SFS Study Abroad: Marine Ecosystems in the Turks & Caicos Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
About Program
SFS offers some of the best (and most adventurous!) hands-on study abroad programs. Our programs in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) explore pressing environmental issues such as marine ecosystem health, climate change impacts, and biodiversity conservation. Students learn through outdoor lectures, hands-on field exercises, and activities with community members and area NGOs.
The SFS TCI campus, once an oceanside hotel, is overlooks the crystalline waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Spectacular sunsets, open-air facilities, warm sunshine, and a refreshing ocean breeze define this marine field station. A five-minute walk brings you to the small, historic town of Cockburn Harbour, where students and faculty frequently engage in community activities.
Click on Visit Site above to learn more about studying abroad in the Turks & Caicos Islands with SFS!
Video and Photos
Program Highlights
- Earn academic credit: 16 credits for semester programs and 4-8 credits for summer programs. Conduct a 4-credit research project during the semester program.
- These islands are home to vibrant coral reefs, dramatic sea walls, a deep ocean trench, mangrove forests, and extensive seagrass beds and sandy shoals, which together sustain a stunning diversity of sea life.
- Go snorkeling and/or diving in the clear waters around South Caicos. Spotted eagle rays, sharks, sea turtles, humpback whales, queen conch, and dozens of fish species thrive here.
- Take an excursion to the islands of Middle Caicos, North Caicos, and Providenciales to explore the variety of ecosystems in the TCI, including caves and protected wetlands. (Semesters only)
- SFS TCI semester research topics may include climate change and ocean acidification, tourism impacts, commercial fisheries, coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass ecosystems, and marine protected areas.
Popular Programs

Spend a semester on the island of South Caicos, where spectacular marine ecosystems are still largely untouched by tourism and development. Don your wetsuit and get to know a host of marine life while conducting research on coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves. Evaluate fisheries resources and policies while collecting data that helps community members balance their rights and needs with the island’s conservation goals.
4 classes | 16 credits | One life-changing study abroad experience.

Explore the spectacular reefs and turquoise waters of South Caicos, snorkeling or diving with rays, turtles, brilliantly colored fish, and other marine life. In this summer fundamentals course, you’ll learn about the environmental issues and policies affecting these ecosystems and island community, and gain marine research skills.
1 class | 4 credits | One life-changing study abroad experience.

Spend four weeks studying sharks, turtles, and rays in the waters surrounding the island of South Caicos. In this specialized course, you’ll learn about the ecology and conservation of these and other marine megafauna through in-water field lectures, snorkel or dive sessions, and video tracking exercises.
1 class | 4 credits | One life-changing study abroad experience.
Scholarships

The School for Field Studies Scholarships
SFS works closely with your home school to help you fund your SFS program. Many applicants receive aid through their home institutions or other outside sources, so check with your financial aid office to see what aid may apply to an SFS program.
Response from The School for Field Studies (SFS)
Patrick, thank you for taking the time to leave a review on your program experience. We are sorry to hear that it did not meet your expectations and will be taking your feedback into consideration for future terms. SFS programs are highly structured; however, our goal is to provide exciting, hands-on learning in unique environments and safety on our programs is always important.