Continue your educational journey beyond graduation through immersive, faculty-led study abroad experiences. Join current IU students while you reconnect with your curiosity, expand your global perspective, and engage with fellow alumni in two of the world’s most dynamic cities.
Global learning for life: Study abroad opportunities for alumni
Gain global insights in two locations
Geneva
March 14-20, 2027
Geneva is the global center of health diplomacy. This program offers a chance to compare and contrast U.S. and Swiss health-services models while engaging with front-line leaders from influential organizations.
Through field visits and expert panels, you’ll gain first-hand insight into international public health leadership in action, expanding your global perspective and enhancing your ability to contribute to solutions that transcend borders.
On this trip, you will have the opportunity to:
- Visit global organizations including the World Health Organization, United Nations (UN), and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
- Explore Geneva University hospitals and learn about healthcare innovation and delivery
- Tour the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
- Attend a guest lecture at the U.S. Mission to the UN and network with global health leaders
- Discover the city through guided walking tours of Geneva’s International District and historic Old Town
The itinerary is subject to change up until the date of the trip.
Cost
- Single occupancy: $3,966
- Double occupancy: $3,245
If you are traveling alone, we cannot guarantee a roommate match, so the single occupancy rate may apply.
Cost includes hotel accommodations (single or double occupancy: see detailed price breakdown), access to visits outlined on the itinerary, daily breakfast at the hotel, and select group meals. Airfare is not included.
Description of the video:
I'm acutely awarethat there are doors that you can walk in
as a student, that you may
not ever be able to walk in again,
just as a regular member of the workforce.
So having the ability to visit the World
Health Organization,
the UN, U.S. AIDS,
Doctors Without Borders,
just to name a few.
That is not something that I take lightly and I am
forever grateful for this program,
for allowing me to accompany them
and to be able
to visit these bases as alumni.
I had the unique ability
to participate on a study abroad trip.
Not only as a student,
but also as an alum.
And if I had an opportunity again,
I would 100% do it again.
And not only that, encourage
others to do it as well.
There was this
natural, almost like
mentorship role that I had to step into
with the students, and there were both
graduate and undergraduate students there,
but they had questions.
I noticed that each day
there would be a different group
that would be walking alongside
me, asking different questions
about my different experiences,
not only as a student,
but as a member of the workforce.
They wanted to know things
like where did public health take me?
How did I use my degree
in the public health field
after graduating from the Fairbanks
School of Public Health?
When we visited the U.N.
while we were there visiting,
they were in session
and we had the opportunity
to go up in the gallery
that sits above it
and look down on the room.
And I don't know how many of you have
ever,
like, watched maybe on TV, a U.N.
session that's taking place.
But to be in that space
and witness it in person,
to look down on that circular room
and see all the individuals
who represented
different nations there in one room,
that is something that
I will never forget
and something that I will always,
always be grateful for the ability
of being able
to experience.
It really enforced
or reinforced my desire
to work at that global level.
There's one thing to have local
and national experience,
which is 100% needed.
But seeing that global perspective,
learning about that global impact
that this field makes on the world.
That's just something
that's unmatched for me personally.
And it just really reinforced,
like my goal
to work at that capacity. Professionally,
Being introduced to other aspects
of the field that I wasn't,
I won't say not aware of,
but really were not honed into.
For example,
when we visited the Geneva hospital
and there was a conversation regarding
medical waste and its effect on the water.
That's not something that I had really
given much consideration to in the past.
But after having a conversation
and learning more about it,
is something that I 100% pay
more attention to.
Even my own personal use of single use
gloves, you know, things like that.
So just that exposure, to different,
just aspects of
public health and the impact.
It's just something that is unforgettable,
and it's something I hope
that others will have the opportunity
to experience.
100%.
I had the ability to participate
in a study abroad trip as a student,
but then again, as an alum.
And as an alum,
I felt like I naturally stepped
into almost a mentor
type role with the students
who were on the trip.
Now there were graduate as well
as undergraduate students on this trip,
and they had questions for me as an alum.
They wanted to hear about my experience,
not only as a graduate student
of the Fairbanks School of Public Health,
but also my experience in the workforce
after graduating.
So in addition to being able
to join the students on this trip,
I've had that experience
with them as alum.
I also had the ability to provide
some of that mentorship or guidance.
As someone who has walked in the shoes
that they are currently in.
And I believe for that experience alone,
it was vastly worth it.
London
March 14-20, 2027
In the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities, you’ll explore the early history of public health: walking in the footsteps of pioneers, visiting the famous Broad Street pump, and uncovering London’s evolution in sanitation and disease control.
Guided by public-health experts and visiting faculty from institutions such as London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and King’s College London, you’ll examine how London’s health system emerged and how it informs current global health-systems challenges.
