Ecology Study Abroad Programs in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

No words can describe how incredible this program is with its passionate academic directors, incredibly planned excursions, and the welcoming host families with whom students live for the majority of the time in Ecuador. During this program, I was taught courses in Quito and took my learning every other week on a different excursion, where we did field-based work. We went on planned excursions to the Paramo Highlands, multiple parts of the Cloud Forest, the Amazon rainforest, and the Galapagos Islands. Overall, the cultural and educational experiences I had here cannot be compared to anything I had experienced in my life until coming to this incredible country with SIT.

SIT's Comparative Ecology program was a life changing experience that I will never forget! Due to the nature of the program, including living with host families and going on trips to different ecosystems so frequently, every second was an opportunity to learn, grow, and laugh. Each of our excursion destinations holds a very special place in my heart. From the biodiversity of hummingbirds in the Paramo to swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos, each day in Ecuador inspired me more. In addition to the time spent experiencing new cultures and biomes with a great group of new friends and our professors, I had the opportunity to complete an individual research project. With this I had the chance to live and work in the Amazon Rainforest, completing research that has implications on my current position post-grad and being lucky enough to experience life with a Quichuan family. If you're considering this program, my advice would to be to get lots of rest before you go and prepare to trust in the process of things, but to definitely do it! I love and adore this program and everything it taught me, and hope you do too!

Before applying, I had doubts about whether I should study abroad and whether or not it should be with this program. Now that I have completed it, however, the thought that I might have gone elsewhere haunts me. I am so thankful to have been a student in Ecuador with SIT, and it has had major positive impacts on my plans for the future. As a student of Environmental Biology in St. Louis, this program gave me field research experiences I couldn't have gotten anywhere else that perfectly complemented what I had already learned in school. After numerous trips to conduct research in some of the coolest places on Earth (cloud forests, the Amazon, the Paramo, and the Galapagos islands), I spent a month studying spider populations in the Amazon for an independent research project that I was able to bring from initial concept to a completed research paper. If this seems intense, fear not! The lovely professors of this program will help build your confidence over the semester and teach you the skills necessary to do something similar yourself (I certainly felt that way). On top of all of this, I met lovely people along the way and felt truly comfortable and informed within the Ecuadorian cultural context. If you are interested in gaining field research experience, seeing some of the most gorgeous parts of the world, and applying theoretical ecology concepts that you've learned in school, look no further. This program is perfect.

SIT Ecuador was an incredibly challenging, but incredibly rewarding semester. I am an ecological and evolutionary biology major in New York City, so I had not had many field experiences before this program. I have now stayed on an island in the Amazon River Basin for 3 weeks by myself researching monkey behavior. Throughout the program I learned how to conduct my own research, write papers, and analyze data. I had a heavier work load than typical semesters, but the field excursions that caused them were well worth the late nights. The professors are incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely care about the students. I could not have asked for a better program.

Studying abroad in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands was a once-in-a-lifetime, life changing experience. As a biology major, I was looking to gain more knowledge and hands on experience with nature in other areas of the world. Getting to visit the Amazon Rainforest and staying in the Galápagos Islands fulfilled these desires! The courses I took exposed me to new material and were much more hands on than my courses at my home university. In fact, we spent more than half of our class time in the field in some of our courses. Besides the biological aspect, I had wanted to learn Spanish and experience life in another culture/country and Ecuador was perfect for both of these things! The people in both Quito and the islands were friendly and patient as I practiced my Spanish. As for the university and program staff, everyone was super approachable and there to help us adjust to a new life and environment. This experience taught me so many good lessons and I learned so much about my future aspirations. If you are looking for a study abroad program that is both culturally and biologically diverse, this is the program for you!

I have always wanted to study abroad. Additionally, I have always wanted to be a wildlife biologist and do field research. Furthermore, The Galapagos and The Amazon have been at the top of my “Bucket List” for my whole life. The fact that my first field research opportunity in my life was at both of these locations is mind boggling.

I was very hesitant about leaving my college and missing out on a semester, but I'm so glad I made this choice! This program is an amazing combination of hands-on environmental science and ecology fieldwork, program-organized travel to all major ecoregions (that wouldn't be accessible to typical tourists), exposure to very different styles of life and groups of people, and experiencing Ecuador through living with host families and exploration with other students in the program. The excursions were the highlight of this program- it was such a refreshing change of pace to have days filled with setting up mist nets for birds in the morning, learning about macroinvertebrates and sampling in the afternoon, and looking for monkeys or using moth light traps in the evenings. They were exhausting, with long days of hiking, collecting data, and listening to guest lectures about topics related to that region, but so incredible and never felt like "work" in a burdensome way. Snorkeling in the Galápagos is certainly not a normal type of schoolwork. Less mentioned in program material is how easy it is to travel and explore independently, too. Almost every weekend, members of our group took buses to different parts of the country and got to see awesome volcanos, visit indigenous markets, ride bikes down waterfall routes, climb mountains, and explore the awesome food, museums, and neighborhoods of Quito, all for very cheap. For me, the independent research project was the most rewarding and challenging experience. I had a wonderful month spent living with a rural community and 2 other SIT students and designing and carrying out a project that was very relevant to my community's needs. I am a much more confident researcher now, have great professional contacts who served as my advisors, and feel more qualified for a variety of field research positions and academic work in Spanish in the future. This program is not based around a university, which meant an adjustment to a very different academic structure, but people are drawn to this program for its uniqueness and we became a very close-knit group. In addition, I felt very connected to my host family, my host community from the research month, and others who I met throughout my time in Ecuador and can't wait to visit some of them again. Ecuador is a very friendly country and I absolutely loved getting to talk to people in academic and social settings and learn about their lives. I would do this program again in a heartbeat.

