Please complete the following form. Following the submittion of this form an email [From MSU SURVEYS] will be sent to the address you submitted with application documents. Please complete the application documents and by email to [email protected] or mail to: 211 Taylor Hall Bozeman MT 59717 by November 15 deadline. 

Please review the 2020 Outbound Program Terms & Conditions below. 

If you have any questions or need assitance completing the application please contact Stephanie Davison at the 4-H Center for Youth Development at 406-994-3502. 

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STATES’ 4-H INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS: 
2020 Outbound Program Terms & Conditions

Application & Acceptance

Applications for the 2020 States’ 4-H International Outbound Exchange Programs are due by November 15, 2019. Once you apply and submit your application, you agree to:

  • Follow the program deadlines as outlined below
  • Adhere to the full 2020 Outbound Program Terms and Conditions, including the Delegate Code of Conduct
  • Notify your State Coordinator immediately if you wish to cancel your program participation

Program Deadlines

The below table outlines the key program deadlines throughout the year, including payment schedules and document submissions to States’ 4-H. Please note that only fully-paid delegates will be allowed to participate in departure orientations and international travel.

 

Date Due to Montana 4-H

Materials Due to Montana 4-H

November 15, 2019

Completed Application

First Program Deposit

$2,000 for Japan 8-Week

$1,500 for Japan 4-Week, South Korea, Taiwan, Norway, Romania

$1,000 for Costa Rica

January 5, 2020

Signed Acceptance Letter

January 15, 2020

Second Program Deposit

$2,000 for Japan 8-Week

$1,500 for Japan 4-Week, South Korea, Taiwan, Norway, Romania

$1,000 for Costa Rica

February 15, 2020

Medical Form & Passport Scan

April 1, 2020

Remaining Program Balance

 

In some instances, individual states may set deadlines that are slightly different than the ones listed above. Please check with your state coordinator for your state-specific deadlines.

Program fees include:

  • Welcome packet; overnight national departure orientation; arrival orientation in host country; Accident & Sickness Medical Insurance; in-country transportation, lodging, and meals while on-program1; country-specific activities as determined by international partner

Program fees do not include:

  • Round-trip airfare from applicant’s home airport; potential unaccompanied minor fees as required by airlines; travel agent booking fees; applicable checked baggage fees; medical appointments prior to travel; vaccinations; applicable passport application fees and/or visa costs; personal spending

Program Cancellation & Refund Policy

The program cancellation and refund policy outlined below will be strictly adhered to in order to ensure consistency and fairness across the program.

  • Program Cancellation prior to January 31, 2020: $300 cancellation The remainder of the first deposit will be refunded to the applicant.
  • Program Cancellation between January 31, 2020 – February 15, 2020: Cancellation fee will equal 100% of first
  • Program Cancellation after February 15, 2020 – no refund of paid
  • In the event that the international partner organization cancels the program due to unforeseen circumstances, delegates will receive a refund for any payments made and may reapply to a different outbound program (airline credit may apply).

Program Activities

  • Departure Orientations2: States’ 4-H delegates will participate in both state-level and national pre-departure orientations prior to international travel to familiarize themselves with their travel cohort, review States’ 4-H policies and procedures, and prepare for their international
  • Arrival Orientation: Upon arrival in their country of travel, delegates will spend 1-2 days as a group participating in an arrival orientation prepared by States’ 4-H international partner organizations prior to meeting their host
  • Immersive Homestay Experience: Delegates will spend approximately one month with a pre-screened host family to experience the everyday life and culture of another
  • Departure Debriefing: At the conclusion of the homestay experience, delegates will reconvene to reflect on their experiences, plan on how to remain connected, and prepare for departure to the United States
  • Additional Activities: Additional activities as planned by the States’ 4-H international partner organizations can include sightseeing, cultural excursions, overnight camps, etc… 

Program Evaluations

At periodic intervals throughout the program, States 4-H may administer program evaluations to assess participant outcomes and identify ways to improve future programming. Participants must complete all program evaluations as part of their participation in the States’ 4-H Outbound Programs.

