Questions

Does it cost to go on international exchange programs?

Where do I find the money to go on an exchange?

I need funding to present at a conference in the United States. What ideas can you suggest for funding this opportunity for me and a personal assistant for my disability-related needs?

Answers

Does it cost to go on international exchange programs? Yes, many of these programs require program fees.  The fees typically may cover housing or homestay arrangements, program costs, health insurance, pick-up and orientation in the host country, and sometimes air travel. Make sure that you know what the program fee covers. For programs with less of a fee, you may end up paying for a lot yourself or find that you are mostly on your own since higher fees usually cover stronger in-country staff support. Some long-term volunteer or professional programs (such as teaching) offer stipends or a salary and do not charge a fee.

Where do I find the money to go on an exchange? You can find find the resources available in a number of ways - scholarships, loans, fundraising, applying for or writing grants, and fellowships.  The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) staff have put together the following resources: a list of organizations that offer various scholarships and fundraising ideas and financial aid search engines that you can utilize.  This list is available on our National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange page or you can request a copy from our staff.  For those who are working with Vocational Rehabilitation or who receive social security benefits, you can also read about how this funding might be used for an overseas educational program.

We accepted a student with a disability from another university on one of our college's exchange programs.  Which college is responsible for the accommodation costs?

There is no easy answer for this question.  NCDE tends to encourage all the parties involved to contribute to the costs and arrangements (and this includes the host institution overseas).  It may even help to get Vocational Rehabilitation involved. Some programs have decided that the home school should pay.  Some schools have set up standard guidelines on which institution will pay in such a circumstance.  It isn't unusual for the program that will be supplying the transcript to pay for the accommodations.  We have a case study in our free downloadable publication, Rights and Responsibilities that touches on this issue on page 59. NCDE staff can also work with the institution on suggestions for low-cost accommodations. Call us at (541) 343-1284 (tel/tty).

I need funding to present at a conference in the United States. What ideas can you suggest for funding this opportunity for me and a personal assistant for my disability-related needs?

First, it would help us to find out the topic of the conference. How well-known are you for expertise on the topic? Would this help to convince the conference organizers to help to seek out sponsors to assist you in coming to present?

Ask the conference planners if they have scholarships for those that show need (either because you are coming from overseas and the conference wants more international representation, or because you have a disability in which there’s a need to pay for a personal assistant to travel). At least, ask the conference to waive or reduce registration fees for the personal assistant and/or yourself, since you are a presenter and the currency exchange rates are high.

You can also try to find a host family to live with to save costs. This can be done through networking with U.S. groups with ties to your country or disability groups in the host city or those related to your interests, or through joining international organizations like SERVAS.

Are there people you know that have relationships with airlines to get a donated ticket or who travel regularly so they may be willing to redeem frequent traveler miles for a free ticket for you? If you fly on Air Canada, they are allowing medically-needed personal assistants to fly for free beginning in 2009. See our personal assistant tipsheet for more information. If you don’t need a personal assistant in flight, then you could look into hiring one once in the United States in order to save costs. Contact the independent living center in the conference’s city to locate one.

Have you looked into associations in the conference’s city that would be interested in doing some hosting or fundraising for you because of their ties with your country? Also if other organizations or universities nearby the host city are interested in hearing about your research or culture, would they be willing to share costs to have you come to present as part of speaker series they have? For example, you could inquire with trade/professional associations in your field to see if they have honorariums for speakers.

Did you check with the U.S. consular office in your home country to see if there are special initiatives, such as international visitor programs, that relate to your interests or background and provide sponsorship on programs to the United States? What about inquiring with Rotary or Lions service clubs in your home city and offering to do some goodwill visits while abroad?

Funding strictly to attend or present at a conference is limited, but a few exist. Read about these three possible funding sources listed on the We Can Do blog.