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David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
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Ecuador Kichwa-Waoroni Project

Dates: 15 May–10 June 2025
Application Deadline: 1 February 2025
Apply Now

Embark on a transformative journey to Amazonian Ecuador, where you’ll engage with the diverse cultures of the Quichua, Shuar, Achuar, and Waorani peoples. Partnering with local communities and the Iyarina Field School, you’ll gain hands-on experience in sustainable community development, cultural documentation, and biological diversity. Work alongside faculty from multiple disciplines and resilient local peoples to address modern challenges, build physical infrastructure, support environmental conservation, and preserve cultural heritage. This immersive program fosters cross-cultural and interdisciplinary understanding, adaptability, and ethical problem solving while empowering both students and local communities to co-create impactful, sustainable solutions.

Click here to apply today!

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Contact Us

Janis Nuckolls
4055 JFSB
(801) 422-3448
janis_nuckolls@byu.edu

Seth_Byebee
4057 LSB
(801) 422-3152
seth_byee@byu.edu

Andrew South
430G EB
(801) 422-6489
andrew_south@byu.edu

PDF

Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
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More Information

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Courses

Students will enroll in 6 credit hours from the following courses while on this program:

CFM 495R—Global Humanitarian Outreach (3 credit hours)
BIO 494R—Biological Research (3 credit hours)
BIO 120—Field Research (3 credit hours)
LING 102—Intro to Kichwa Language (3 credit hours)
LING 580R—Anthropological Linguistics (3 credit hours)

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
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Cost

$4,300–4,800

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non–Latter-day Saint students), housing, most meals, and international health insurance coverage.

Does not include airfare, some meals, or personal expenses.
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Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
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Preparation

Accepted students are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201R, 1 credit hour). This class will be held during the second block of the winter 2025 semester. Part-time BYU students and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee.

During the first week of the spring term, students will be involved in a weeklong, all-day intensive planning, team building, and orientation class at BYU's main campus.

International study programs are physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing and you must be in good health to participate. These programs often take place in international locations that do not have the same level of safety and services in terms of transportation, living conditions, residential accommodations, food, public behavior, and policing that you may be used to on campus. If you have further questions or concerns on this, please see https://kennedy.byu.edu/isp-travel-policy.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.
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Housing

For a portion of the time, students will be comfortably accommodated at the Andes and Amazon Field School, which is housed within the Centro Iyarina, near Tena, Ecuador. See iyarina.org. For the field components in the Amazon, the team will be staying in primitive cabin accommodations (with limited electricity and running water).
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Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu
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Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.

Application Deadline: 1 February 2025
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Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
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Faculty

Janis Nuckolls is the faculty director of the program. She is a professor in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University and has been conducting research in Ecuador for over twenty years.

4055 JFSB
(801) 422-3448
janis_nuckolls@byu.edu

Seth Bybee is a faculty director of the program. He is a professor in the Department of Biology at Brigham Young University and has been conducting research in remote parts of the globe for over 15 years, including South America.

4057 LSB
(801) 422-3152
seth_bybee@byu.edu

Andrew South is a faculty director of the program. He is a professor in the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering at Brigham Young University and has been doing community development work for over 15 years.

430G EB
(801) 422-6489
andrew_south@byu.edu
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Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
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ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
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Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.