🌿 Winter 2026/27 — Costa Rica & Dominican Republic cohorts depart December 26.  Learn More →
Early Planning · 2028–2030

Early Planning
Applications

Twelve cohorts across three destinations, opening one to four years out. Apply before the dates are published, hold priority placement, and keep a refundable deposit until 45 days before departure (subject to our refund terms).

How early planning works

Apply Before the Dates Are Published

Help2Serve.Care publishes anticipated immersion dates typically one year in advance, and no fewer than nine months before departure. An Early Planning Application lets you secure priority consideration before those dates are announced.

Upon acceptance you may request your future cohort placement even before official dates are published. Any required deposit is refundable less a 3% processing fee up to 45 days prior to the confirmed departure date.

Cohorts are limited to approximately 25 participants. Your preferred season and immersion track are recorded on the application; final dates and track are confirmed in your acceptance package.

From the moment you apply, our team works with you to clarify your service goals, your academic or career pathway, and your philanthropic purpose. Early planners consistently end up with the cohort, focus area and funding position they wanted, because they had the time to build it.

Choose your cohort

Twelve Early Planning Cohorts Open

What happens next

Choosing Your Destination & Year

Pick the country and the year from the cohorts below — then this sets out the pathways you'll review and what the application itself will ask you next.

Start by selecting your destination/country and program year from the Early Planning cohorts below. From there, you'll review the available service-learning pathways, program focus options, and anticipated dates for your selected destination.

Participants may choose an Integrated Multi-Track Immersion, combining health, conservation, and community development & childhood education, or pursue a Specialized Service-Learning Pathway focused on a specific area of impact.

After reviewing the options below, you'll begin the application process, where you will select your preferred service-learning pathway and program dates. Within the application, you'll also have the opportunity to:

  • Add the optional Spanish Language Week for programs in the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. It starts the Sunday one week (7 days) before the published start date; winter cohorts departing December 26 start nine days before instead, so the week clears Christmas Day. It is offered in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic from summer 2027 onward.
  • Indicate whether you are considering pursuing academic credit through your university and would like Help2Serve.Care support with program documentation and coordination.

Choose your destination. Choose your year. Choose your pathway. Then start your application or inquiry.

🇩🇴 Early planning cohort

Dominican Republic — 2028

Early Planning Applications for the Dominican Republic 2028 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Marine & coastal ecosystems

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Dominican Republic 2028 → About the Dominican Republic program
🇩🇴 Early planning cohort

Dominican Republic — 2029

Early Planning Applications for the Dominican Republic 2029 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Marine & coastal ecosystems

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Dominican Republic 2029 → About the Dominican Republic program
🇩🇴 Early planning cohort

Dominican Republic — 2030

Early Planning Applications for the Dominican Republic 2030 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Marine & coastal ecosystems

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Dominican Republic 2030 → About the Dominican Republic program
🇨🇷 Early planning cohort

Costa Rica — 2028

Early Planning Applications for the Costa Rica 2028 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Wildlife, turtles & habitat

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Costa Rica 2028 → About the Costa Rica program
🇨🇷 Early planning cohort

Costa Rica — 2029

Early Planning Applications for the Costa Rica 2029 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Wildlife, turtles & habitat

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Costa Rica 2029 → About the Costa Rica program
🇨🇷 Early planning cohort

Costa Rica — 2030

Early Planning Applications for the Costa Rica 2030 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Wildlife, turtles & habitat

🏫 Community & Education

Children's program & infrastructure

Apply for Costa Rica 2030 → About the Costa Rica program
🇧🇿 Early planning cohort

Belize — 2028

Early Planning Applications for the Belize 2028 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Ecological restoration and wildlife research

🏫 Community & Education

School-based education programming

Apply for Belize 2028 → About the Belize program
🇧🇿 Early planning cohort

Belize — 2029

Early Planning Applications for the Belize 2029 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Ecological restoration and wildlife research

🏫 Community & Education

School-based education programming

Apply for Belize 2029 → About the Belize program
🇧🇿 Early planning cohort

Belize — 2030

Early Planning Applications for the Belize 2030 season are open now. Applying early secures priority consideration for cohort placement before official dates are published, and gives our team time to work with you on service goals, academic pathway, and funding plan.

