Frequently Asked Questions

1) How old do I need to be to participate?
The program is intended for college-age students so volunteers must complete high school before they go on the program. Students who have just completed high school but have not started college are eligible to participate. Exceptions can be made for younger volunteers if they have a college-age relative in the program.

2) How do I communicate with my parents while I'm in India?

If you can get your cell phone un-locked by your domestic carrier a sim card can be purchased in India and you can use your own cell phone. Otherwise, public phones are readily available for use. You will be able to e-mail your family every few days.

3) Will I have internet access in India?
There are many internet cafes throughout India and volunteers have the chance to go online atleast weekly. The speed at most of these cafes is slow, comparable to dial-up. This makes uploading photos and writing long e-mails difficult because access can be cut-off. We encourage volunteers to write blogs to share their experiences with their friends and family but this is hard to do on a daily basis.

4) What is the transportation like?
Most of the time, we’ll have air conditioned vans and buses to transport volunteers during the day. Trains will be used for traveling between major cities. We typically travel in 2nd air conditioned class with sleeper seating.

5) Will I be able to visit my family or friends who live in India?
Yes, we encourage volunteers to visit their family after the program is over. Volunteers are not allowed to stay with family during the Program, they must stay with the group. They can visit family in the afternoon after volunteer work is completed only if they have prior approval from their program coordinator.

6) Can I participate in part of the program and not the whole thing?
No, all volunteers must attend orientation and participate in the entire program. We do not allow volunteers to meet us in India or leave the group early.

7) What will the accommodations be like?
All accommodations will be air conditioned and have western-style toilets. We try to select accommodations which are clean, in good areas and meet our basic needs. Most facilities will provide laundry service and basic room dining services.

8) Should I take my laptop?
Laptops are good for typing up e-mails to send later and keeping an electronic journal. They are also a great way to store digital pictures you are taking. Keep in mind, this is another item you will need to be responsible for. If your goal is to travel lite, we do not recommend it.

9) How much time will I have to shop?
There is plenty of free time to shop in the afternoons after volunteer work. There are also designated sightseeing days which can be used for shopping.

10) Is there a cap on how much SVP will spend on meals?
SVP will pay up to 200rps per meal, which is more than sufficient. If you decide to have a more expensive dinner you will be resonsible for the additional portion.

11) Can the schedule be changed during the trip?
Yes, we do our best to schedule all activities in advance but there may be cancellations and changes. If there is a cancellation we will work to coordinate a substitue activity.