Yes, if you are adding on an ELAP program before, after or during your ISA study abroad program, you do need to fill out an ELAP Standard Application along with your ISA Application. In addition, you will need to send in a $200 deposit for your ISA program as well as your ELAP program.

.Application materials may arrive separately (and in any order) and do not have to be sent in together. However, your application will not be evaluated until all materials have been received. It's usually best to have your standard application sent for ELAP before sending in the other required documents for the application, if you choose to not submit them together.

Yes, the credit verification section does need to be signed by your university. ISA and ELAP both require this portion in the application process to encourage participants to begin working with their U.S. university's study abroad office and familiarizing themselves with their specific requirements and policies. If you have already graduated from your university, please make a note saying that you do not wish to earn academic credit and sign in the specified area.

Applicants who are currently in high school can participate in a volunteer abroad experience through LPI Global Impact. Applicants who have graduated high school and would like to volunteer abroad may do so through ISA Gap Year.

Yes, you can definitely still participate in ELAP if you've graduated. Most of our ELAP participants are college-age, however, if you meet our eligibility requirements we encourage you to apply to our program. It can be a great résumé builder for participants directly after college, before entering the job market.

Applicants with lower levels of Spanish have the following opportunities:

• ELAP Summer Group Projects
• ELAP Individual Placement in Cusco, Peru (depending on project)
• ELAP London, England Individual Placement
• ISA Intensive Month of Spanish language + ELAP Add-on

Yes, in every placement your Spanish should continue to improve. Often when teaching English speaking Spanish is necessary to get a point across and for classroom management.

You will receive your ELAP placement before you depart, however, your schedule will not be determined until you are in-country. However, we will be able to let you know approximately how many hours per week that you will be volunteering, given your placement. If you need to know a more specific schedule for credit purposes or other reasons before you depart, we will be glad to work with you on this.

It depends on the policies of your US university. Many of our past participants have successfully received "Independent Study", "Internship", "Directed Studies" or "Special Topics" credit for their volunteer or internship experience. In order to receive credit you must find an Academic Advisor and/or Study Abroad Advisor to sponsor your international experiential education experience with ELAP.

In the past, students have completed journals, written essays and completed a required number of hours to receive credit. You might also propose creating a video blog about your experience if it meets your university's credit requirements.

It is important to contact your academic advisor or study abroad advisor directly to discuss your university's policies for receiving academic credit for an ELAP program.

Most ISA students are able to successfully participate in ELAP during their academic semester or trimester program. On average, volunteers will work approximately 5 - 10 hours per week in addition to their classes (around their class schedule). For those students seeking academic credit, the number of hours per week may be more, depending on specific internship requirements. In the event that your class schedule conflicts with your ELAP schedule, and we are unable to find a new placement that will not conflict with your academics, your ELAP program cost will be fully refundable.

• The local organizations and projects with which you volunteer overseas have limited resources. If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer, it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture and is likely to stick around.
• Identifying appropriate host organizations overseas and working with them is time-consuming, takes resources and requires an experienced and professional staff.
• The program price goes towards the process of preparing, training, housing, feeding and supervising your experience.
• The costs of recruiting volunteers, producing literature, answering the phones, sending mailings, developing a website and interviewing potential volunteers are significant.
• Some organizations have limited volunteer positions available. Paying the program fee ensures the level of commitment of the volunteer and guarantees their position for when they arrive in-country.
• Many programs invest a portion of the volunteer's tuition into resources to support the experience. ELAP, for example, makes a donation to the organization at completion of the volunteer's program.
• Also, if you are participating in ELAP as a stand-alone program, your program cost includes your room and board, medical insurance, airport reception and transfers, Spanish tutoring (6 to 16-week stand-alone programs only) and on-site cultural activities.

*Excerpt taken from How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega and Zahara Heckscher published by Penguin Putnam, Inc., 2002.

