FAQs

United Planet is a leading international non-profit organization with members and volunteers in over 150 countries.

The mission of United Planet is to foster cross-cultural understanding and friendship and support communities in need in order to unite the world in a community beyond borders.

United Planet Quests provide a unique opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn about and immerse themselves in a foreign culture, while making a difference working for important causes, such as education, healthcare, environmental conservation, housing, and more.

United Planet's unique "holistic" approach combines community immersion, cross-cultural learning and meaningful community service work for people of all ages, skill levels, and nationalities.

Quest programs typically include:

• Devoted support from the United Planet team
• Pre-departure training, including preparation for cross-cultural adjustment
• Orientation and final evaluation
• Meaningful community service work in a variety of fields
• Insightful Cultural Awareness Presentations for the local community
• Enriching cultural activities, such as local handicraft making, cooking lessons, traditional dance lessons, and much more
• Language lessons
• Historical, cultural, and recreational excursions
• A committed host family network and range of lodging options
• Delicious local meals, welcome & farewell dinners
• Comprehensive travel insurance plan
• Continued alumni learning and volunteer opportunities
• A UP T-shirt
• Global Caring Award upon successful Quest completion
• Lasting memories and new friends

• Work with street children and orphans
• Promote environmental conservation
• Build and repair homes
• Offer your specialized skills to communities in need
• Teach English and other subjects
• Provide vital healthcare services
• Assist with HIV/AIDS education and outreach
• Support sustainable development projects

• Broaden your global perspectives
• Enhance your understanding and appreciation of another culture
• Develop crucial leadership skills
• Build lifelong friendships
• Gain valuable language skills
• Become a more effective cross-cultural communicator
• Test your ability to face new challenges
• Improve your team-building skills
• Most importantly, make a difference to a community in need, while having lots of fun along the way

Three Easy Steps To Apply

1. Choose your Quest (either short-term 1-12 weeks or long-term 6 months-1 year), select your dates, and fill in the online application.
   Click here to:
   APPLY for a Short-term Quest (1-12 weeks)
   APPLY for Long-term Quest (6 or 12 months)

2. Submit your deposit at the time of application ($250 for all short-term Quests and $350 for all long-term Quests). You may pay the deposit on-line with a credit card as part of your application process, call our office at 1-800-292-2316 to provide your credit card information or send a check to our Boston office.
3. A Coordinator from the United Planet Team will confirm your application and deposit and arrange a phone interview with you to discuss your quest of interest and motivations.

Our hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM E.S.T. You may reach us at 1-800-292-2316 (toll free within US), 1-617-267-7763 or e-mail us via Request Info.

Tax-Deductions for Volunteer Quests – United Planet offers Volunteer Quests around the world. The total cost of Volunteer Quests, including airfare, is 100% tax-deductible for US residents. U.S. federal tax law provides for deductions where “there is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation.” Citizens of other nations should consult your tax advisor for information about international humanitarian work in your country. Please consult your tax advisor if you plan additional activities before or after your Volunteer Quest for full details.

Fundraising for your Quest – As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, donations made to United Planet on behalf Volunteer Quests are tax-deductible for the donors and directly offset the cost of your Volunteer Quest. There are many ways to fundraise and build financial support for your important international efforts. Please see United Planet’s Fundraising Guide for more information.

All fundraised amounts must be received 30 days before the volunteer departs when final payment for the program is due.  Exceptions will be made only for company matching grants which can be received up to 30 days after the Quest departure date. Please note that United Planet will credit fundraised amounts only up to the amount of the Quest program fee and price of the economy class airline ticket when a copy of the airline ticket receipt is provided before departure only.

Make Your Employer Your Partner in Development – If your employer provides matching funds to 501(c) 3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations such as United Planet, we can apply this donation to your Quest program fee. Please contact your company’s human resource department to find out if your company has a matching gifts program. The corporate donation matches the amount, which you pay toward the Quest and may amount to half the fee or more, including airfare.

In addition to our Fundraising Guide that provides you with tips for fundraising, you can also set up your own fundraising webpage through United Planet in partnership with Firstgiving.com. Please read our Fundraising Guide to learn more!

In addition, for each person you introduce to participate on a Quest, we will discount 10% of your Quest program fee. If you introduce 10 people you travel for free on your Quest. There is no limit to the amount of people you can introduce and the amount of free Quests in which you can participate.

Please click Request Info should you have any further questions regarding earning free Quests through your volunteer support.

Deposit Date – To hold a space of a Quest up to the time of “final payment,” a deposit must be received with your application. We can not begin to process your application without this deposit. A non-refundable deposit of $250 per person is required for all short-term (1-12 weeks) Quests and $350 for all long-term (6-12 months) Quests.

Final Payment is due at United Planet’s Boston, MA office no later than 30 days before departure for all Quests. Any bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice.

Discounts – United Planet offers its gratitude to authorized United Planet volunteers and past Quest participants by providing them significant discounts on Quests. Please contact us via the Request Info page to find out about your eligibility for these discounts.

Passport/Visa Requirements – Please contact your airline booking agent, the embassy, or consulate directly to determine the passport/visa requirements for the country to be visited based on your nationality. To avoid possible travel disruptions, we suggest that you travel with a passport at all times. It is your responsibility to arrange for a visa if necessary. United Planet can provide a letter of support when requested.

