Select One Acceptance Criteria Cancellation Policy Deposits Financial Due Dates Meals Orientation Program Costs Travel Date Travel & Trip Calcellation Insurance

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA:

1. Each participant must complete and submit an ISV High School Participant Application. Applications may be submitted online on the ISV website (see Apply Now link), or Applications may be mailed to the ISV Sydney office. There is no commitment in submitting an Application as each participant must first be accepted into the ISV Program before he/she may participate.

2. Upon receiving a High School Application, ISV will contact Applicant in regards to: a) Acceptance into the Program, b) Non-acceptance, or c) Our need for more information from you.

3. If accepted, accompanying the acceptance letter and email will be instructions directing participant to the next stage of the process, the completion of the ISV High School Program Agreement. The ISV High School Participant Agreement must be signed by both the Student and the Legal Guardian, and returned to the ISV Sydney office with a $450.00 AUD non-refundable deposit.

4. At the same time as you submit your deposit and Participant Agreement, ISV will also require completion of the ISV Participant Medical Form which will be sent to you along with your acceptance letter and Participant Agreement.  If ISV deems that you are ineligible to participate on our program due to medical reasons, we will return your deposit to you immediately.

ISV will accept participants that we feel will make a valuable contribution to the ISV High School Program. ISV looks for certain qualities in those who apply:

1. Applicants who are motivated to learn as much as they can about their host country - the culture, the people, the environment, local issues regarding social community development and conservation, etc. During their ISV High School Program, all participants will be required to join in group discussions and to keep a daily journal reflecting that which they are learning.

2. Applicants with a strong desire to give of themselves as they volunteer in the process of making a significant contribution to positive change through community development and environmental issues in their host country.

All participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian’s signature on the Program Agreement and any other documents required by ISV in order to participate on the ISV Program.

Please be advised that spaces are limited for the ISV High School Program. Therefore, ISV will accept participants on a first-come, first-serve basis in the order that their Agreements are received. When spaces are filled to capacity, participants will be placed on a waiting list and all non-refundable deposits will be returned to them.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Cancellation of the Program must be in writing (email or mail). No verbal cancellations will be accepted. When ISV receives a written cancellation, a cancellation fee will be incurred to cover the expenses and costs suffered by ISV because of the cancellation. The amount of the cancellation fee is determined by the number of days prior to departure to their host country that the written cancellation notice is received and is specified as follows:

If the reason for cancellation falls within the terms of your travel/trip cancellation insurance policy, the carrier will normally refund cancellation fees to participant. All refunds will be given at the END of the ISV Summer Program term. (March/April).

* Airfare is not included within this cancellation policy. Refunds for airfare will be based upon the amount ISV is able to recover from airlines, vendors and operators.

Participants who leave the ISV Program before the completion:
Any participant who voluntarily leaves, or is removed from the ISV Program before the scheduled completion of their full Program, will not be refunded by ISV for any portion of their Program costs, nor will they be permitted to rejoin the Program at any time during the Volunteer Project, or the Adventure Tour, including optional excursions and activities. ISV cannot assume responsibility for any participant once they have left the supervision of the ISV Program Staff. This policy includes any participant being required to leave the ISV Program as requested by ISV Staff for breach of contract, or for medical or personal reasons. Participants who leave the program due to medical or personal reasons (injury/illness or family crisis at home), should consult their travel insurance provider, which may provide for partial or full recovery of their Program costs, depending on the reason for leaving. Participants who leave the program for medical reasons (illness or injury that requires medical treatment or a short stay in the hospital) may be permitted to rejoin the ISV Program at the discretion of the ISV Staff.

