Our BreakAway and study abroad programs open the door for life-defining global experiences to be immersed in culture as you live, study, travel, and work.
Study abroad programs allow you to spend either one semester or a full academic year at an approved program away from campus, either abroad or within the United States. You will take courses at a host institution and may have the opportunity to participate in internships.
Programs are designed to challenge you to adapt to new cultures, learn from diverse perspectives and often enhance your ability to communicate in a second language.
BreakAways are group trips, led by IC faculty, which take place when classes are not in session. These trips have a specific focus and range in length from 10 days to three weeks. Each academic year, several destinations are chosen with an educational component that connects multiple academic disciplines to specific locations throughout the world.
“In an effort to cultivate our growth and passion for learning, BreakAways provides opportunities to travel abroad and experience other cultures, customs, and learning styles. Last summer, I traveled with a group of IC students to Japan, where we forged friendships with Japanese university students. I have developed the itch to continue exploring and expand my experiences through travel.”
- Carson Beyers ’24, Physics major
With scholarships and programs available to all IC students, any destination can be closer than you think. Illinois College has resources and guidance available to all student to make study abroad and BreakAway options affordable.
Faculty and staff will work with you directly to discuss your particular circumstances, goals and needs. For study abroad, most of your financial aid package travels with you, and there are many travel awards to cover extra costs. All students have a $1000 grant that goes toward a BreakAway trip if they choose to take one.
Recent BreakAway trips include:
:: Coffee, Culture, and Community in HAWAII
:: Hiking the Public Lands in UTAH
:: Becoming Interculturally Competent in JAPAN
:: Criminal Justice in LONDON
:: Democracy & Identity in GREECE
Wherever you want to learn, Illinois College will be your passport to getting there.
BREAKAWAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2025
- Freedom Rides: The Social Justice Marathon Continues... | March 1 - 8, 2025
Leaders: Brittney Yancy and Erin Studer
Estimated Cost: $1,990 ($990)Immerse yourself in a week-long experience that retraces a portion of the 1961 Freedom Rides and explores
historical sites relating to the Black Freedom Movement. From Atlanta and Selma, come immerse yourself in the civil rights tradition–a student roundtable at Spelman College, touring the King Center and the 16th Street Baptist Church, and marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Engage in a community memorial project with the Equal Justice Initiative that brings together historical memory, criminal justice, and human rights. We plan to foster self-care practices and provide time for reflection on the role of radical self-care in freedom work. This BreakAway is an awakening for all who want to make meaningful change, experience personal transformation, and cultivate a sense of community.APPLY FOR THIS BREAKAWAY!
- Euroquest: Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest | May 12 - 26, 2025
Leaders: Marilyn Markel and Katie Patillo
Estimated Cost: $3,600 ($2,600)EuroQuest, a transformative BreakAway experience designed to explore the interplay of wealth, aesthetics, and urban planning across Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest. EuroQuest offers students a unique opportunity to delve into the cultural depths of each city, fostering personal growth, intercultural competence, and a deeper understanding of the world beyond our campus borders.
APPLY FOR THIS BREAKAWAY!
- Ethics of Innovation and Discovery: Just Because We Can, Should We? | May 13 - 26, 2025
Leaders: Clayton Spencer and Josiah Kunz
Estimated Cost: $3,500 ($2,500)Travel to sites in Germany (Bavaria) and Switzerland as we consider the intersection of values and ethics with
the human process of innovation, creation, and discovery. We will travel to Geneva and Lucerne, Switzerland,
and then on to Munich and Garmisch, Germany. While exploring our theme, we will tour the particle collider site at CERN, the opulent castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof created by King Ludwig II, sites connected to the long history of beer brewing in Munich, a BMW factory, and the dark and tragic history at the site of the WWII concentration camp, Dachau.APPLY FOR THIS BREAKAWAY!
- Scottish Stories | May 12 - 22, 2025
Leaders: Jaclyn Tabor and McKenna Jacquemet
Estimated Cost: $3,200 ($2,200)Scotland’s rich culture and gorgeous landscapes makes it a destination that seems to have it all; as such, it
continues to inspire countless stories. As we travel through Scotland, from the medieval architecture of Edinburgh to the misty lochs to the breathtaking landscapes of the Northern isles, we will learn how Scottish society, fiction, and folklore contribute to our overall understanding of the stories we tell about ourselves and history. Enjoy the intrigue of Scottish 18th century politics by touring several centuries- old castles while exploring locations such as Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, and Inverness that simultaneously depict the mystery of ancient celtic folktales while also creating a new story about what it means to be Scottish in the modern age. Finally, we will learn why Scotland’s push to secede from England continues after centuries of political conflict, suggesting that Scottish stories are far from over.APPLY FOR THIS BREAKAWAY!
- A Spanish Way of Life | May 13 - 22, 2025
Leaders: Allison Burrus and Lauren Hayes
Estimated Cost: $3,100 ($2,100)A Spanish Way of Life will immerse students in the Spanish culture in Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Bilbao. Experience the people, traditions, histories, and foods of Spain. In addition to visiting historical museums, street markets, cultural events, and other notable areas of interest, the trip includes a tour of the Mondragon Cooperative, a unique community blending work and life, and an international John Deere facility.
APPLY FOR THIS BREAKAWAY!
*Figures in parentheses indicate payment due for those who use the $1,000 BreakAway coupon.