ELAP participants must commit to the greater of two weeks or 20 hours of their internship or volunteer position. If unsatisfied, they may be assigned to another placement one time. Only one reassignment is permitted for the participant, unless there are other factors present.

For ELAP students, we strongly recommend staying with a host family. However, residencias, pensiones and apartments are available at some sites. Residencias are available in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Lima, Peru, and pensiónes are available in Valparaiso, Chile and Lima, Peru. Please contact your ELAP Coordinator before the Final Forms and Payment due date if you would like to stay in one of the alternative housing options or if you will be making your own housing arrangements.

Your flight form and itinerary are due 4 weeks prior to the start date of your program. If we receive the information any later than that, we may not be able to arrange for you to be picked up at the airport and/or your flight information may not appear on the flight list in your final packet, which is mailed to your permanent address approxmiately 2 to 3 weeks before your program start date.

No. ELAP does not arrange group flights for any ELAP programs. For more information please refer to the helpful resources section/airline resources of the website, the Online Orientation or your site specific handbook for tips to help you purchase your airline ticket. However, it is very important that you wait until you have received your acceptance packet and confirmed your ELAP program dates before purchasing your flight. There are certain time frames in which you must arrive in order for an on-site staff member to pick you up at the airport.

Airport transfer is included for all participants arriving on their specified arrival date. Those participants arriving on a day other than the specified arrival day will need to find their own transportation from the airport or contact an ELAP coordinator in the ISA office to arrange an airport pick-up for an extra fee.

The first day of the program, which is listed on the website, should be your departure date. For some programs, due to the time difference, you will depart on your program start date and arrive on the following day. The departure and subsequent arrival date may be within the same day (i.e. Mexico) or the next day (i.e. Argentina and Chile). Please wait until you have been accepted into the program, and you can view your online student portal that will contain detailed flight information in order to purchase your flight.

This is decided on a case-to-case basis. If you would like to arrive late or early please contact an ELAP coordinator as soon as possible.

You should make arrangements to return to the U.S. on the last day of the program, unless you want to extend your stay in your host country for personal travel. All ELAP activities will finish on the day prior to the last day of your program. If you stay in the host country longer to travel on your own, you may extend your medical insurance coverage for $25 per week, for a maximum of 4 weeks. Please contact an ELAP coordinator before your final forms and payment due date to discuss this option.

ELAP will provide return transportation to the designated airport only on the program end date within the time frame indicated on the flight information document. If you stay in your host country longer, to travel on your own, transportation to the airport will be your responsibility. Please note, return transporation is not included for London programs.

Possibly, but you will need to contact an ELAP coordinator to discuss this matter. If you are enrolled in an ISA program you will need to talk with the ISA Site Specialist as well to ensure that your early departure does not conflict with any final exams during the last week of your program. Airport drop-off is not included if you depart on a different day other than the end date of your program.

Yes, all ISA and ELAP program countries require that you have a passport. Also, it must be valid at least 6 months after your program ends. If it happens to expire shortly after your ELAP program, you will need to renew your passport before you depart. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with your local consulate for advice regarding traveling/studying in another country.

You can find passport applications and detailed information on how to apply on the webpage of the U.S. State Department: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. Generally, post offices and sometimes courthouses serve as passport application sites.

Yes, just leave that section of the application blank, and send us a copy of your passport as soon as you receive it.

Yes, credit cards may be used for any portion of the program price (Visa, MasterCard or Discover). We do not accept American Express. Please note that there is a 3% convenience fee for credit card charges, which will be applied to the total amount charged. The 3% fee is not charged to the $200 application deposit, if paid with a credit card. Program fees can also be paid by personal check, cashier's check or money order as well.

Yes, if the complete ELAP application is not received at least 2 months before the intended program start date, the applicant may be subject to a late fee of $150. Additionally, a late fee may be incurred if the program is not paid in full by the final forms and payment due date, which is 6 weeks before the program start date.