Residential Students
While many families choose to drive their students to campus, we know that one of the big concerns for families traveling so far from home is transportation. Our staff—easily identifiable in their bright orange EXPLO t-shirts—will meet you at the airport, escort you to campus, and help you settle in. On Arrival Day, staff members remain at the airport until we know that the last student has been picked up.

When it’s time to return home at the end of the session, we’ll take you back to the airport—and stay there until we’re sure everyone is safe and in the air.

Commuter Students
The standard day for commuter students is 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Included in your commuter tuition are three evenings of your choice per session, when you can stay on campus until 10:00 PM to participate in evening activities. On any given day, you can choose to come early for breakfast or stay late for dinner on campus as well.

Join us for Saturday and/or Sunday trips—there are more than 10 a day to choose from. The costs for extra meals and weekend trips will be deducted from your trips and sundries account.

Our students’ physical and emotional health is a top priority. On the Wellesley College campus, we have a health center staffed 24/7 with experienced nurses who are there exclusively for EXPLO students. Over-the-counter medication and pre-approved prescription medications may be self-administered, however, there are some prescription medications that must be administered by the health center.

Attending an academic enrichment program helps students prepare for the greater independence of college. That being said, EXPLO does not believe that our students should be supervised as if they are already completely independent; we work hard to ensure our students receive a developmentally appropriate and safe level of supervision and guidance throughout their days. In order to create the atmosphere that allows learning to be both fun and meaningful, we know that our students (and their loved ones back home) need to feel that our campus is safe—and that our staff is observant and trained to respond to our students’ needs.

English is the working language of EXPLO. To enroll in the program, you must be able to speak and understand English at a reasonably fluent level. To ensure that everyone is able to participate in all aspects of the program, students who do not attend a school with an English language-based curriculum or speak English at home may need to interview with EXPLO. Once you’ve submitted an application and deposit, we’ll contact you and your family about completing an interview should we determine that one is necessary.

Students are not required to submit test scores. If, however, a student has completed testing, scores that would show an acceptable level of English to attend the program include:

• C1 or IELTS level 6.5 or higher
• TOEFL:  79 or higher

Almost 90,000 students from 101 countries have attended EXPLO. The community is diverse, and students from around the world have made lifelong friends across cultures. Students attending EXPLO are eligible to attend under a B-2 tourist visa. You can check to see whether a visa is required using the online Visa Wizard on the US Travel website – select the “study or exchange” and then “recreational program.” Should you need to apply for a visa, EXPLO will provide you with a support letter tailored to your needs. 

Regardless of visa need, all students entering the US from abroad are encouraged to request a travel letter from EXPLO to expedite entry and should ensure that their passport is valid for at least six months beyond their planned entry date.