Seasonal windows: Summer June–July · Winter December–January. Exact program dates are announced approximately one year in advance.

🏥 Health-Focused

With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor

🌊 Conservation

Ecological restoration and wildlife research

🏫 Community & Education

School-based education programming

Apply for Belize 2030 → About the Belize program

Early Planning Application — Exact Dates Forthcoming

Help2Serve.Care publishes anticipated immersion dates typically one (1) year in advance — and no fewer than nine (9) months prior to departure. Early Planning Applications allow you to secure priority consideration before official dates are published.

Upon acceptance, you may request your future cohort placement even before official dates are published. Any required deposit is refundable less a 3% processing fee up to 45 days prior to the confirmed departure date.

Seasonal windows: Summer: June–July  ·  Winter: December–January
Exact program dates announced approximately one year in advance.
🏥
Health-Focused
With U.S.-licensed clinician mentor
🌊
Conservation
Marine & coastal ecosystems
🏫
Community & Education
Children's program & infrastructure

Nothing here is locked in, and nothing has been sent. Your application or inquiry below fills itself in from the choices you make on the map and or form above. To change anything, return to the map or click directly in the application or inquiry form itself below— either works. If you spot a mistake after submitting, just send a new application or inquiry. No problem.

Apply or Inquire — Early Planning — 2028–2030

Limited to ~25 participants per cohort. Your preferred date and immersion track are noted in your application — final dates and immersion track are confirmed in your acceptance package.

1 · Pick your place
2 · Pick your focus
3 · Bring your people
4 · Make it yours

The optional Spanish Language Week is available here from summer 2027 onward. It begins on the Sunday one week (7 days) before your published start date; winter cohorts departing December 26 start nine days before instead, so the week clears Christmas Day.

Your program
Who you are

Before You Submit

Your submission does not commit you to anything. Depending on the option you selected, you are either submitting a program application or expressing interest in another opportunity—such as a group or custom immersion, Campus Club, Ambassador Program, faculty or student referral, or another way to get involved.

There is no cost to apply and no obligation to attend. Your application simply holds your place in your selected program while we review it.

If You Are Accepted

Your initial $500 program deposit is paid exclusively to Help2Serve.Care and is credited only toward Phase One.

Phase Two is optional. If you choose it, Phase Two is separately provided and billed.

Program provider & payment details →

For deposits for accepted applicants only, you will receive a payment link in your acceptance email to provide your deposit. Your deposit is due within 60 days of acceptance or 60 days before departure, whichever comes first. If accepted fewer than 60 days before departure, it is due within 72 hours. Change of mind: cancel within 24 hours of paying and we refund the full $500, no fee. After 24 hours, up to 45 days before departure: we refund $485. We retain a 3% processing fee ($15) because card processing fees on the original payment are not returned to us. Within 45 days of departure: the deposit is not refunded, but is applied to a rescheduled immersion within two years.

If you are submitting an inquiry or expressing interest: No payment or commitment is required. A member of our team will follow up with you regarding the opportunity you selected.

Prefer to email? info@help2serve.care · +1 (415) 669-0055

Investment: For participants choosing the full Signature 21-Day Immersion, the combined 2026–2027 cost is typically $3,800–$4,800, excluding airfare, visa costs, and required travel insurance. Exact pricing is provided in your acceptance materials.

View full pricing & inclusions →

Explore all available programs and destinations
View All Programs →

Questions?

Help2Serve.Care — Meaningful Service. Global Learning. Fully supported international programs with expert on-the-ground teams in global health, conservation, community development and education, guiding you each step of the way. International service-learning in Belize, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and beyond. 50+ years combined experience, local in-country leadership, 3 Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, global health and academic expertise.
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