A credit-bearing semester in Barcelona, built for students on need-based aid.
From eligibility to true access.
At Ivy League schools, your aid can follow you abroad. We handle the approvals, the housing, the stipend and the people, and we fund the experiences that usually cost extra: flights, metro, a Morocco trip and dinners worth remembering.
Apply to the pilotSee the itinerary
What you get
Three promises
Built around aid
One transparent fee your school can review, priced to fit the aid you already have.
You are never alone
A cohort that looks like you, plus a near-peer mentor from first question to final project.
Luxury, included
The experiences other programs charge extra for are built into the fee.
The program
Courses come from an established academic partner (University of Barcelona, pending agreement), who also handle enrollment and transcripts. Fate to Future wraps everything else around it.
What we absorb so you do not pay for it
Your cohort
Thirteen students from across all eight Ivy League schools, chosen to be diverse on purpose. When our founders studied abroad, there were very few students of color in the room. We are changing that, so the experience is never jarring and you never walk in alone.
Why it is designed this way
Black students are 12.8% of U.S. post-secondary enrollment but 6.1% of students abroad. Hispanic/Latino students are 21.2% but 12.2%. Belonging is part of access. See all the numbers.
The numbers behind our mission
The access gap is not about one group. Students of color, first-generation students and low-income students all face it, and these groups overlap. Tap a group to compare its share of U.S. college enrollment with its share of students abroad.
Share of U.S. enrollment Share of students abroad
Low-income students
National study abroad reports do not track family income, so the gap is harder to see. Research fills it in: a study of 398 financially disadvantaged students found money remained the main obstacle, and a study across 36 U.S. institutions found need-based aid affects both who goes and which program they choose.
First-generation students
In one survey of 137 first-generation students and students of color, 81% did not know how to begin.
Everyone
298,180 U.S. students studied abroad for credit in 2023-24, about 1% of U.S. higher-education enrollment and under 10% of graduates.
Itinerary
A sample semester, designed to feel like a treat. The money beyond tuition and housing goes to experiences we fund for every student. Tap a stop.
Where you will live
Kadora (formerly Liv) student residences, where our founders lived during their own semester.
Explore Barcelona
Pick a neighborhood to see a plan for the day.
Try a little Catalan and Spanish
Tap a card to flip it.
Your metro, your city
Your metro pass is included, so getting around the city costs you nothing extra.
Book your own trips with Expedia
Your program covers the Morocco trip. On free weekends you can explore on your own. This guide walks you through planning and booking flights, hotels and excursions with friends on Expedia. Start here, then use the budget tool below.
Open Expedia Trip Planner (new tab)
Before you book
Budget it first
Build a budget
Budget
Add items to see your budget.
Saved budgets
Saved in this browser only. Your real bookings live in your Expedia account under Trips.
No saved trips yet.
Your $28,500, line by line
One fee covers the whole semester. It is also the amount you request from your school. Tap a line for details. Gold lines are core costs; burgundy lines are the extras we fund for you.
How the money moves
How we are different
Our founders both studied abroad with CIEE Barcelona, so this comparison starts from what they saw. Other providers, and other CIEE terms, may differ.
| What matters | CIEE Barcelona | Fate to Future |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Broad undergraduate population | Students on need-based aid |
| Private single room | Upgraded housing costs extra, about $1,500 to $2,500 on one school's published fee schedule | Private room with its own kitchen and bathroom, included |
| Group size | 250+ students at once, in our founders' experience | 13 students |
| Diversity | Few students of color, in our founders' experience | A cohort with a wide range of backgrounds from all eight Ivies |
| Support | Standard program support | Near-peer mentor and aid-focused guidance |
| Extras | Often paid by the student | Metro pass, meals, Morocco trip and workshops included |
| Spending money | Not included | $2,000 stipend goal |
| After the semester | Ends at completion | Final research project and alumni path |
Sustainability from day one
Our founders completed a Harvard Business School course with the Salata Institute on building environmentally sustainable businesses, and applied it directly to Fate to Future. It has been a core commitment since we started.
Move light
Metro passes and walkable housing keep daily travel low-carbon.
Eat local
Planned meals and dinners favor local, seasonal restaurants.
