Who can book a group visit
A group is ten or more people from one school or organization. Groups book a group visit instead of joining a daily tour or a Preview Day, because 40 sophomores and a regular tour of six families do not mix well. In 2025–26 the Welcome Center hosted 212 groups and 7,940 visitors. Most were high schools from Porter County and the Valley, and 61 were elementary and middle school field trips.
Visits are free. Request one at least three weeks ahead, and five weeks ahead for April and May, which fill first. Group visits run Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., during the fall and spring terms, with a few Mondays in June for summer programs.
Formats
| Format | Grades | Length | Group size | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College visit | 10–12 | 2.5 hours | 10–60 | Admissions overview, student-led tour, Q&A with current students |
| Career-cluster visit | 9–12 | 3.5 hours | 10–40 | College visit plus one lab: manufacturing and welding, the simulation hospital, the Jarvis cyber range, or design studios |
| STEM field trip | 6–8 | 3 hours | 12–48 | A 90-minute hands-on lab (bridge loading, circuits or package drop tests) plus a short tour |
| Making Day | 3–5 | 2 hours | 12–30 | Build-and-test session in the Forge Innovation Hub (Founders Hall 146) and a stop at the University Farm barn |
| Gallery and studio visit | K–12 | 1.5 hours | 10–30 | Furlong Gallery tour with an art education student and a short studio activity |
| Community group | Adults | 1–2 hours | 10–50 | Scouts, 4-H, senior centers, alumni chapters; a tour built around the group’s interest |
Elementary and middle school field trips are led by Youth Programs & Community Outreach, the office that runs STEM Saturdays and the summer camps.
Buses, lunch and logistics
- Buses unload and load in the Welcome Center loop on Depot Street, then park in the bus row at Lot C1. Bus parking is free if you list the bus on your request. Drivers are welcome in the Welcome Center lounge, which has coffee.
- Lunch. Groups can eat at The Forge in Founders Commons at a group rate of $9.50 per person (all-you-care-to-eat), or bring sack lunches to the Founders Union lower level, which seats 80 and is reserved for you. Tell us about allergies on the request.
- Chaperones. One adult for every 10 students in grades 6–12, and one for every 6 in grades K–5. Chaperones stay with the group. Porter staff and student guides who work with minors complete the clearance described in the minors on campus policy.
- Labs and shops require closed-toe shoes and long hair tied back. Safety glasses are provided.
- Dates we cannot host: Millrace Week (Oct. 12–16, 2026), Thanksgiving recess (Nov. 25–27), finals week (Dec. 14–18), Winter Term (Jan. 4–22, 2027) for lab formats, and spring break (March 15–19, 2027).
Help with the cost of the bus
The Porter Bus Fund is paid for by the UW–Porter Falls Foundation. It reimburses up to $400 of a school’s transportation cost for a group visit or field trip. Schools qualify if 40% or more of their students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, or if they are more than 60 miles from Porter Falls. Check the box on the request form. The fund paid for 38 buses in 2025–26 and has $16,000 for 2026–27, awarded in the order requests arrive. Individual students who want to come back on their own can apply for the Preview Day Travel Grant.
How to request a visit
- Send the request form, or email groupvisits@uwporterfalls.edu, with your preferred dates (give two), grade levels, headcount, interests, lunch plans and any access needs.
- A coordinator will confirm within three business days with an agenda and a parking pass for the bus.
- Send the final headcount one week before the visit. Counselors who visit often can also see resources for school counselors and the counselor travel schedule to arrange a school visit from us.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. The group formats, the Porter Bus Fund, the $9.50 lunch, the visit counts and the bus row in Lot C1 are invented; no real school can book a field trip here.