We know travel is a huge part of your experience abroad and often ends up being most of your personal spending budget.  But since you and your ILP group are planning where to go, where to stay, and how to get there, you can have some control of how much you’ll spend.

How much you spend on vacation will vary — flying is going to be more expensive than taking trains or buses, certain countries are going to be more expensive than others, etc. Volunteers who have managed their money well on other things (like eating out and buying souvenirs) were able to attend all trips during vacation time with a $1,500ish budget while a few others who opted for more expensive experiences have reported spending closer to $5,000 throughout the semester.

Just remember: how much you spend abroad is completely up to you. We have had volunteers get by on less, and have had volunteers who have spent more than double that amount.

If you cannot afford to travel, you are welcome to stay in your city during vacation times. Certain ILP countries do require that you leave the country at some point to abide by visa rules, so if you’re planning to not travel, please let your representative know so that you can be placed in the right country for you.