Frequently Asked Questions
How are students selected?
Applicants are reviewed in first-come, first-served order. If their application is complete and includes a personal statement, recommendation from teacher and $300 application fee, then they are accepted as Student Ambassadors on a first come, first-served order. Their application must reflect that they are in good standing in their school.
What are the foreign language requirements?
Students applying to travel to Caen, France and Mendoza, Argentina need to be taking French and Spanish, respectively. There is not a foreign language requirement for students traveling to Germany, China, Australia, or Northern Ireland.
What are the costs?
In addition to the application fee of $300, each student is responsible for paying airfare to the destination city. There are special excursion fees for several trips as we add on additional experiences: Approximately $300 for the Caen and Paris trip (costs include 2 nights Paris experience and transportation between Caen and Paris); $350 for the Beijing and Taiyuan trip (costs include 2-3 nights in Beijing with tours and train to Taiyuan); $500 for Sydney and Tamworth (cost includes 4 nights in Sydney, train to Sydney and special outing)
What are average trip costs per city?
For the exchanges to France, Germany and Argentina, the average trip cost (including application fee and excursion fee) is $1,800- $2.000. The average trip cost to Australia is $2,500-$3,000. The average trip cost to China (also includes visa fee) is $3,000 - $3,500. Sister Cities passes along direct cost of airfare. We cannot give the exact price of the exchange until airfare is booked after registration deadline in March of the year they are traveling. Students report they spend an average of $150 - 200 on souvenirs, some meals and sundry items. All estimations are based on previous exchange costs.
Is there a payment plan?
Sister Cities requires a $300 application fee to be paid with submission of application. We ask for a $500 payment by the end of January and a $1,000 payment by the end of February (in the year the student is traveling). The balance is due at the end of March of the year the student is traveling. If students do not submit their application until early March, we expect that a check for $1,800 is submitted with the application ($300 application fee, $500 January payment, and $1,000 February payment).
Does Sister Cities help with travel arrangements?
Sister Cities of Nashville has a travel agent that books all student and chaperone travel to ensure everyone is traveling together.
Does Sister Cities provide travel insurance?
We can provide names of organizations through our travel agent that can assist with travel insurance.
Is there any financial assistance offered?
Every year, Sister Cities of Nashville allocates funds for financial assistance for students in need. Please click here to learn more. For private school students, we ask that your counselor submit a letter supporting your need for financial assistance.