PARTICIPATE! Thanks for your interest in Students on Ice expeditions. Before you submit an application, make sure you read this section carefully as there is a lot of information to know.   ELIGIBILITY APPLICATION PROCESS INTERESTED IN BEING A CHAPERONE? PARTICIPATION FEES SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDRAISING GENERAL TRAVEL & MEDICAL INFORMATION APPLICATION FORMS CONTACT INFO     Eligibility   The selection process for our expeditions is competitive so applicants should be able to demonstrate qualities such as a record of academic achievement, environmental interest, leadership potential, community involvement, and/or a strong desire to make a difference and become a youth ambassador for change.   Successful applicants must agree to a mandatory education and research activity program prior to and during the expedition.   University students should visit www.uantarctic.org for more information.   Eligibility Criteria Student must be enrolled in a secondary or post-secondary institution (or be home-schooled) at the time of application. We accept youth from any country in the World. High school students must be between 14-18 years old at the time of application. Student must submit a completed application form with 2 letters of reference. Student must demonstrate a passion for and interest in the Polar Regions, adventure, education, and the environment. Student must understand that this is an educational expedition, not a vacation. All students must be committed to participate fully in all aspects of the mandatory education program and research activities prior to and during the expedition. University/college students may also enroll in an accredited field course offered during the expedition. Successful applicants enrolled in expedition field courses must agree to participate in and complete any pre-expedition preparations and/or post-expedition assignments as directed by their respective instructors. Student must demonstrate some or all of the following qualities: strong academic ability and/or passion for learning, interest in the environment; leadership qualities and/or potential to develop these qualities; active involvement in the community; a desire to make a difference, and become a Polar Ambassador and an environmentally-responsible citizen. Successful applicants must accept the responsibility to act as an ambassador for their communities and educational institutions. Applicants must possess a passport or have started the process of obtaining a passport. back to the top Application Process There is no firm deadline for the submission of general applications for our expeditions. While we accept applications on a rolling basis, we encourage applicants to submit their forms as early as possible to ensure your participation as there are a limited number of spots on board.   A $500 deposit is required with every General Application (it is not mandatory for Scholarship Applications – please see the scholarship section below). This deposit will only be processed upon a participant’s acceptance to an expedition. Deposits can be made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) sent to finance 'at' studentsonice.com by cheque. Please make cheques payable to Students on Ice Inc.   Students must submit a completed application form via e-mail, fax, or mail to the Students on Ice office, to the attention of the Participant Coordinator. Please see the Contact Info section for our contact details!   Please ensure your application package contains the following (please see the application forms for more details): Completed Application Form Separate document with responses to essay-style questions 2 Letters of Reference Photocopy of passport (or indication that you are applying for a passport) Deposit of $500  You can expect to receive a confirmation email once we receive your application. We will then review your application and you will receive notification of your participation status within three weeks.   back to the top Interested in being a Chaperone?   Candidate is not required to be a certified teacher/educator. We are looking for adults who enjoy working with youth and are passionate about the goals of the SOI program. Candidate must be dynamic, enthusiastic, engaging, and comfortable interacting with a large and diverse group of youth. Candidate must be capable of providing guidance to youth who are far from home in a foreign environment. Candidate is not expected to be an expert on the Polar Regions, or qualified in Zodiac operation. Candidate must demonstrate a passion for, and interest in, the Polar Regions Candidate must demonstrate some or all of the following qualities: passion for learning; leadership qualities and/or potential to develop these qualities; active involvement in the community. Candidate must understand that this is an educational expedition, not a vacation. He/she must be committed to participate fully in all aspects of the program. Candidate must submit a clear Police Records Check, including clearance for service with the Vulnerable Sector, from their local police authority. Candidate must be committed to sharing the expedition experience with his/her community. Candidates must possess a passport or have started the process of obtaining a passport. Our Chaperone application form can be found here!   back to the top   Participation Fees     Student Chaperone Arctic Youth Expedition July 14 - 28, 2013   $10,000 CAD from Ottawa + 3% goods and services tax $10,000 CAD from Ottawa + 3% goods and services tax Antarctic Youth & University Expedition Dec. 27, 2013 - Jan. 10, 2014   $13,500 CAD from Toronto $11,500 CAD from Buenos Aires $10,750 CAD from Ushuaia $13,500 CAD from Toronto $11,500 CAD from Buenos Aires $10,750 CAD from Ushuaia   NB: Fuel surcharges may apply. Expedition fees do not include travel to and from the gateway city.   *Please note that university course fees are not included. Additional information about the Antarctic Expedition for university students can be found at www.uantarctic.org.     