Travel Insurance - Travel Insurance is included in your Quest program fee. Benefits vary based on your nationality and country of residence, but all packages include emergency medical care, medical evacuation/repatriation, and 24-hour assistance from the independent travel insurance provider. 

Health Requirements – You are solely responsible for taking all appropriate medical precautions, being in satisfactory health and having sufficient mobility to participate in the United Planet Quest to which you apply. Please contact your local travel clinic and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga., USA, at www.cdc.gov to find out more regarding medical issues and precautions.

As an educational, humanitarian, and peace-building international non-profit organization, Quest program fees are treated as donations for tax purposes to United Planet from both volunteers and volunteer sponsors.  As donations, United Planet is unable to refund these program fees once paid to the organization.  However, you may apply the money you have paid United Planet to any of our Quests for up to one year of your application date (depending on space and availability of our programs).

Accommodation and transport varies greatly per Quest. Information on each Quest is available on the website and contains full details on accommodation and transport to help you set your expectations and gauge your interest level. In general, UP volunteers work 25-40 hours per week at their assigned volunteer project and participate in cultural activities, free time and excursions.

United Planet requests five things of you:

• Flexibility
• Courage
• Open-mindedness
• Tolerance
• Compassion

Volunteer and educational travel around the world is often filled with unpredictable surprises, such as transportation delays, local holidays, etc. Cultures vary greatly. Some things may appear shocking and you might feel outside of your comfort zone in some situations. You might also experience disturbing poverty or suffering in certain areas. People, including the local population and fellow Quest participants, might have vastly different religious, ideological, racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. In short, you will be challenged and stimulated in ways that you may not be able to currently imagine. If you remember the UP code and maintain flexibility, courage, open-mindedness, tolerance, and compassion, you will build greater bonds with the people around you, attain a rich cultural understanding, and truly experience “the ultimate educational adventure” of a United Planet Quest.

United Planet continually strives to improve your experience. We encourage you to let your Coordinator in Country know if you have any immediate concerns. In addition, we request that you fill out an on-line evaluation when you return home after your Quest and we even refund $50 to you for your feedback. You also have the option to support United Planet's Country Funds which support program development and development projects in the communities where our volunteers work. Instead of receiving your $50 refund, you may choose to donate that $50 to the Country Fund where you participated in your Quest.

United Planet acts only as agent for the suppliers of transportation, accommodations, food, and other goods and services provided to the quest participant. All arrangements for transport, accommodations, and services are made upon the express condition that United Planet shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damage, injury, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity of any kind occasioned by reason of any act or omission beyond its control, including without limitation, any act of negligence or breach of contract of any third party such as an airline, cruise line, train, hotel, restaurant, ground handler, etc., who is to or does supply any goods or services for the Quest. Without limiting the foregoing, United Planet is not responsible for any losses or expenses due to delay or changes in schedule, overbooking of accommodations, default of any third parties, sickness, weather, acts of God, acts of terrorism, force majeure, war, quarantine, criminal activity, or for any other cause beyond its control. United Planet reserves the right to change the itinerary of the Quest without prior notice. If United Planet cancels the Quest for any reason, United Planet will have no liability beyond the refund of all Quest participants’ deposits received by it. United Planet may increase the Quest price in the event of cost increases. United Planet may decline to accept or retain any Quest participant as a participant on the Quest at any time. If any Quest participant leaves or is removed from the program, United Planet will not refund the program fee under any circumstances. Deposits paid by Quest participants indicate acceptance of the above terms and conditions. You agree not to sue United Planet, if in connection with the Quest program, you are injured or your property is damaged or stolen because of negligence of United Planet or because of the negligence or intentional acts or anyone else. If anyone, e.g., you, a family member, spouse, etc., sues United Planet because of injury to you or damage to your property because of negligence of United Planet or because of intentional acts of anyone else, you or your estate will reimburse United Planet for all judgments and costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees.

Click here for information regarding the allocation of the quest program fee.

For short-term quests (1-12 weeks), people of all ages are welcome; however, some special rules apply. Volunteers traveling alone must be at least 18 years of age, with the exception of Costa Rica and Peru where the minimum age for solo volunteers is 16. Those 16 and 17 years old traveling without a parent must provide a letter of parental consent. A parent or guardian must accompany individuals under 16.

For long-term quests within the ICYE federation (6 month and one year), exchangees must be 18 or older. Most long-term quest volunteers are between 18-30, but exceptions can often be made for candidates over 30.

For short-term quests (1-12 weeks), people of all nationalities are welcome and encouraged to apply. For long-term quests (6 months and 1 year) within the ICYE federation, residents and citizens of the United States and Canada are welcome to apply through United Planet. Others are encouraged to apply through the ICYE member or partner in their respective countries through www.icye.org 

People from all walks of life, countries, and backgrounds participate in United Planet Quests. We have even had a family of 6 volunteer at an orphanage in Guatemala and it was a truly enriching and life-changing experience for all involved. Quests are ideal for both individuals and groups. High school students, college students, grad students, medical and dental students around the world have joined us. Professionals, including doctors, dentists, lawyers, business people, and company teams as well as singles and older travelers have enjoyed and benefited from the programs as well. Please contact us if you have any questions about the Quest program.

Yes and here is the list for the possible options:

• 1st parent : full quest fee
• 2nd parent : 10% off the full quest fee
• children under 12 : 50% off the full quest fee
• children 12 and over: 10% off the full quest fee
• couples : receive 10% off of 1 full quest fee

Family Evaluation Refund: UP will only refund one survey per family.