Summer courses and programs are a type of exchange not yet very popular in Brazil. As a result, many people are unaware that there are even different types of Summer Programs. With that in mind, we will explain in this text what exactly a Summer Program is, what these variations are and also what are the advantages of participating in one of these programs. Come on?

Definition, benefits and types of Summer Programs

What is a Summer Program?

A Summer Program or Summer Camp is an educational program that takes place during the vacation time of June and July. Although this period is our winter, it corresponds to summer in the countries of the northern hemisphere, and hence the name. They are considered great opportunities for learning and deepening in different areas of interest. Therefore, the term is quite comprehensive and there are several types of Summer Programs! They can also happen in different places: university campuses, camps, etc.

Benefits of participating in a Summer Program

The first advantage of doing any of the types of Summer Programs is the chance to explore what life is like on a university campus. This is because, during most Summer Programs, you will live on campus and take classes with the teachers of the institution itself. In the same sense, you will be able to explore the city where the university is located and, thus, find out if you fit well in that destination.

Another important advantage is the connections that Summer Camps provide. In them, you will meet people from different parts of the world, which is great to start developing your networking and also to prepare you to live with cultural differences in another exchange in the future or in a job abroad.

Finally, you can also get a lot deeper into a specific field that interests you. For example, if you want to learn more about leadership and business, you can do a Summer Camp in that area. This, in addition to enabling you, will increase your chances of being accepted at a university abroad, since international institutions highly value this type of activity in the curriculum. Participating in a Summer Camp shows that you are an interested and hardworking person, because you give up part of your rest time to really develop as a person and as a student.

Types of Summer Programs

In all, there are four types of Summer Programs:

1. Summer Camps

Summer Camps are the most fun part of the Summer Program types. They are focused on themes that unite the interests of the participants. For example, there are Summer Camps for fitness, sports, religious, music (remember Camp Rock?). Obviously, sports Summer Camps, like football, for example, are not academic. Thus, they are not as highly valued by universities in the selection processes.

2. Volunteer Program

The Volunteer Program, as the name implies, is a type of volunteering. There are several such programs around the world, but in general, many people prefer to do them in the countries of Central America and Sub-Saharan Africa. In Volunteer Programs, you spend a few weeks in these countries and can participate in different volunteer work, based on your interest. If you like biology, for example, you can work on a wildlife preservation program. On the other hand, if you are interested in Pedagogy, you can work by giving classes to children in countries with low literacy rates.

3. Leadership Program

The purpose of Leadership Programs is to develop your leadership skills. They are very common around the world and can also be called Leadership Training or Leadership Academy. In them, you focus on developing as an individual and learning to deal with other people. That way, you have the possibility of becoming a global leader who, in fact, has the possibility of promoting changes in the world.

4. Educational Programs

The fourth and last among the types of Summer Programs is the Education Program. In it, you have the possibility to study on a specific topic. For example, there are pre-engineering programs, psychology programs, medical programs, etc. In addition to specific areas, there are also Educational Programs which are called Broadening Horizons, in which you can take classes in different areas to explore which one piques your interest the most.