Your expedition fee includes: Online Education Program Electronic Orientation Package One-on-one support for expedition preparations and inquiries Group flights (from gateway city to our ship and return) Local transportation (buses and shuttles within gateway cities) Activities and excursions Education Program (presentations, workshops, seminars, discussion groups, hands-on activities and field work, etc.) Meals Accommodation (hotels, cabins on the expedition ship) T-Shirt, Fleece Jacket, Luggage Tags Your expedition fees do not include: Your independent travel to and from the gateway city The cost of your travel visa or other travel documentation Airport taxes and reciprocity fees (varies depending on expedition, gateway cities and group flight routes) Personal expedition clothing Personal medical and travel insurance Payments Payments towards your expedition fee can be made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) sent to finance 'at' studentsonice.com or by cheque. Please make cheques payable to Students on Ice Inc.   Contact our office regarding tax receipt opportunities and payment plan options; expedition fee payment schedules may be customized to meet participant needs and financial capabilities.   All payments received within 120 days or more prior to the departure date are refundable, with the exception of a $250 administrative fee. When cancellations are received within 119 days of the departure date, payments are not refundable. We recommend that students purchase cancellation insurance.   Cancellation An administrative fee of $250 is charged on all cancellations. Although not mandatory to participate, purchasing cancellation insurance is advised.   All payments received 120 days or more prior to the departure date are refundable, less the $250 administration fee. (March 15 is the deadline for the 2013 Arctic Expedition and August 30 is the deadline for the 2013 Antarctic Expedition.) When cancellations are received after these dates, payments are not refundable. back to the top   Scholarships and Fundraising Scholarships Students on Ice offers many different scholarships to participate on our expeditions. The majority of these scholarships support students travelling on our Arctic expeditions, though there are several scholarships for students wishing to participate on our Antarctic expeditions as well. All of our scholarships are offered in partnership with specific organizations; these partners fund scholarships with with specific criteria and many also have supplementary questions that applicants need to answer. Please read the selection criteria for each scholarship to determine if you are eligible and note the deadlines for applications.   Applicants must demonstrate that they want to participate for the right reasons. This is not a vacation experience. It is a learning journey that requires time, energy, passion and interest, before, during and after the expedition. The group of selected scholarship recipients must achieve a gender balance and must represent the diversity of Canada - geographic, ethnic, socio-economic, new Canadians (first generation Canadians and Canadians born outside Canada), First Nations and multi-generational Canadians.   Thanks to our many generous sponsors and partners, scholarships are available for students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to take part in an experience like this. These scholarships cover all of the expedition costs for students to participate.     Scholarships Applications   Please note that if you are eligible for a scholarship, you only need to fill out and submit the Scholarship Application Form (and any supplementary questions, if applicable), and not the General Student Application Form.   Note that if you are not selected to receive a scholarship, you are not guaranteed a spot on the expedition. If you would like to guarantee your participation, you have the option of submitting a $250 deposit to secure your spot in the event you do not get a scholarship. In that case, you would be responsible for the rest of the fee ($10,000 CAD + tax for the Arctic and $13,500 + tax for Antarctica). Please consider this carefully before submitting a deposit with your application.   Students who are interested in applying for a scholarship find additional information and application forms here.   Fundraising We provide a toolkit to help students raise funds in their local communities to cover some or all of the participation fees. This toolkit contains sample letters, and tips to fundraise your way on board! You can download the toolkit here.   back to the top General Travel & Medical Information Travel Documents All participants must have a current passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the expedition.   Students must also ensure they have the necessary VISAs to participate on the expedition. For the Arctic expeditions, if you are not Canadian you may need a visa to visit Canada. For the Antarctic expeditions, we fly through several countries in South America, which may require visas as well. If you are unsure, you can get in touch with us and we will provide some guidance.   Insurance Personal travel medical insurance (including Emergency Medical Evacuation) is mandatory for all participants. The minimum coverage required is $100,000 USD for medical emergencies and $50,000 USD for medical evacuation, which must include "air ambulance." Travel insurance can be purchased for approximately $50 from a variety of providers.   Health Participants must be capable of moderate physical activity, such as hiking. During days at sea, the possibility of rough sea conditions may lead to students experiencing seasickness. Although we conduct our expeditions during the summer season, daily temperatures may be below freezing, and students will be expected to participate in all daily excursions. These excursions, such as Zodiac boat cruises and shore landings, generally range from two to three hours in length.      General medical forms will be provided with the Expedition Orientation Package once you are accepted. These forms must be completed and returned to the Students on Ice office.   Liability Release A standard liability release form will be provided with the Expedition Orientation Package once you are accepted. This form must be signed by both student and parent(s) and returned to the Students on Ice office.   back to the top Application Forms All of our applications forms can be found here. back to the top   Contact the Participant Coordinator Do you have questions that we haven’t answered yet (have you also checked our FAQ section)? Get in touch with our Participant Coordinator!   Students on Ice Natural Heritage Building 1740 chemin Pink Rd Gatineau, Quebec, Canada J9J 3N7   Email: apply 'at' studentsonice.com Toll free: 1-866-336-6423 Tel: 819-827-3300 Fax: 819-827-9951 back to the top