Other than the locations offered and the length, there are not major differences. Both will be growing experiences and will provide opportunities to serve and learn about ministry in that city.

The 3-week trips are great for those who need to work during the summer but still desire to have a missions experience. The 6-week trips are great for those who desire to get a longer exposure and deeper involvement at the site.

Once a student submits their application, we connect with their references and do a phone interview with the student to get to know them better. There is a background check and an acceptance agreement to be completed before the official acceptance decision is made.

Applications for all college missions close March 1.

No, you do not have to be a current student for any of our college-age trips. They are designed for 18-24 year olds, but we have made exceptions in the past—reach out to us and we can talk through your unique situation.

While the trips do not automatically come with college credit, we are happy to work with you to get credit through your university if at all possible.

Apex is the student missions organization for the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). The EFCA has a missions organization called ReachGlobal, who have over 500 missionaries in over 50 different locations around the globe. Our Apex students spend their summer with long-term ReachGlobal missionaries at ReachGlobal sites.

You will meet up with your teammates (including other Apex teams too!) and go through a three day orientation in Chicago. From there, the teams will leave for their Apex sites. At the end of your site time, you’ll take a couple days to debrief with your team on site before returning to your home.

Daily schedules will vary depending on the site, ministries you’re working with and needs that arise. Your site leader will have more specifics for you as you get closer to your trip dates.

We encourage Apex students to raise support for the trip, but it is not required if you would prefer to cover the cost on your own.

Support raising is great preparation for your trip. There will be many moments on your trip that will be out of your control that you will need to trust God for, and support raising is great preparation for that exact act of trust.

We are here to support you and answer any questions along the way. Each year we are amazed at how God provides for each student.

• Passport expenses
• Cost of plane tickets (though we help you with the logistics of purchasing them)
• Travel visas (if necessary for your Apex location)
• Immunizations (if necessary for your Apex location)

Each team’s flights to and from the mission site will be organized and purchased through a travel agent. The price of the plane ticket is not included in the trip cost as different home locations affect the price of the tickets. Often, students will pay for the plane ticket out of pocket; once they’ve fundraised the full trip cost, any amount they raise above that goes toward reimbursing the plane ticket.

If a student chooses to cancel a trip for any reason: 

• The non-refundable deposit will not be held for the student.
• Any additional funds the student has raised (minus the non-refundable deposit) will be held for the student for up to one year to use on a future Apex or ReachGlobal trip.
• If the student chooses to cancel a trip after the site has put money down to hold housing or other logistics, the student will be responsible for compensation for these expenses either out of their raised funds or out of pocket.

If Apex needs to cancel for any reason, or if a site does not reach its minimum participants:

• The student has the option of going to a different site that summer.
• If the student declines the option of going to a different site that summer, their support will be held for that student to go on a future Apex or ReachGlobal trip.
• If the student does not attend a ReachGlobal or Apex trip within that year of the canceled trip, they are choosing to back out of a trip and the funds will be treated as though the student canceled.

If the trip is canceled due to government regulations or for reasons outside of our control:

• All funds are able to be held for a year or be reimbursed to the respective donors, if given in the same fiscal year.