On this trip, you will have the opportunity to:
- Take a Medical Bloomsbury Walking Tour, tracing centuries of public health innovation and reform
- Learn about the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and its model of universal healthcare
- Visit the Greater London Authority Public Health Unit to explore strategies for addressing health inequalities
- Tour the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret to uncover the history of surgery and herbal medicine
- Engage with experts from the Nuffield Trust and the Centre for Mental Health on health policy, equity, and system reform
- Visit the University of Oxford for a campus and city tour, connecting with students and exploring academic life
- Enjoy cultural highlights including the British Museum, optional museum visits, and Afternoon Tea at L’Escargot in Soho
The itinerary is subject to change up until the date of the trip.
Cost
- Single occupancy: $4,016
- Double occupancy: $3,145
If you are traveling alone, we cannot guarantee a roommate match, so the single occupancy rate may apply.
Cost includes hotel accommodations (single or double occupancy: see detailed price breakdown), transportation during the program, access to visits outlined on the itinerary, daily breakfast at the hotel, and select group meals. Airfare is not included.
Interested in attending? Complete the form below by November 21
Frequently asked questions
FSPH study abroad trips are open to alumni of the Fairbanks School of Public Health. Whether you graduated recently or several years ago, you are welcome to join us for an opportunity to continue learning, explore global health and reconnect with the FSPH community.
Alumni will participate in the study abroad experience alongside current students, with opportunities to learn about global health through [site visits, lectures, cultural experiences and other activities]. The itinerary will offer a combination of educational experiences and opportunities to explore the destination.
You will take part as a participant, not a chaperone or an instructor. The trip also gives you time to share your career experience with students and learn from their perspectives. As an alum, you can continue your FSPH learning experience while seeing global health in action, exploring a new destination and reconnecting with the school and its community. You'll also have the opportunity to learn alongside the next generation of public health professionals.
In 2027, FSPH alumni will have the opportunity to join one of two study abroad trips to: London, England, or Geneva, Switzerland. Both trips take place March 14-20, 2027.
Alumni may choose the study abroad experience that best fits their interests.
In Geneva, you will visit some of the world's leading global health and humanitarian organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). You will also tour the United Nations, attend the Geneva Health Forum and see how Swiss health care works at Geneva University Hospitals and Groupe Santé Genève.
In London, you will learn how the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is organized and funded, and see NHS care in person at Central Middlesex Hospital. You will meet public health leaders from the London Association of Directors of Public Health and the Greater London Authority, hear from the Nuffield Trust health policy think tank and spend a day at the University of Oxford.
Both trips also include walking tours, cultural visits and free time to explore the city. You will also have the chance to learn alongside the next generation of public health professionals.
A $500 deposit is required to secure your spot. The deposit will be applied toward the total cost of the trip and fully refunded if the trip is canceled.
Geneva:
- Double occupancy $3,245
- Single occupancy $3,966
London:
- Double occupancy $3,145
- Single occupancy $4,016
Final payment will be due December 15.
*NOTE: Double occupancy is only an option if two alumni are traveling together. A single registrant will need to do the single occupancy supplement because we cannot guarantee we can match them with another single registrant.
Alumni are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate travel documents and meet all entry requirements for their destination. A valid passport will be required, and additional requirements may vary by destination.
- Passport validity. The Schengen rules for Switzerland require a passport valid at least three months beyond your departure date. Many programs simply advise six months.
- US citizens now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK.
- Europe's new ETIAS authorization may be in effect by March 2027. Please verify this before publishing.
- Alumni who are not US citizens should check the requirements for their own passport.
More detailed information about travel, accommodations, packing, health and safety, and other logistics will be provided to participants before the trip.
Alumni interested in participating will complete an application for their preferred study abroad trip. Once applications are received, FSPH will provide additional information about next steps, payment and trip preparation.
Anyone interested in joining the trip should fill out the interest form above. The registration deadline is December 1, and final payment will be due December 15.
Additional information will be shared with alumni as trip planning progresses. Participants will receive information about the itinerary, travel arrangements, accommodations, costs, preparation and other important details before departure.
For questions about the alumni study abroad experience, please contact Molly Overbey. We're happy to answer questions and help you determine whether a study abroad trip is right for you.
A spouse, partner or guest is required to submit an application and deposit to hold their spot.
You will have the option to pay for a double occupancy or single occupancy room. You will not share a room with a student.
Refunds follow the program provider's cancellation terms, which we will share at registration. If IU cancels the trip, we will refund any costs that can be recovered. We strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance.
IU does not provide international travel insurance for current students, alumni, faculty, or staff participating in IU-sponsored travel. Participants are encouraged to purchase their own international travel insurance. More information about the IU international travel insurance policy is available on the IU Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims page.
IU does not purchase international medical insurance for alumni and recommends that they contact their medical insurance provider to discuss their coverage and options.
Both trips involve a lot of walking, including guided walking tours, public transit, and stairs. Comfortable shoes are a must. If you have mobility concerns, please contact us before registering so we can talk through options.
Yes, 2-3 alumni per trip.