Compare Academic Experiences Abroad (AEA) to Other Study Abroad Providers

Below is a side-by-side comparison of AEA and some of our largest competitors.

This comparison is intended to provide a clear, fact-based overview of how AEA aligns with other leading study abroad providers in terms of faculty-led support. While AEA emphasizes flexibility, personalized program design, and transparency, we also recognize that every institution has unique needs.

Why AEA Stands Apart

• ✅ Family-owned company — AEA is the only one here that is entirely independent.
• ✅ Faculty-led focus has been our priority since 2005.
• ✅ Focused scale (~1,500 students annually) → ensures quality over quantity.
• ✅ Direct access to leadership — SAO and faculty can easily reach the Director/Owner directly.
• ✅ Robust liability insurance — $5M professional + general liability coverage.
• ✅ Transparent pricing — no hidden surcharges.
• ✅ Better logo - Come on, have a chuckle.

Disclaimer

AEA affirms the value of choice: whether you select AEA or another provider, what matters most is aligning with the model that best serves your faculty, students, and institutional mission.

The diversity of providers in this field strengthens the academic travel ecosystem, and whichever option you choose, the decision to expand global learning opportunities is always a good one.

Origins

It may be hard to imagine a time when few people from the United States were visiting Asia (aside from COVID times!), but Academic Experiences Abroad (AEA) founder and director, Sam Brier, remembers it well.

After spending nearly a decade working with universities and NGOs in Japan, China, Laos, Thailand, and East Timor, he returned to the US in 2003 with a vision of establishing educational and experiential opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and understanding.

At the time, China and the US were at odds over the Spy Plane incident, the Bird Flu was all over the news, and very few Americans were traveling to that region of the world.

Launch of AEA

In 2005, in an effort to create unique programs and facilitate meaningful connections for university groups traveling to Asia, Academic Experiences Abroad was launched.

It took nearly three years of hard work before the first programs ran in 2007. Yet they were so successful that university partners began asking us to create programs to Brazil, Ghana, and Europe. From there, we started exploring those possibilities.

Growth and Evolution

As our partners’ needs have evolved, we have grown too, expanding our services while always keeping in mind the original mission.

AEA continues to facilitate human connection and offer unique, customized, experiential learning programs.

We are no longer limited to Asia; we now send groups to:

• Europe
• Latin America
• Oceania
• The Caribbean
• Parts of the Middle East
• Parts of Africa

Responsible Travel and Impact

From the resources we consume to the people we meet, the cultures we engage with to the foods we eat, our travels are not just about us. We want our impact to be “better” rather than “worse.”

Prioritize Local Needs

When planning your program, consider the local context:

• Is there a drought in the region you want to travel?
• Should you consider an alternate destination?
• Do they want or need support in local schools or clinics?
• Will you be more of a burden than a blessing?

AEA develops and maintains strong relationships with our in-country managers and teams. Together, we constantly assess whether our programs are collectively beneficial.

Know Your Role

You are a guest in someone else’s country – and sometimes in their home.

• Learn about and respect their customs and culture.
• Be open to discussions about your own.

Learn from Locals

There’s no better way to understand a place, culture, challenges, and triumphs than from a local perspective.

AEA can arrange special visits and guest lectures with:

• Entrepreneurs
• Experts
• Artists
• Community leaders

Consider Your Carbon Footprint

Take simple steps to reduce your environmental impact:

• Carry a reusable bag and water bottle whenever possible.
• Limit purchases involving excessive plastic or animal parts.
• Educate yourself about offsetting and the social cost of carbon.
• Travel closer to home when possible.
• If traveling overseas, consider limiting flights to just one country by air.

Learn more about the “Elephant in the Sky.”

Bring Needed Supplies

There is always a need for supplies for projects, schools, and communities.

If you are unsure what is needed, please ask AEA before traveling.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

In our effort to be more sustainable over the years, we have calculated our company’s carbon footprint. With that information, we remove enough carbon via Climeworks to be a carbon-neutral company.

Giving Back

AEA contributes roughly 5% of our net profits annually to support non-profit organizations worldwide that focus on:

• Climate solutions such as methane capture
• Clean water and nutrition initiatives
• Vaccinations
• Healthcare among the world’s most at-risk populations

Inspiration and Ideas

Where did we get these ideas? Some of them came from Peter Singer’s book, The Life You Can Save, which can be downloaded for free.

We encourage you to read it and consider what you, too, can do to make the world a better place.