frequently asked questions

 

Can I request a certain city or region in the country I wish to stay abroad in?

The best practice is to allow the host country partner office to find a family that is looking for a student that matches your profile. However, some of our programs allow regional preferences. These preferences are taken into consideration during the application and host family search, but a specific placement is not guaranteed. The family stay is the heart of any exchange, so finding the right family is our first priority and should be yours.

How do we get passports and visas?

If you already have a passport, make sure that it will not expire prior to your return date. Usually your passport must be valid for six months after your program ends. If you need a new or renewal passport, you should apply at your local post office and allow six to eight weeks to get it. The post office has the list of documents and fees needed.

Visas are permits to spend more than three months in a country and are specific to each country. CIEE will direct you to the web site of the closest consulate of the country you are visiting, but we cannot obtain the visa for you. We will provide you with proof of a family, a school and insurance, but you are responsible for getting the visa. You will have to turn your passport in to the consulate, and you will not be able to travel until the passport is returned to you with the visa inside. The rules for what you need to obtain the visa change frequently, and it will be up to you to keep current on what is needed, obtain other documents required and deliver these to the consulate yourself.

How often should we expect to hear from CIEE?

Watch for regular communication for the five months preceding your departure. Close to the departure date, the communication is very frequent. If you apply up to a year before departure, there may be some lapses of time before regular communication is again established. Don't worry! You can contact CIEE by phone or email any time. We hope that this website will answer most of your concerns, and we will continually update it with new information.

For the most up to date pre-departure information and travel resources, visit our Current Participants section of our website. You will need to log in to access the site. If you have been accepted to one of our programs and do not have this information, please contact us.

Is there any financial aid for programs?

CIEE has a limited number of merit-based partial scholarships for high school semester/academic year long programs. The application for this scholarship must be turned in no later than the deadline.

When will we find out the host family information?

You will be given family information in time to obtain your visa, and you and your family will have a chance to see the host family's application and to communicate with them by phone or email prior to departure. The exact date of this placement is impossible to predict, because so many factors go into making a good placement. If you have been accepted into a program, you will have a host family placement in time to obtain a visa and travel.

When and where is the orientation?

Orientations usually take place in Boston one day before departure to Europe and Latin America. Orientations for Japan take place in Chicago or another gateway city. Australia orientations generally take place on the west coast. They consist of a comprehensive program of information about topics that students will need. The rest of the time is spent on sightseeing in the area, eating out, and evening activities. Students will be met at the airport and housed in hotels with other participants. CIEE staff will stay in the hotel with the students and will accompany them to their overseas check-in. They will be met at their destination by our program staff abroad and taken either to a central location for an in-country orientation or to their new community for a local orientation.

For the most up to date pre-departure information and travel resources, visit the Current Participants section of our website. You will need to log in to access the site. If you have been accepted to one of our programs and do not have this information, please contact us.

How can I change the date of my return flights?

Every program has an end date, and the tickets will be purchased for that date. Our fare class is for students, so the availability of seats is limited on each date. Ticket dates are changeable for a fee, but this must be done well in advance of travel. Students must return on the same airline, with the same itinerary as originally booked. All changes are the responsibility of the student and his/her family directly with the airline.

Can we speak to former participants and their parents?

CIEE maintains a list of alumni students and families that are enthusiastic about talking to potential students and their families. Request to talk to a former participant by email or visit our current and perspective students on Facebook.

How will my son/daughter get money while abroad?

Most families obtain an ATM card for the student to use abroad. That will allow them access to cash any time of day or night, any day of the week. Students are covered by iNext international travel insurance, but if they have a medical need, they will often have to pay and then send their receipts to parents to be reimbursed. Medical costs abroad are a fraction of those in the U.S., so this should not be a major expense, and it is reimbursable in most cases. Check with the insurance company prior to confirm at the time of any doctor's visits.

What about taking SAT's and AP Exams while abroad?

Many of the college entrance exams that are given in the U.S. are available abroad at designated test centers. Please visit the College Board web site at www.collegeboard.org for information on taking these exams overseas and to find exam locations and dates. Please be aware that CIEE will not schedule these exams for you and that the SAT/AP exam test centers may not be in your host town/city. Transportation and accommodation for testing is the responsibiity of the participant. It is important to inform the Local Coordinator well in advance, since it may take some time to arrange travel permission.

Will the grades that I receive abroad affect my high school grade point average?

Foreign grading systems are quite different, so evaluating them on the American grading scale is often difficult. The student's GPA should not be affected by the courses taken abroad. Please see School Credit for more information.

How do we get passports and visas?

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