Travel smart
We plan trips to cut short-haul flights where trains work, and budget for offsets.
Learn it
A sustainability workshop and optional research-project track.
Pre-departure hub
Opens once you are accepted into the program. Enter the code from your acceptance email.
Apply
Check your fit
Next steps
- Fill out the application form.
- Meet a mentor to map your aid and credits.
- Request approval from your school.
- Get accepted and unlock your pre-departure hub.
About us
Daijsa Green
Harvard '27, Psychology and Economics. Ron Brown and Gilman Scholar. Study abroad adviser. Taught Psychology of Money in China.
Candace Howe
Harvard '27, Psychology and Music. Ron Brown Scholar. Study abroad adviser. Taught English in Barcelona.
We met as Ron Brown finalists, and one of us said "You do not have to go alone." We built the program around that sentence.
Trust and credentials
What parents and schools ask about, and where each item stands today. We update this as we finish each one.
Founders' experience
Both founders are Harvard study abroad advisers, Ron Brown Scholars, and studied abroad in Greece and Barcelona.
Sustainability training
Our founders completed a Harvard Business School course with the Salata Institute on building environmentally sustainable businesses.
Registered LLC
We will form our LLC and post the details here before we accept payment.
Insurance
Health, travel and program liability coverage will be in place before any student travels. We will post proof of coverage.
Academic partner
University of Barcelona is our preferred partner. There is no signed agreement yet.
Home-school approval
Each student's school decides whether the program and its credits count.
Housing contract
Kadora, where our founders lived, is our planned housing. The contract comes before launch.
Safety plan and local staff
Trained Barcelona staff, emergency procedures and 24/7 escalation to partner and home schools.
Conduct and data policies
Student conduct and Title IX procedures and student-data protection.
Advisory board
We are forming it, and will only list advisers who have agreed.
Questions and answers
Who runs Fate to Future?
Daijsa Green and Candace Howe, Harvard College '27. Both are Ron Brown Scholars and Harvard study abroad advisers who studied abroad in Greece and Barcelona on need-based aid.
Is Fate to Future a registered company?
Not yet. We are forming an LLC and will post our legal details on this page before we accept any payment.
Is the program insured?
Coverage is a launch requirement. We will have health, travel and program liability insurance in place before any student travels, and we will share proof with students, parents and home schools.
Is Fate to Future a university?
No. An established academic partner provides the courses, enrollment and transcripts.
Will my courses count for credit?
Courses come from the academic partner, and your home school decides what counts. We help you get course approval before you commit.
Will my aid cover this?
Ivy League schools let aid travel for approved study abroad. The program must be approved first, and your school sets your final aid. We help you review it.
What if my school does not approve the program?
Then your aid cannot be used for it, and we will not enroll you. We will publish refund and cancellation terms before applications close.
How much does it cost?
The program fee is $28,500, which covers everything listed on the Cost tab. What you pay out of pocket depends on your aid package.
Is the $2,000 stipend guaranteed?
It is a grant-funded goal. We will confirm the final amount before you commit.
Who can apply?
Sophomores and juniors at the eight Ivy League schools who receive need-based financial aid.
How do you choose the cohort?
We want 13 students with a wide range of backgrounds, schools and majors. Selection details will be posted with the application.
How are students kept safe?
We will have trained local staff, emergency procedures, vetted housing, insurance and 24/7 escalation to the partner and your home school before launch.
What if I have a medical or mental-health need?
Tell us early. Insurance details and mental-health and crisis resources will be in your pre-departure hub, and local staff can help you reach care.
Is the Morocco trip safe?
It is a guided group trip. We will review travel advisories before departure and share the full plan, including emergency contacts.
Where will I live?
Kadora student residences, with a private room, kitchen and bathroom. Final room options come with your approval packet.
Can I bring family?
Parents are welcome to ask questions anytime, and we will share the housing address and emergency contacts with the contacts you choose.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
Course language options come from the academic partner and will be confirmed. We include language and culture coaching.
Do you have dietary or accessibility needs covered?
Tell us in your application and we will work with the housing and partner team.
How does Fate to Future protect the environment?
Our founders completed an HBS and Salata Institute course on sustainable business and applied it here. See the Sustainability tab.