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Applying for Alternative Breaks (AB)

You can apply as:

  • AB student participant
  • AB student leader
  • AB staff/faculty advisor

You can apply for an:

  • AB Winter immersion
  • AB Spring immersion
  • AB Summer immersion

Before You Apply

The Alternative Breaks Program is a one-year commitment. Before applying, please read the following information about the AB program:

  • We usually have room for 10 student participants on each Alternative Breaks trip, 2 student leaders, and one staff person (some trips have 2 staff or an additional faculty person). Because of the great interest in the Alternative Breaks program, not everyone will be able to go on a trip. While you may have a certain trip that you would like to go on, please know that we work hard to ensure that every trip provides a great experience, and that most of our trips have received high reviews from participants.

    • AB programs are offered to locations in the continental United States, United States Territories, and International locations.
    • AB programs occur during students’ Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks, and are between 1-2 weeks.
    • Students may apply as student participants or student leaders.
    • AB immersions are made-up of 10-14 participants, including 2 student leaders and 2 staff/faculty advisors.
    • AB immersions are open to undergraduate or graduate students to participate in. AB immersion groups tend to be comprised of mostly undergraduate students, but open to graduate students!
    • Faculty and Staff may apply to serve as AB Staff Advisors.

  • This program is open to all LMU students (undergraduate or graduate). No prior Alternative Breaks, travel, or service experience is required. The most important requirements are an open mind, an open heart, and a sincere desire to work together with others to help create social change.

    AB REQUIREMENTS

    • Must be a current full-time LMU student (undergraduate or graduate)
    • Must have a 2.0 GPA (AB student participants), or 2.5 GPA (AB student leaders)
    • Must attend all pre-immersion meetings in-person
    • Must be present for the entire AB immersion
    • Must be willing to practice simple-living
    • Must be willing to engage in reflections
    • Must abide by the alcohol- & drug-free policy

     

  • In order to maintain the quality of the Alternative Breaks program, leadership priority will be given to applicants who have previous AB experience. The leader application process is very competitive--we have room for 2 student leaders on each Alternative Break trip. AB trip leaders pay half the price of the participants, but there are additional time commitments and responsibilities (see the leader application below for more information).

    • Must be a current full-time LMU student (undergraduate or graduate)
    • Must have a 2.5 GPA
    • Must attend all pre-immersion meetings in-person
    • Must attend all student leader meetings
    • Must be willing to lead and engage in reflections
    • Must be present for the entire AB immersion
    • Must be willing to practice simple-living
    • Must abide by the alcohol- & drug-free policy
    • AB STAFF/FACULTY ADVISOR REQUIREMENTS
    • Must attend all pre-immersion meetings in-person
    • Must be present for the entire AB immersion
    • Must be willing to practice simple-living
    • Must be willing to engage in reflections
    • Must abide by the alcohol- & drug-free policy
    • Must have the support of their supervisor to be away from their office/role for the pre-immersion meetings and during the entire immersion dates
     
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
    • CSA subsidizes the cost of these immersions to be able to support students, staff, and faculty to participate in these experiences. However, there are still additional costs CSA looks to offset when identifying staff and faculty to participate in these immersions. Staff/faculty will be asked if they are able to get funding to support their participation in an Alternative Breaks during their interview. 
    • Depending on the AB immersion and location, staff/faculty may be required to have a driver's license, get van certified, and drive a van. More information provided in the AB description per academic year.
     
    AB APPLICATION PROCESS
    1. Complete the AB Staff/Faculty Application on LEO (once live)
      1. Note: Applications usually open early Fall semester for ALL Alternative Breaks (Winter, Spring and Summer)
    2. Sign-up and Complete an Interview with the Assistant Director of Alternative Breaks and Advocacy. 

  • Alternative Break trips during the summer may last two or more weeks. Seniors are not allowed to travel as participants in summer Alternative Breaks trips. Part of the AB experience is returning to LMU to focus on an action item or working with a similar community here in Los Angeles. This isn’t possible for seniors. We encourage Freshman, Sophomores and Juniors to participate in summer trips, and then bring back their knowledge to LMU.

