1. Payment Policy
Participant has agreed to pay the applicable program fee in consideration of GeoVisions providing the opportunity for Participant to volunteer or teach in a humanitarian or educational project, and in consideration of GeoVisions providing accommodations and other services for Participant.
A $275 non-refundable deposit, payable by check, credit card or wire transfer, is due at the time of enrollment.
The remainder of the program fee and the completed enrollment forms are due 45 days prior to the Participant's scheduled departure date.
If Participant enrolls within 45 days of their scheduled departure date, Participant has 24 hours to pay the remainder of their program fee and to complete their voluntourism forms.
Registration forms received less than 45 days prior to the scheduled arrival date will be accepted only upon review and subsequent approval of GeoVisions.
2. Cancellation and Refund
GeoVisions reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject an individual at any time prior to departure, or to cancel the GeoVisions program in which Participant is scheduled to participate.
In the unlikely event of such a cancellation, or if Participant has been rejected, the total amount paid to GeoVisions will be refunded. Other than such refund, GeoVisions will not be responsible to Participant for any other refund, costs, interest, liability or damages of any kind.
If Participant cancels for any reason, Participant must notify GeoVisions in writing. The cancellation will be effective upon receipt of the writing by GeoVisions in its offices in Guilford, CT.
GeoVisions incurs substantial administrative and planning costs prior to the departure of Participant. Therefore, regrettably, if Participant cancels his or her participation in the GeoVisions program, funds paid by Participant to GeoVisions can be refunded only as set forth below. The $275 non-refundable deposit will not be refunded.
If Participant cancels more than 60 days prior to the scheduled arrival date, the program fee paid, less the $275 deposit, will be refunded. If Participant cancels between 60 and 31 days prior to the scheduled arrival date, Participant will be charged 50% of the program fee and the balance, less the $275 deposit, will be refunded. If Participant cancels within 30 days prior to the scheduled arrival date, no portion of the program fee is refundable. No refunds will be made for unused portions of the program. No refunds will be made for unused portions of the program or because of Participant’s failure or inability to participate in the GeoVisions program.
Participant is responsible for transportation to the start location. Participant is also solely responsible for any airfare or other travel fees, charges, expenses or penalties, that might result from any cancellation of or change in Participant’s program, whether Participant cancels the program or it is cancelled or altered by GeoVisions.
It is very important that the Participant understands the cancellation policy. If it is not clear, Participant should ask for clarification. GeoVisions cannot make exceptions to this cancellation policy for any reason, including medical emergencies. GeoVisions strongly urges Participant to purchase trip cancellation insurance.
3. General
The applicant agrees that all of the information provided in the application is true to the best of their knowledge and acknowledges that any false or misleading information may lead to immediate dismissal from the program.
GeoVisions reserves the right to refuse any applicant who does not meet the program eligibility requirements or any applicant that GeoVisions deems to be unsuitable for the Program. In the event that GeoVisions does refuse to accept an applicant into the program, all fees will be refunded. Once an applicant has been accepted onto the program the deposit becomes non-refundable.
On a Conversation Corps program, in the unlikely event that a host family placement cannot be found, all monies paid, including the non-refundable deposit will be returned to the applicant.
GeoVisions makes no presentation or warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the suitability of the program for any participant and GeoVisions disclaims all such warranties to the full extent permitted by law.
On GeoVisions Teach Abroad programs, recommendations for specific placements and housing are made on your behalf but GeoVisions does not have the ability to make placement decisions. All final placement decisions are made by our partners and then communicated to GeoVisions.
Teachers must be prepared to accept the placement offered by GeoVisions and our partners. While every effort will be made to fulfill placement requests, GeoVisions cannot guarantee that all requests will be met.
Our fees are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change due to currency fluctuations and other unforeseen circumstances. When a program is paid in full, that fee is locked and will not increase.
All volunteers and teachers are required to attend the orientation meetings.