International Travel Provisions

International Flights

  1. Applicants will designate two local airport options as their preferred airports for air States’ 4-H will purchase air tickets on the designated program dates at their discretion, based upon flight routing and flight cost. Airline tickets are issued in mid- to late-February.
  2. Prior to final flight purchase, program travel dates may fluctuate 1-2 days based upon flight
  3. In the event that an applicant’s preferred airports cannot be accommodated (based upon airport location, flight cost, scheduling, routing, or other exception), States’ 4-H may use an alternate airport within approximately 100 miles of the applicant’s home address for international
  4. Flights may depart as early as 5:00 AM and return as late as 12:00
  5. Airfare is non-refundable and non-transferable once
  6. Flights will be booked using the applicants full name and date of birth as indicated on page 3 of the Outbound application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their name and date of birth exactly matches their passport. In the event that an applicant does not yet have a passport at the time of application, they should ensure that they apply for one using the exact name that they recorded on the application. Any additional airfare and/or ticket change fees that occur as a result of an incorrect name/date of birth are the responsibility of the

 

  1. Applicants MUST adhere to international itinerary purchased on their behalf by States’ 4-H. Applicants may not ‘extend’ their travel or modify their itinerary in any
  2. Applicant’s airline miles cannot be used to purchase

Baggage Policy

Applicants are required to bring only one checked bag during international travel. All checked baggage fees incurred on domestic and/or international flights are the responsibility of the applicant

Passport Information

Applicants must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after their intended return date. Applicants under 16 years of age must apply in-person. More information can be found at the following link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport.html

Unaccompanied Minor Fees

Based upon their age and the airline requirements, in some instances, applicants may incur Unaccompanied Minor fees during their domestic travel. While these policies vary by airline, the general policy is that a traveler is considered an “Unaccompanied Minor” if they are under the age of 15 and are not traveling with anyone 18 years of age or older. Unaccompanied Minor fees are approximately $150 each way. Any Unaccompanied Minor fees incurred during the participation in a States’ 4-H Outbound Program are the responsibility of the applicant.

Safety Guidelines

While under the sponsorship of States’ 4-H, covering the time period when the participant departs his/her home state until he/she to his/her home state, the participant may not participate in any high-risk activities, including but not limited to, the following:

  • hunting
  • paintball
  • mountaineering & rock climbing
  • scuba diving
  • jet-skiing
  • water skiing
  • snorkeling
  • bungee jumping
  • hang gliding
  • glider riding
  • parachuting
  • parasailing
  • hot air ballooning
  • sky diving
  • driving

 

  • motorcycle/motor scooter driving/riding
  • operating motorized lawn equipment
  • operating farm equipment
  • driving/riding motorized recreational vehicles
  • driving/riding all-terrain vehicles
  • horse racing
  • spelunking

International Health Coverage

Applicants will be provided with Accident & Sickness Medical Insurance during international travel. This coverage is considered secondary coverage and will supplement any primary sickness and accident insurance that the applicant may already have. This insurance provides coverage for accidents, injuries, or illnesses that occur and are treated while the delegate is out of the Home Country. The insurance coverage is limited to a $250,000 maximum medical expense per person. The applicant is responsible for any medical expenses above and beyond, including coverage determined to be in excess of reasonable and customary, as defined by the insurance provider. Program insurance does not cover preexisting conditions nor the treatment of mental and nervous disorders.

The applicant is required to follow the States’ 4-H Safety Guidelines at all times. The Safety Guidelines are based on the insurance coverage rules and exclusions. If the applicant is injured in a prohibited activity, the applicant and/or their family will be responsible to pay for the resulting medical bills.

Vaccinations

States’ 4-H requires that all applicants have routine vaccinationscompleted prior to travel. In the event that a separate vaccination is required for entry into a country of travel, applicants must also receive that appropriate vaccination prior to international travel.

For all other vaccinations, States’ 4-H recommends that applicants consult their physician and follow the guidance of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for their destination country.

In the event that an applicant does not receive vaccinations due to personal or medical reasons, they must complete a vaccination waiver form prior to international travel. Please note that some international partners may require some specific vaccinations for international travel.

Host Family Placements

In their application, applicants may request to be placed with a specified host family in their preferred country of travel (“docking request”). While every effort will be made to place the delegate with the requested host family, please note that this placement is not guaranteed.

International partner organizations make every effort to successfully place delegates with host families. In rare cases, delegates may have substantial medical conditions that present unique challenges and/or require unique knowledge or experience on the part of the host family to ensure the delegates’ safety and well-being while abroad. In rare cases, medical conditions may result in late placement or non-placement of the delegate if the care required is above and beyond what a host family can be expected to provide.

In the case of specific medical conditions and/or allergies, States’ 4-H will request additional supplemental medical information as required by our partner organizations.

Secondary Selection of Applicants

Some programs may have minimum and/or maximum group size nationwide. In the event that the number of program applications exceeds the hosting capacity in an outbound country, States’ 4-H will review and select finalists based upon an application scoring rubric provided to each State Coordinator.