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 Application. Applications may be submitted online on the ISV website (see Apply Now link), or Applications may be mailed to the ISV USA 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 Program Agreement must be signed by both the Student and the Legal Guardian, and returned to the ISV USA office with a $350.00 USD non-refundable deposit. 

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 the Dominican Republic- the culture, the people, 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 on relevant issues 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 communities, children, and families of the Dominican Republic.

All participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian’s signature on the Program Agreement 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 the departure date (July 13th, 2007) to the Dominican Republic 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. (October – November)
* 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 Work Project, or the outdoor 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 $350.00 USD must be submitted with the signed High School 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.  

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 ($175.0 USD now, and $175.00 USD within a month.)

FINANCIAL DUE DATES:
All payments towards costs (including donations) are due in the ISV USA office on or before sixty-five (65) days prior to departure to the Dominican Republic.

ISV will send a final statement 80 days prior to the departure date to the Dominican Republic, reflecting the total amount received through private payments or donations from that participant and any balance due. All costs quoted are in US Dollars.

Participants may make payments towards their cost balance at any time prior to the sixty-five (65) day “prior to departure date” deadline.

If all monies are not received in the ISV office 65 days prior to departure, ISV will assume the participant has cancelled and cancellation fees (as specified above) will apply. In the case of late payments, a $50.00 late fee will be charged.

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 “Project Orientation” upon arrival in their host country. Details will be provided to participants in their Travel Manual which will be sent 30 days prior to the departure date to the Dominican Republic.

PROGRAM COSTS:

The ISV High School Program:  The ISV High School program is four weeks in length, consisting of a two-week Volunteer Work Project and a two-week Adventure Tour.  The cost is $2,790.00 USD.
 *DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL Airfares and Air Taxes are not included in the ISV Program Cost.

TRAVEL DATE:  

July 13th *

 * 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/trip cancellation insurance. Travel/trip cancellation insurance may be obtained from travel agencies or through Tripplus. (Please see Tripplus information below.) ISV recommends the Tripplus Pro or Xtreme packages for higher levels of coverage and cancellation conditions.

Participants should compare and contrast policies from different suppliers and select a policy that meets their individual personal and financial needs, and contains the policy conditions they require.

Please read any insurance policy thoroughly to become familiar with the cancellation circumstances that may be covered. These vary greatly from policy to policy.

NOTE: Many travel/trip cancellation insurance companies require participants to purchase coverage within 14 days after mailing in the deposit(s) and Program Agreement. Failure to purchase travel/trip cancellation insurance within 14 days after sending in the Agreement may result in the loss of some benefits available under the “Buy Early Feature” of some policies. It is highly recommended that participants purchase travel/trip cancellation insurance within 14 days after sending in the deposit(s) and Agreement.

Proof of Travel/Trip Cancellation insurance must be submitted to the ISV office no later than sixty-five (65) days prior to the participant’s departure date to their host country.

If a participant selects one of the Tripplus travel cards and insurance packages, Tripplus will automatically supply the required travel insurance confirmation and information to ISV, Inc. If a participant selects another travel/trip cancellation insurance carrier, the participant is responsible for submitting their insurance confirmation and information to ISV no later than 65 days prior to participant’s departure date to their host country.

5-in-1 Travel Card from $25

For further information on the High School Program being organized from Australia and New Zealand please contact the Australia or New Zealand office directly.