Alternative Breaks

Do something transformative and meaningful during your spring break and volunteer with Alternative Breaks! Trip registration will open Mid-October 2026.

During an Alternative Break experience, students will travel to different parts of the country (or one of our international offerings) to participate in direct service activities, reflective group dialogues, and meaningful educational opportunities. They will exchange, evaluate, and take action towards different ideas and approaches that challenge specific social, political and economic structures of our domestic & global communities. Direct service with community partners will demonstrate how students can turn their knowledge into action in safe, responsible, and sustainable ways. Interested students must be willing & able to commit to the full duration of the experience and any pre-trip meetings/post-trip service organized by the trip’s Experience Leaders.

Please note: The AB program is completely alcohol- and drug-free. Participants will abstain from any alcohol or drug use during all AB related events, activities, and trips.

Eligibility

Trips are open to any undergraduate or graduate student who wants to explore community development, civic engagement, local issues, leadership, and service! 

How to Register

1. Review the Current Experiences we are offering this year! You will register for the specific trip you want to go on to immediately reserve your spot. 
2. Sign up for your trip. 
3. At the time of registration, you will be responsible for filling out a Participant Agreement, Liability Waiver, and Health Information forms. 
4. Registration will not be complete until you submit the $50.00 non-refundable deposit OR indicate that you would like to pay the deposit with a payment plan or apply for a scholarship. 
5. Once your complete your registration, your spot will be reserved on the trip that you selected.

Waitlist Information

If the trip you would like to register for is full, you will be able to sign up for that trip's waitlist. Should a spot open up, interested students will be contacted in the order that they put themselves on the waitlist. 

Trip Costs and Eligibility

Domestic trip costs typically range from $150 - $300. International trip costs typically range from $1000 - $2000. Program cost is all inclusive of lodging, meals, transportation, and education activities. For the specific cost of each trip visit our Current Experiences page. Participants are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $50.00 at the time of registration.The remainder of the trip fees will be due at least one month before the experiences depart. If a participant fails to do submit their payment on time, any outstanding charges will be debited to their UM student account.

To keep our program accessible and affordable for all Terps, we offer scholarships if you are in need of financial assistance in order to participate in the Alternative Breaks Experiences. The option to apply is a part of the registration form for each trip, to ensure that your spot is reserved. 

Based on need, we will be able to cover full or partial experience registrations for students. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but be sure to apply for the scholarship by the stated deadline, otherwise your spot will be released. 

Cancellations and Refunds

The $50 deposit is completely non-refundable, but if a participant withdraws at least 25 business days prior to their trip departure date, and a replacement is found for their spot, they will get refunded any additional costs. Trip cancellations made within 25 business days of their departure will result in no refund for any part of their trip expenses and the participant will be responsible for any other charges already accrued by the AB office on their behalf (i.e. flight reservations, program fees, etc.). In addition, family members, friends, or other individuals contributing to trip expenses will be unable to receive refunds for their donations.

If for some reason, a participant cannot attend their experience, they must let the AB office know immediately in order to prevent further charges from being added to their balance.

Accessibility

Alternative Break Experiences are all in-person experiences that require a commitment to the full duration of the week-long experience. Attendance for pre-experience meetings can be virtual if needed. Accessibility needs & available accommodations will vary based on the specific community partner/direct service work, and the location. Lodging for Alternative Breaks is typically in churches, community centers, or cabins. Trip descriptions may contain additional or more specific information regarding accessibility. We want you to be able to participate, so if you have questions or concerns about your ability to participate in any of the experiences, please contact us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu.

Looking for a meaningful way to connect with students and participate in quality community engagement? Apply to be a Staff Advisor now through July 31, 2026! 

Staff/Faculty Advisors serve as advisors and mentors for the Experience Leaders and Participants by providing guidance and resources through the whole planning process & the experience itself. 

Application Eligibility

In order to be eligible to apply, you must be a full-time UMD Faculty/Staff members are eligible to apply. This includes full-time Graduate Assistants. 

Staff Advisor Application & Selection

1. Fill out the application form - open now through July 31, 2026.
2. Review the Staff Advisor Position Description for information about specific responsibilities and requirements.
3. Review the Current Alternative Break Experiences
4. Upon completing the application an AB Staff Member will reach out to you to schedule a conversation to get to know you! Staff Advisors will be selected & confirmed on a rolling basis. 

Staff Advisors will be paired with their Experience Leaders and experience in early Fall 2026 after applying and interviewing with AB Staff. As a staff advisor, your commitment will begin several months before your assigned experience. This will include staff advisor specific trainings, trainings alongside the co-Experience Leaders, planning/pre-experience meetings with the rest of your AB team, and AB events that are scheduled throughout the year.

Trip Costs

All Staff Advisors' experience expenses are covered in full, including transportation, lodging, and food.

Pending eligibility to receive overload pay, and dependent on current and evolving university hiring restrictions & approval, AB is able to offer a small overload stipend for taking on this role outside of typical work responsibilities.

Develop your leadership skills and deepen your understanding of social issues by becoming an Experience Leader! 

AB Experience Leaders (ELs) are the chief coordinators for the Alternative Spring Break experiences. They are students who are passionate about social justice & community service, and have a deep commitment to learning more about themselves & the world around us. This is a position that requires a full year dedicated to training and preparing to lead your peers on transformative experiences. Experience Leader responsibilities include: 

• They plan and oversee experience logistics,
• Facilitate peer learning around social justice issues,
• Develop educational and orientation curriculum for participants,
• Lead team activities and reflections, and
• Serve as the main contact for their individual AB experience (i.e. working with your community partner)
• Attend weekly EL trainings in the Fall and Spring Semesters
• Plan & lead pre-experience meetings for their participants

Eligibility 

Prior experience as a participant on an Alternative Breaks trip (either at UMD or another institution) is a requirement for serving as an Experience Leader. 

Application

The application for the 2026-2027 Experience Leader cohort has closed. 

Check out the position description for more information about being an Experience Leader!