    AB immersions are a year-long commitment. When applying to an AB immersion, participants are committing to attending AB’s

    • Community Welcome Night, which is when all participants come together and meet their AB groups as well as receive pertinent AB information.
    • Pre-immersion Meetings, which provide participants with the opportunity to build community before their immersion experience as well as start learning about their host-state/country and their immersion's social justice issues in relation to their host-state/country. All pre-immersion meetings are mandatory and in-person. Pre-immersion meetings are prescheduled to certain Fridays between 3-5pm. Note: AB Winter participants will meet three times before their immersion departure. AB Spring participants will meet five times before their immersion departure. AB Summer participants will meet six times before their immersion departure.
    • AB Participants must be present for their entire AB immersion. Program departures and returns are subject to change +/- a day between the given time frame. Please keep in mind possible flight delays and cancellations, which are out of CSA’s control.
    • Upon AB immersion return, participants are required to engage in post-immersion action with their AB group to advocate for the issues they explored and bring it back to the LMU or L.A. Community.
    • The AB Film Festival will screen AB student-produced films from that academic year's Alternative Breaks immersions.
    • The Advocacy Teach-in at LMU is an annual event hosted by CSA that brings LMU students, faculty, and staff together for a day-long social justice-oriented learning experience. This student-led event invites participants to attend workshops that focus on different issues and gather for a keynote presentation by a leader in advocacy work. This event is mandatory for AB participants.

     

  • The Alternative Breaks Program is a one-year commitment which requires attending: 

      • Attend the AB Community Welcome Night (early/mid-October)
      • Attend 3 to 6 in-person pre-immersion meetings (throughout the academic year)
      • Develop a post-immersion action
      • Attend the AB Film Festival (early April)
      • Attend the Advocacy Teach-in (mid/late-March)

    1. Complete the AB Application on LEO (once live). Note: The AB-CSA financial aid application is embedded in the AB Application (if applicable).

    2. Sign-up and complete an interview with the Assistant Director of Alternative Breaks aftersubmitting the AB Application.

    3. Once AB decisions and financial awards (if applicable) are released, applicants will have a deadline to officially accept or decline their placement and award (if applicable).

    4. If officially accepting an AB placement, participants must submit their signed contract, a copy of their ID and/or passport, as well as their 50% deposit by the due date.

    5. The remaining 50% will be due at a later date.

  • Scholarships are available based on financial need. We cannot notify participants what your scholarship is until we know what trip you're going on. If you still cannot afford your trip after you find out if you've received a scholarship, individual and group fundraising options are available. Do not be discouraged to apply if you feel you cannot afford it. There are several fundraising strategies that you can work on throughout the year. Please see our FAQ page for more information about paying for your AB trip.

    The Pam Rector Center for Service and Action (CSA) strives to make Alternative Breaks programs as inclusive and accessible to participants by subsidizing the cost of the immersion. CSA covers 50% of the overall program costs and flight costs while the other 50% is due by the participants. The program fee due by participants varies per program location and program length. The subsidized-cost students pay include roundtrip transportation to host-state/country, housing, three meals a day, in-state/country transportation and program activities. Costs outside of these fees that participants should keep in mind include, but are not limited to, costs needed to purchase or renew a passport, costs for VISAs (if applicable), as well as any snacks or souvenirs participants may wish to purchase on the immersion.

    Alternative Breaks immersions are subsidized by CSA to off-set the cost for participant to engage in this educational opportunity.  If you believe you are need in financial assistance, you may submit a short AB Scholarship Application, which is embedded in the AB general application. Eligibility is based on financial need as determined by the information provided on your FAFSA and your scholarship application. Scholarships are not guaranteed or automatic. If you are a DACA student you are still eligible for financial assistance. If you are provided a scholarship, you will receive an email with a scholarship notification along with your AB decision.