the World Class team ...

Jaclyn Tano
Interviewed in 2022
What inspired you to travel abroad?
I have always been interested in kinesthetic and visual learning during my time teaching in a traditional classroom. However, since I started working for World Class Programs, it took my interest in hands-on learning to the next level!

Reilly Klug
Participated in 2021
Reilly Klug is currently a senior in high school. In school, she is involved as the president of the National Honor Society, speech captain, Youth in ...

Reilly Klug
Participated in 2021
Derek Tano, co-owner of World Class Programs, was a past teacher of mine and the previous head coach of the speech team at my school. He is an exceptional teacher and coach, and introduced me to the experience!
Awards
Check out awards and recognitions World Class Programs has received



