【Summer Study Tour】Fees, packing list, pre-departure preparations and insurance considerations.

The summer holidays are the peak season for many parents to arrange study tours or summer school programmes for their children. Compared with ordinary holidays, study tours combine language learning, cultural experiences and overseas living experiences. They not only enable children to improve their language skills, but also provide initial preparation for pursuing further education overseas in the future.

However, study tours involve various considerations, including costs, destination selection, age restrictions, activity arrangements, luggage preparation and insurance coverage. With the summer holidays about to begin, many families may already have enrolled and be preparing to depart. Parents should therefore check before departure that their travel documents, luggage, pocket money, regular medication and insurance coverage are all in order.

This time, 10Life, an insurance comparison platform, has compiled a pre-departure preparation checklist, packing list, insurance considerations, popular study tour destinations and study tour costs for the summer holidays, helping parents prepare their children for departure.

When enrolling their children in study tours, many parents ask: should they purchase TravelCare, study tour insurance or study abroad insurance?
Strictly speaking, there may not be a standardised “study tour insurance” category on the market. Although some products are labelled as suitable for study tours or summer camp, the underlying cover may in fact still be TravelCare or study abroad insurance. Parents should therefore not focus solely on the product name, but should instead check carefully whether the policy terms cover the relevant trip.
 

If their child is only taking part in a short-term summer study tour lasting one to four weeks, parents may first compare TravelCare products labelled as suitable for study tours or summer camp. However, before taking out a policy, they should first confirm with the insurer whether the policy covers the relevant trip, and check whether the cover for medical expenses, baggage, travel delays, trip cancellation or interruption, and 24-hour emergency assistance is sufficient.

If your child will be formally going overseas for further studies after the summer holidays, or the course lasts for six months to a year or longer, regular TravelCare may not be sufficient. Taking out overseas study insurance or student insurance may be a more prudent choice. Parents should pay attention to areas such as medical cover, study interruption, education funds, personal liability and personal belongings cover.

It depends on the coverage provided. Some educational tours or summer camp programmes include basic insurance, but this may only cover specific areas, such as accidents or basic medical expenses during the programme, and may not include lost baggage, personal belongings, travel delays, trip cancellation or interruption, personal liability, or 24-hour emergency assistance.

Parents should not simply rely on the fact that “insurance is included”; they should first understand the coverage, benefit limits, exclusions and claim requirements. If the coverage is insufficient, they may consider purchasing a suitable additional TravelCare policy, or one that specifically states it applies to educational tours／summer camp programmes.
However, parents should not assume that a standard TravelCare policy will necessarily apply to educational tours. Some TravelCare policies are primarily designed for leisure travel or business trips, and may not cover educational tours, summer camp programmes, overseas exchanges or school activities. Before purchasing a policy, they should first confirm with the insurer whether the itinerary is covered, to avoid overlapping coverage but discovering, when making a claim, that the key risks are not covered.

A study tour is not entirely the same as a typical holiday. When choosing insurance, parents should not only compare premiums, but also confirm whether the cover is suitable for the actual itinerary, their child’s age and the activities involved.

1. Check whether the policy covers study tours or school activities

Some TravelCare policies mainly cover leisure travel or business trips and may not clearly cover study tours, summer camp, overseas exchange programmes or school activities. Before taking out a policy, you should confirm with the insurer whether the relevant itinerary is covered and, where possible, retain the confirmation in writing to avoid discovering only after an incident that the cover does not apply.

2. Pay attention to age limits and compensation limits for children

If your child is under 18, you should confirm whether the policy can be taken out by a parent or guardian, and whether the child remains covered when travelling without a parent. Some products may also provide lower compensation limits for children or other insured persons under 18 than for adults, so you should check the actual cover limits before taking out the policy.

3. Pay attention to medical and emergency assistance cover

Students may need medical attention due to illness or an accident while overseas. Parents should check whether the medical cover is sufficient and whether it includes outpatient treatment, hospitalisation, emergency medical evacuation or repatriation to Hong Kong. If medical costs at the destination are high, you should compare the medical cover limits and 24-hour emergency assistance arrangements carefully.