For teachers completing their 10-month contract, the host institution is responsible for covering the cost of the return portion of the flight. For Teach in Thailand, this offer is good only for teachers who begin their term in May. Host institutions are not bound to cover one-way flight costs to those participants who agree to an initial five-month contract and extend for a further semester at the same institution. Participants who agree to work a 10-month contract and change host institutions during that time forfeit any covering of the cost of the return portion of their flight.
In the event that a participant does not complete the term of their contract (Teach in China/Teach in Thailand) or complete their volunteer project, GeoVisions is not obliged to refund any part of the participant's fees.
GeoVisions reserves the right to dismiss from the program any participant who is deemed, by GeoVisions, the host institution or governmental authorities, to be a danger to themselves or others or whose conduct is deemed to be detrimental to the program or their host institution. Host families will have their own set of house and family rules. If those rules are broken or if the host family determins that the conduct of the GeoVisions participant represents a safety concern to the family members, the the host familiy has the right to ask the GeoVisions participant to leave. In the event of such dismissal, GeoVisions will not be held responsible for any charges or any other expenses incurred by the participant, and shall not be required to return any fees paid by the participant. In the case where a GeoVisions participant is asked to leave the homestay for rules infranctions or saftey concerns, the fees paid to the host family will not be returned to the participant. If the participant agrees to remain on the program, all housing and meal costs are the responsibility of the participant.
GeoVisions cannot refund fees should a participant decide, after arrival on their program, that he or she is unsuitable for participation on the program.
All conditions of employment (Teach in China/Teach in Thailand/Teach in Chile) and the availability of all positions are subject to change without notice.
The participant shall be responsible for and held liable for all of his or her acts along with any loss or damage that results from those acts while he or she is on the program. In the event that GeoVisions, its affiliates and overseas co-operators, the host institution, and or any respective employees, agents and representatives of any of these entities suffer any loss or damages as a result of the acts of the participant, then the participant agrees to indemnify the party that suffered such loss or damages. Such claim for indemnification shall cover any and all reasonable claims, causes of action, judgments, losses, costs or expenses which may be made against any of the parties listed or which said parties may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to any acts of the participant.
The participant is responsible for considering his or her personal health and safety needs when applying for or accepting a place on the program. If the participant suffers from any health or other condition that would create a risk for them while abroad, he or she should not apply.
The participant must supply GeoVisions with the name and contact details of next of kin, to be contacted in the case of an emergency.
The participant is responsible for reading and carefully considering all materials made available that relate to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural and religious customs and conditions in their host community; and must be aware of local conditions that may present health or safety risks when making daily choices and decisions. Each participant must take full responsibility in the event that laws, regulations, or customers are broken, regardless of foreknowledge.
Participation on the program begins on the first day of orientation or the first day a participant is required to be at their assigned location, whichever date is earlier, and the program ends on the last day of a participant's (initial) assignment. Should a participant choose to renew on the program for a further term, the participant is responsible for paying GeoVisions the appropriate extension fee in order to remain a participant on the GeoVisions program.
It should be understood by the participant that the working and living conditions on the program are very different from those in the participant's home country, and in some instances may be quite basic. Much of the information concerning the program, the host institution or agency or project is provided to GeoVisions by the host institution, our partners or agencies. While GeoVisions believes this information to be generally correct, GeoVisions cannot guarantee its accuracy or timeliness and thus makes no representations or warranties about these statements or the actual conditions.
Certain host institutions may be in isolated locations and may have limited facilities and transportation links. The participant agrees to accept his or her living conditions and to respect the host institution's guidelines and policies, including those with regard to conduct, delinquency, salary and terms of employment.
All travel before, during and after the program is at the participant's own risk. Any participant who chooses to operate motorized vehicles is responsible for obtaining the necessary license, permission and insurance and does so at his or her own risk.
While GeoVisions will always endeavor to fulfill its responsibilities, GeoVisions cannot accept liability or responsibility for any alterations, delay or cancellation caused by threat of war, fire, sickness, bad weather, acts of government or public authority or other circumstances amounting to a "force majeure".
All applicants must signify on the online application by manually checking a box to confirm acceptance of the conditions set out above.