Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! You'll be travelling with classmates from your school, and as part of your pre-departure support, you'll join a virtual session with your in-country team, so you've already met them before you fly.  

Your teachers usually run pre-trip catch-ups too. 

You don't need to be an athlete! You do need to feel healthy and ready to take on a different climate, some walking, and an active program.

Your safety is our top priority.  

We follow Australian Government (Smartraveller) advice for every destination, work closely with our in-country team on regular risk assessments, and would never run a program in an area we deem unsafe.

Students are always supervised.  

They travel with teachers from their school, supported by our permanent in-country team - these aren't fly-in guides, they live and work there year-round through our charity, the FutureSense Foundation. 

Students health and safety our top priority - we have real-time safety management system with a robust emergency response process.

Our in-country team is trained to manage common travel illnesses and has access to a network of vetted medical facilities. If anything, more serious happens, we'll be in touch with parents straight away and travel insurance covers any medical costs. 

Yes — most accommodation has Wi-Fi access at some point, so students can message home. We do encourage them to be present in the experience rather than constantly online, and signal can be patchy in some of the more remote locations! 

To secure your spot, you'll pay a $250 deposit. After that, we'll organise a flexible payment plan with you (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly), with the final payment due 8 weeks before departure. 

Visa requirements vary by destination, and we'll cover those in your welcome pack too.  

For vaccinations, book in with your GP or a travel clinic as soon as you've signed up so you've got plenty of time. 

Yes — we'll come up with a plan together to support you through every stage of your Challenges Abroad experience.  

Just let us know via your Challenge Portal when you sign up.  

Yes — and we're proud of how we do this!  

Programs are designed in partnership with local communities through the FutureSense Foundation, which has permanent in-country staff identifying what's needed.  

Work falls into five themes — Education & Community, Environment & Climate Action, Health & Well-Being, Wildlife & Adventure, Leadership Development — and the specific projects depend on each community's current priorities. 

Cancellations are handled in line with our Terms & Conditions, which we'll always send you before sign-up. If something changes — medical, family, financial — get in touch early and we'll work through your options. 

We strongly recommend pre-departure travel insurance. 

Typically, 9–12 months from first conversation to departure, depending on group size, school calendar, and approval processes.

Less than you'd expect! 

Our model is end-to-end management — we handle program design, in-country logistics, parent communications, payment plans, pre-departure briefings, risk management documentation, and incident response. You'll have one main point of contact doing the heavy lifting. 

Whatever your school's risk team needs, we can provide. 

We'll work with you to align programs with relevant subject areas — Geography, Global Politics, Languages, Sustainability, Health, Outdoor Education, and more.  

Yes, itineraries are tailored to your academic priorities, group profile, and travel dates. 

We monitor every destination continuously.  

If government advice changes and travel become unsafe, we'll work with you to figure out best next steps.

Withdrawals are handled in line with our Terms & Conditions.  

Behavioural issues are managed by our in-country leaders, who stay in close contact with our Australian team and the school.  

Serious incidents are escalated immediately — you'd be informed in real time, and full incident response protocols are available for review.