Credit Options and Eligibility
Free High School Credit through WorldStrides Discovery for Credit
- Course Options: Online courses are paired with corresponding travel programs to reflect themes and destinations. You’ll choose courses from your custom menu.
- Eligibility: Most of our programs offer this type of academic credit. Students in grades 6-12 at the time of travel on a WorldStrides program are eligible to earn high school credit.
- Cost: Discovery for Credit course participation is free—that means you pay nothing!
College Preparatory Credits through WorldStrides Discovery for Credit
- Course Options: Students have multiple options for completing coursework online. College preparatory options differ in theme and destination based on the travel program.
- Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 at the time of travel are eligible to participate.
- Cost: Per credit fees vary by program. In some cases, college preparatory credit may already be included in your program fee. To find out if this free credit applies to your trip, please confirm with your WorldStrides representative. Transcripts for these college preparatory credits are issued through the University of California – San Diego Extension.
How credit works for students
For grades 6-12
- Getting started is easy! Register for Discovery for Credit online through your Academic Credit Portal. You can register before, during, or even after you travel.
- Select the course(s) of most interest to you.
- After you travel, you’ll work at your own pace to complete all online coursework. Our instructors will provide feedback on your work as you go. You’ll engage in activities that offer options for video responses, opportunities to use photos from your experience, and that invite you to participate in discussions with your peers.
- You have up to six months to complete the coursework after you return from your travel program.
Receiving Transcripts for your Credit
Once you’ve completed both the travel program and the online portion successfully, you’ll receive an official transcript. High school credit is issued through WorldStrides. College transcripts are issued through our university partner, University of California – San Diego Extension.
Your official transcript will be sent directly to your home address and you can choose how you’ll use it.
- Your transcript may be submitted alongside your traditional high school transcript as a form of distinction in your academic profile during the college/university application processes.
- You may present your transcript to your school registrar for consideration toward inclusion on your high school or college transcript. Acceptance is always determined at the discretion of the receiving institution. Contact the WorldStrides Curriculum & Academics Team for supporting documentation via discovery@worldstrides.org.
Credit and professional development for teachers
Teachers who travel with WorldStrides either as a group leader or a chaperone are eligible to earn free professional development hours, points, or units. You will earn a professional development certificate for 5 points/hours or 0.5 CEUs per day you travel. Our Curriculum and Academics Team helps identify opportunities to meet your state’s requirements and to develop your portfolio program.
Our Curriculum and Academics Team, in conjunction with multiple regional accreditation partners and our university partnership, University of California – San Diego Extension, offers teachers the opportunity to earn graduate credit. For a special educators’ discount, traveling teachers are invited to participate in our online graduate credit course. This course is available each year.
Contact the Curriculum and Academics team via discovery@worldstrides.org to learn more.