4. Pay attention to personal belongings and electronic equipment cover

Students on study tours will usually carry mobile phones, laptops, tablets or cameras. Even if the policy includes personal belongings cover, it will generally impose compensation limits for each item or specified items. Parents should check whether mobile phones and computers are covered, whether a police report is required, and whether loss while left unattended is excluded.

5. Pay attention to high-risk or special activities

If the study tour includes activities such as skiing, diving, horse riding, mountaineering, water sports or camping, you should confirm whether the policy covers these activities or whether additional special activities cover is required. Parents should also first obtain the full itinerary from the study tour organiser, rather than assessing the risks based solely on the name of the course.

6. Pay attention to trip cancellation or curtailment cover

Study tours are usually not inexpensive. If the trip needs to be cancelled or the child needs to return to Hong Kong early due to illness, an accident or an unexpected family emergency, trip cancellation or curtailment cover may compensate for some non-refundable costs. However, the circumstances covered, compensation limits and required documents vary between products, so you should understand these clearly before taking out the policy.
 

Generally speaking, the cost of a 2- to 3-week summer study tour starts at around HK$25,000, but the actual price will vary depending on the destination, course content, accommodation arrangements, activities, flights, group size and departure date.
The cost of a study tour may typically include course fees, accommodation, local transport, some meals, cultural activities and admission fees, as well as support from a group leader or teacher. Some itineraries include flights and basic insurance, while others require these to be paid for separately.
When comparing study tour prices, parents should not only look at the total cost, but should also check whether the following items are included:

• Flights and fuel surcharges
• Visa or electronic travel authorisation application fees
• Accommodation and meal arrangements
• Local transport and transfer arrangements
• Course and materials fees
• Fees for cultural activities, visits or outdoor activities
• Basic insurance or medical support
• Pocket money, telephone cards and personal expenses

Some study tours that appear to be cheaper may not include flights, visas, insurance or fees for specified activities, meaning that the final total expenditure may not be lower. Before enrolling, parents should compare the “total expenditure” rather than simply comparing the advertised tour prices.
 

1. What are the benefits of a study tour?

The main benefits of a study tour include improving language skills, developing independence and broadening international perspectives. Students can learn and live in a foreign-language environment, increasing opportunities to use a foreign language in practice. They can also learn to manage their daily lives, look after their personal belongings and adapt to different cultures, helping them make initial preparations for pursuing education overseas in the future.

2. What is generally included in the cost of a study tour?

The cost of a study tour may include the course, accommodation, local transport, some meals, activity fees, and support from group leaders or teachers. Some itineraries include flights and basic insurance, while others require these to be paid for separately. Parents should confirm what is included in the cost before enrolment to avoid underestimating the actual total expenditure.

3. What should be packed for a summer study tour?

Parents can prepare luggage according to the weather at the destination, the course arrangements and the type of accommodation. Common items include a passport, visa, itinerary, insurance documents, clothing, a travel adaptor, SIM card, charger, regular medication, personal care products and a small amount of local currency. It is also advisable to make photographic backups of important documents.

4. Is it necessary to buy insurance for a study tour?

It is advisable to first find out whether the study tour organisation already provides basic cover and whether it is sufficient. Some basic insurance policies may not cover baggage, travel delays, trip cancellation or interruption, personal belongings, or 24-hour emergency assistance. If the cover is insufficient, consider purchasing additional suitable insurance.

5. Should I buy TravelCare or overseas study insurance for a study tour?

It depends on the duration and nature of the trip. For short-term study tours lasting 1 to 4 weeks, you can first compare TravelCare plans specified as being suitable for study tours or summer camp. For overseas education lasting six months, one year or longer, you may consider overseas education insurance or overseas study insurance.
 

Further reading:

• 【Australia Study Guide 2026】A Comprehensive Guide to Tuition Fees, Application Procedures and Living Expenses!
• Studying in the UK 2026: UK University Tuition Fees and Student Visa Application Process
• Studying in Canada 2026: Education System, Costs and Student Visa Process
• Overseas Study Preparation Checklist: What Should You Do Before Studying Abroad?

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.