While this study abroad was short, it was full of amazing opportunities and we were always doing fun things. I would recommend this study abroad to anyone looking for an opportunity outside of their university. Very organized and great people!

Studying Abroad in Ecuador and San Cristobal Island was a wonderful experience that I will never forget! This was the trip of a lifetime with amazing people, culture, and excursions. The AIFS staff did a great job organizing the program before we left and while we were there. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking for an experience that is rich in culture through living in a homestay and someone who loves to learn by exploring what is beyond the classroom.

When I first decided to go on the adventure of a lifetime, I was terrified but excited at the same time! By the second day the terror went away and I was only left with good friends, lots of learning, and extraordinary adventures. We became close like family by the time we accomplished all our hard worked towards goals, and the experienced gained forever. I would recommend this for everyone, they made it very accommodating and adapted to everyone’s individual situation!

Prior to the program, I realized I didn't love learning as much as I used to. I hoped this program would remedy that...and boy did it deliver! Our classes were purposeful, but engaging. Excursions were the highlight, and classes during these portions consisted of long, leisurely hikes or snorkeling multiple times a day. Learning was fun. Our more traditional classes in the city were also engaging, with many breakouts into small-groups or with guest lecturers from a variety of fields. This program gave me so much I would not have had at my university. It was extremely hands-on (think getting up at 6 to go on a 2-hr birding expedition before breakfast, then going to a river after breakfast to collect water samples and analyze them yourself), comprehensive (we visited so many places in the country), taught me how to do independent research (the program culminates for a month-long research project you do yourself), and provided me connections I still maintain. On top of this, it was extremely supportive (the professors were always available and approachable). Though it was a tough decision to leave my university for the semester, I am glad I did. Additionally, I study environmental engineering; as such, I am used to examining similar issues we learned about but from a completely different angle. I was glad to gain an understanding of the biological/conservation side of environmental issues. I was able to learn what other considerations should go into decisions of engineering rather than just efficiency. While this program is not at a university with student groups, clubs, and events, the community in this program was tightly knit and so supportive. The 14 other students in the program were a delight to get to know, and our professors supported us in our academics but also in our wellbeing. It truly felt like a family.

I had a lovely time here, although it was not without flaws. The amenities were not great especially considering how much we paid to be here. The company guilt tripped and body shamed us. But I made innumerable new friends and had experiences that I will cherish forever.

Very nice experience, learned a lot. People I’ve met here are now friends I will still be in contact with. The internship was where I learned new skills and networked with people within the fashion industry and got inspired by being here abroad

This program allowed me to get to know Ecuador in the best way possible. As a group, the 23 other US students and I traveled with our professors to many beautiful places in Ecuador, some of which would not be accessible to me as a regular tourist. I learned about important environmental issues while visiting some of the most biodiverse places in the world. I also made amazing friends who share my passions and values, both from Ecuador and the US, who I have been staying in contact with even after the program. The homestay enriched my experience and provided the most opportunities for Spanish practice. The style of learning can be tiring, because it is rigorous, but it is easily justified by the hikes through the Amazon, the early morning bird watching, or snorkeling and seeing marine life in the Galápagos. Throughout this program, I gained confidence in myself, as well as an appreciation for familial bonds and a different perception of life and family structure.

The program provided field trips with everything included such as meals and equipment. We went snorkeling with sea turtles, sharks, sea lions, and other marine biodiversity. My host family was welcoming and they shared their stories of living in the Galapagos. They treated me like family. The meals were great. We ate a lot of rice and by the end of the program we loved rice. Our class was about the biodiversity, history, and current issues that the Galapagos islands is facing. Our professor and tourist guides were helpful and made the program fun and educational. My favorite memories were learning to snorkel, swimming with sharks, and watching the sunset at the end of class or a field trip since the beach is right in front of the campus. After we left the Galapagos islands, we went back to Quito and we had a last field trip to a market to buy souvenirs. We ended the program by having dinner at a 5 star restaurant in Quito. This experience was exciting and made me more independent and open-minded. I have learned to appreciate other cultures and become more comfortable traveling to other countries. If you are thinking on going to the Galapagos do it. It is worth it and you will never want to leave this place. It is unique in the entire world. The program will provide you with all the help necessary and they will always answers your questions and address your concerns.

Everyone needs to go abroad. It is awesome experiencing so many cultures. Professors while abroad are very helpful and care about their students. I really enjoyed getting to know my professors and learning not only class content but also from their real life experiences. Traveling on the weekends was obviously my favorite part of this experience. I was able to visit a bunch of different countries. Wish I could stay longer.

By getting outside of my comfort zone as much as possible, I was able to experience parts of the world while figuring out new things about myself! Staying in a home stay is completely worth it because you get to practice your Spanish and meet incredibly interesting locals!

Living in Spain was such a great experience! From the food to culture and things to do, Spain has it all. I´m definitely going to miss my time here and all the great people I met. Studying abroad helped me grow so much as a person, and I won´t ever forget this experience.

This experience allowed me to reflect on the type of person I am, what I like and what I do not like, and really step out of my comfort zone. Studying abroad has allowed me to develop critical values that are important for everyday life. I have always believed that one of the best ways to erase ignorance is by traveling and my experience here has proved that.

This program is an incredible opportunity for students studying ecology or environmental science! I had had great experiences traveling throughout Ecuador, learning about local ecology, and making new friends. The classes, and especially the independent research project, made me more qualified for ecology research positions. Taking classes in Spanish and living with a host family has made me much more confident in Spanish classes at my home university. I loved living with my host family, and I'll never forget all of the local traditions and foods they introduced me to. The program directors and host families are so proud of their country, and it's easy to see why! This was an incredible experience and I would recommend it to anyone interested in ecology and conservation.