Two ways to learn abroad
Which program is right for you?
Two pathways to meaningful professional learning, new perspectives and lasting connections. Find the experience that fits your interests and role.
On this page
Choose the kind of engagement you want
Both PEP and PLP bring education, culture and professional reflection together. Learn from local educators, explore new approaches and connect those insights with your own practice. Choose the type of engagement that suits your interests.
PEP
Learn alongside local educators
A Professional Exchange Program offers a deeper collaborative experience in school communities.
Explore professional exchange →PLP
Explore education in context
A Professional Learning Program combines school visits and conversations with cultural exploration.
Explore professional learning →Side by side
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare both programs.
| Consideration | PEP | PLP |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Sustained professional exchange with local teachers and school communities. | Explore education in another context through school visits, professional conversations and cultural experiences. |
| School engagement | Observation, collaboration and classroom participation shaped with host educators. | School visits, leadership discussions and education-system insights. |
| Participation | For educators and education professionals with experience relevant to a classroom setting, including learning support roles. | Open to people interested in education and the destination; previous teaching experience is not generally required. |
| Your contribution | Learn alongside local colleagues and share approaches that respond to their priorities. Workshop participation varies by itinerary. | Ask thoughtful questions, observe, discuss and reflect on what the experience means for your own context. |
| Preparation | Review the program handbook and preparation guidance. Plan flexible ideas and questions with your Team Leader. | Review the program information and identify the professional questions you want to explore. |
| Duration and school days | Destination-specific. A PEP is not ten days spent in schools; school engagement and travel are distinct parts of the itinerary. | Destination-specific. School visits and cultural exploration are balanced differently in each journey. |
| Tax Deductibility | Designed as professional learning for educators, with APST connections and supporting professional learning and tax guidance. | Designed as professional learning for educators, with APST connections and supporting professional learning and tax guidance. |
Eligible work-related participation expenses may be tax-deductible in accordance with applicable ATO requirements. See our teacher study-tour tax guide.
Learning you can take back to your practice
Both pathways are designed around meaningful professional learning for educators. Program learning frameworks connect activities and reflection with relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), supported by documented learning hours and program-specific learning materials.
Explore each destination’s Professional Learning section and approved learning brochure for its activities, hours and APST connections. Use this documentation to plan your learning, reflect on your experience and support your professional development record in line with your registration requirements.
PLPs also welcome non-educators interested in education, culture and connection.
Work-related learning and tax
Work-related program expenses may be tax-deductible for eligible Australian educators when the learning relates to their current employment. Your circumstances and any private travel component affect what you can claim.
Our guide explains the ATO’s self-education and overseas study-tour principles, records to keep and how to consider mixed professional and personal travel.
Still deciding?
Start with your interests, your comfort in a classroom setting and what you would like to bring back to your own practice. Read the individual itinerary: school engagement, travel and optional activities differ by destination.
Explore our educator guides, or talk with Global Teacher about the program that suits you.