DEPOSITS:
The ISV non-refundable deposit of $450.00 AUD must be submitted with the signed High School Participant Agreement and is non-refundable. These monies will assure ISV of the desire to participate in the High School Program and enable us to make the necessary program arrangements and reservations for a participant. Upon receipt of the non-refundable deposit, and the signed High School Program Agreement (and subject to space availability), ISV will reserve the participant a spot in our Program and email them a confirmation letter.  Note: The more flexible you are with your departure date the easier it is for ISV to find a place for you on a program. However, if you only have 1 country preference and/or 1 date preference, then please indicate this on your signed Agreement when sending this to the ISV office. If we are unable to reserve a space for you, we will immediately return your deposit and place you on a waiting list.

At no time will any monies be transferred from one participant’s account to another. Participants with a cash flow problem may contact ISV to receive instructions on ISV’s payment plan for the deposit ($225.00 USD now, and $225.00 USD within a month.)

FINANCIAL DUE DATES:
All finances are due on or before sixty (65) days prior to departure. About 90 days prior to departure, ISV will invoice participants with their total amount due. If any participant would like to make instalment payments to be applied to their account, they may do so at any time provided instalment amounts are greater than $450. If full payment is not received in the ISV office 65 days prior to departure, ISV will assume that the participant has cancelled and cancellation fees as specified above will apply. In the case of late payments, a $50 late fee will be charged. For registrations within 65 days of departure, the full program price is payable by bank cheque or money order (made payable to International Student Volunteers Pty Ltd or ISV) to secure your arrangements.

MEALS ON THE ISV PROGRAM

Trying a variety of foods from other cultures can be fun and a challenge, and is part of ISV’s philosophy for an authentic experience overseas. Food on the ISV program generally reflects the local cuisine. Some foods that are part of your regular diet at home may not be available and you may have to include food that is new to you in order to maintain a balanced diet. Vegetarians are easily provided for; however, ISV is unable to cater to very specific diets. Participants with food allergies (i.e. nuts) must ensure that ISV is aware of the existence and severity of the allergy. Include this information on your ISV Participant Medical Form or email the ISV office if you are already signed up for the program. Participants with specific dietary requirements may need to supplement their included meals at their own expense. 

Important reminder:  All participants must ensure that ISV has recorded their dietary needs (i.e. vegetarian) prior to departure to their host country. Please also include any allergies to foods as part of your dietary and medical information.

Volunteer Project
Three meals per day are provided on the Volunteer Projects.  Each project is a little different. Sometimes host organisations provide the food to volunteers (such as via host families), while other projects require participants to contribute to the meal planning and preparation.  Your ISV Project Overview (provided approximately 30 days prior to departure to your host country) will advise you of the meals you can expect on your project.

Adventure Tour
Meals are included on the ISV tour as part of your program cost.  For participants who wish to buy snacks and drinks along the way, participants should make note of any health and safety information provided by their ISV Tour Leaders prior to trying new foods.

Note: Be on time for meals! No reimbursements will be made for participants who miss their included meals by choosing not to attend or are late.

ORIENTATION:
All ISV participants will have a pre-departure orientation meeting in or around October, preparing them for their upcoming program.  Details forthcoming. Additional orientation meetings will occur upon arrival at the volunteer project and prior to beginning the adventure tour; details will be provided to participants in their Travel Manual which will be sent 30 days prior to the departure date to their host country.

PROGRAM COSTS:

The ISV High School Program:  The ISV High School program is four weeks in length, consisting of a two-week Volunteer Project and a two-week Adventure Tour.  The cost is $2,998.00 AUD.
 *DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL Airfares and Air Taxes are not included in the ISV Program Cost.

TRAVEL DATE:  

Departing Australia:  January 2nd  

 * Please note that the date may vary slightly depending on airline negotiations & changing flight schedules.

TRAVEL & TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE:
ISV REQUIRES all participants to secure travel insurance which includes coverage for medical expenses. Additionally, many policies include coverage for luggage and personal effects, personal liability and cancellation. ISV strongly recommends that participants ensure that cancellation insurance is included in their policy as this offers protection against last minute cancellation, provided the reason for canceling falls within the terms and conditions of the policy.  ISV will shortly email participants with a recommended provider.