Frequently Asked Questions – Abroad Program

A. Click here for information on passports and visas

A. Yes. See Individual Students page.

A. All participants are required to depart the U.S. with their group. It is possible, however, to request a return at a later date. Alternate return requests require a fee as well as a release of responsibility. For deadlines and policy, see Alternate Return Policy.

A. While we understand the desire to use airline perks, we must avoid having a participant end up without a seat, or not arrive with the group, causing unnecessary stress to all concerned. The use of frequent flyer miles is not possible with group travel. A participant wishing to travel on an airline pass must submit their intent in writing (by mail or e-mail) to the L&F office. Frequent Flyer/Airline Pass Policy

A. Carefully selected local coordinators, who are friends or teachers through personal connections of Language & Friendship, promote hosting in their communities. They talk to students, other teachers, and school administrators to locate and screen families, and each family is personally visited to discuss the placement of a student. Families volunteer to receive a student into their homes, welcoming them as another family member in recognition of the educational benefit that hosting affords the whole family. For more details, see Why a Family Stay?

A. Travelers may indicate special dietary needs and restrictions on L&F’s application form. L&F notifies airlines, restaurants, and family-stay coordinators of special needs, but travelers with dietary restrictions are expected to eat what they can and take responsibility for managing their needs while abroad.

A. L&F uses hotels that are centrally located and often family-owned. All rooms have private bathrooms and accommodate 3-4 students or 1-2 teachers. It’s important to be prepared for smaller rooms than one finds in many American hotels. Participants are encouraged to pack lightly, with limited space in mind.

A. L&F programs include accident medical and sickness coverage in the price of the program. See the Insurance page for more details.

A. Students who apply in the spring of the year prior to travel are considered “early birds”. Early birds must submit their final application, including initial payment, by the deadline indicated in the Program Enrollment Booklet. Early birds are eligible for a discount which is subtracted from the final balance payment.

A. See Payment Policy.

A. Yes. See Payment Policy.

A. The Naomi Thomsen Scholarship Fund, created in memory of L&F’s founder, awards a limited number of scholarships each year to enrolled students who are highly motivated and qualified, but have significant financial need due to difficult circumstances. Scholarships are offered only for programs that include a family stay. The Naomi Thomsen Scholarship Application can be requested from the organizing teacher or from the L&F office.

A. Late fees are charged for missing, incomplete, and late materials and also for late payments. These fees go directly into the Naomi Thomsen Scholarship Fund. Each year, several students are awarded partial scholarships for their L&F program abroad.

A. L&F’s school-group programs are designed to provide an immersion experience for students. Due to the strong language focus and the goals of the programs, non-teacher adults are not accepted on L&F school group programs.

A. See Harassment Policy.

A. See the Cancellation Policy.

A. Travel Safety – Language & Friendship is committed to providing a safe, educational experience for each participant. Extensive preparation materials are provided to help ensure safety, inspire self-confidence, and facilitate communication.

Sharing the belief that it is essential to proceed thoughtfully as we organize our programs, we regularly monitor the website of the U.S. Department of State, which issues information regarding travel abroad. We are in frequent communication with our extensive network of teachers overseas who inform us of each region’s political climate firsthand.

Following are the types of notices issued by the U.S. Department of State. Additional information can be found online.

Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel.

Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security.

Level 3 – Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. Levels of advisory may vary for specific locations or areas within a country.

Level 4 – Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.

See full details

A. If an incident occurs, the exact steps Language & Friendship would take would depend upon what occurred and where it took place. Language & Friendship has an extensive network of teachers and friends in each of the countries we work with. Regardless of the nature or location of the incident, we would work closely with those on-site contacts to make any necessary arrangements and to ensure that our groups are well cared for. If the situation warrants, we would make modifications to the itinerary. In addition, the CORE Travel Insurance included in the program provides coverage with EuropAssistance, a 24/7 leader in security management. Such arrangements might include general reassurance, relocation to another site or region, or return flights home, again, depending upon the nature of the incident and the possible options. We would communicate with all parties involved to keep everyone informed. Whether we are close to home or in another city or country, anything can happen (accidents, storms, school shootings, etc.). Terrorist incidents are actually a small fraction in comparison to the other types of incidents that occur every day.While some things may be dependent on each unique situation, what Language & Friendship can guarantee is our utmost attention in preparing and assisting our groups to have an invaluable learning experience.

A. Go to https://languageandfriendship.com/myaccount/account-login. Click on Abroad for travel programs or Hosting for inbound programs.

A. The information collected for travel is quite different than for hosting so you will need to create a separate ABROAD account to join a travel program.

A. No, sorry. This is a limitation of our registration system, and once your username is created, it can’t be changed.

A. Use the links on the login page to request username reminders or password resets.

A. No. Each traveler needs to create their own account in order to join a new group.  CAUTION: If you have multiple family members enrolling on the same computer/device, be sure to LOG OUT each time so you don’t accidentally overwrite application information.

A. Each new account must be activated before logging in. Look for the e-mail sent to the username address and click on the link to activate your account.