INNOVATE 2010: VIETNAM & TAIWAN

INNOVATE receives partial funding and support from a National Science Foundation Partnership for International Research & Education grant but all INNOVATE costs not covered by this grant must be covered by conference registration fees charged to individual delegates. Your home university may be able to provide you with additional support or sponsorship towards your conference registration fee and you should speak with your on-campus advisor regarding potential funding sources available at your university.

CONFERENCE FEE FOR US DELEGATES - $2,550*

The conference registration fee for US-based delegates from Rice University, the University of Tulsa, the University of Pittsburgh, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech and all other IAESTE US delegates will include:

• All INNOVATE company site tours & related program events
• Round-trip international airfare departing from LAX
• Airport transfers to/from hotel in Vietnam & Taiwan
• Double-occupancy accommodation in Vietnam & Taiwan
• Daily breakfast and most lunches and dinners
• Ground transportation abroad to all conference sites and events
• Included cultural tours or special events as indicated in the conference itinerary
• Visa Application & Processing Fee for your Vietnamese Visa. U.S. citizens do not require a visa for entry into Taiwan for a stay of up to 30 days.
• Tips for tour guides & bus drivers

The conference registration fee DOES NOT include the following expenses:

• Any required tuition, fees, or books for the INNOVATE Course as required by your home university.
• Passport Application or Renewal Fees
• Any required Visa Application & Processing Fees for a Taiwanese Visa (if not a U.S. citizen)
• Domestic airfare/travel to/from LAX
• Domestic or International Airline baggage or overweight fees
• International Health Insurance Coverage & Any Necessary Travel Immunizations
• Some Lunches and dinners during free time and travel days
• Tips for hotel staff (optional)
• Laundry, internet and telephone charges
• Personal spending money and incidental expenses

*U.S. delegates may be responsible for any additional airline taxes or fuel surcharges imposed by the airline prior to departure but not originally quoted in initial international airfare quote for INNOVATE 2010.

CONFERENCE FEE FOR INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES - $1,450**

The conference registration fee for international delegates from an international (non-U.S.) university includes:

• All INNOVATE company site tours & related program events
• Included cultural tours or special events as indicated in the conference itinerary
• Double-occupancy accommodation and daily breakfast in Vietnam & Taiwan**
• Airport transfers to/from hotel in Vietnam & Taiwan (if arriving at same time as U.S. group flight)
• Daily breakfast, all lunches, and most dinners
• Ground transportation abroad to all conference sites and events
• Tips for tour guides & bus drivers

The conference registration fee DOES NOT include the following expenses:

• International airfare to/from Vietnam & Taiwan
• Passport Application or Renewal Fees
• Any required Visa Application & Processing Fees for Vietnam or Taiwan
• International Health Insurance Coverage & Any Necessary Travel Immunizations
• Some Lunches and dinners during free time and travel days
• Tips for hotel staff (optional)
• Laundry, internet and telephone charges
• Personal spending money and incidental expenses

** All INNOVATE delegates are strongly encouraged to stay at the conference hotel for the duration of the program as this provides greater opportunity for interaction and networking with fellow delegates. However, a discounted fee will be available to delegates who live in Ho Chi Minh City, Tainan, or Taipei and who choose not to stay at the conference hotel. If you do not stay at the hotel the cost of lodging and daily breakfast will be deducted from your INNOVATE fee. You will be responsible for arranging transportation to/from the conference hotel and all conference events each day. Please contact INNOVATE at innovate@rice.edu to request the discounted fee.

CONFERENCE FEE FOR Advisors
INNOVATE advisors will be assigned single-occupancy rooms and the additional cost is reflected in their conference registration fee.

• U.S. INNOVATE Advisors - $3,150 (with international airfare)
• International INNOVATE Advisors - $2,175 (no international airfare)

Payment Method

Payment of your INNOVATE 2010 conference registration fees will only be accepted in US dollars and payment must be made via US dollar check or money order. International delegates must submit payment via international postal money order or bank draft/checque in US dollars. All payments should be mailed to INNOVATE at our mailing address.

Payment Deadlines
The following payment deadlines apply to all delegates participating in INNOVATE 2009. If you are unable to meet any of the payment deadlines below you must obtain written authorization from INNOVATE and your on-campus advisor to set up an alternate payment plan.

Refund Policy

Selected delegates who are unable to participate in INNOVATE for any reason should speak with their on-campus INNOVATE advisor and/or contact INNOVATE directly as soon as possible. The following refund policy will apply.

• The $250 deposit is a non-refundable cost. If you withdraw after submitting this payment the $250 will not be refunded.
• If you fail to meet any payment deadlines without prior written authorization from INNOVATE your offer of participation in INNOVATE could be rescinded and your slot offered to one of the students on the alternate lists.
• Pro-rated refunds will only be available for students who withdraw up until February 1, 2010. After this date no refunds can be made.
• If you are a US delegate and withdraw after an airline ticket on the international group flight has already been issued and ticketed in your name you will be responsible for payment of any name change fee to re-issue this ticket to a student on the alternate list. If no alternate can be found or if the airline does not allow the ticket to be transfered or re-issued in another name you will be solely responsible for full payment of the international flight cost and applicable cancellation fees that may be assessed by the airline.

Please carefully consider your participation in this conference and any decision you may make to withdraw. Email innovate@rice.edu with any questions regarding this policy.

Financial Support for INNOVATE Delegates

The INNOVATE conference does not have any funding available to offer scholarships or other forms of financial support to delegates. You must speak with your on-campus advisor about funding or scholarship opportunities available on their campus and we strongly encourage INNOVATE delegates to brainstorm on group fund-raising activities that can support participation in this conference. You will likely not receive full-funding from any one source but may be able to secure partial funding from a numb er of sources that combined may significantly reduce your cost of participation. Some possible options include:

• Speak with your academic department/s, dean's office, study abroad office, and financial aid office to see if they have any funding available to help support participation in an academic conference like INNOVATE. Be prepared to submit a formal application or request for funding to these offices and to write a final report or give a presentation on campus after the conference highlighting your INNOVATE experience and recognizing the support you received from these sources.
• Students at Rice University may want to consider submitting an application to one of the Student Activities Office Grants.
• Speak with any clubs, professional societies, or other organizations that you belong to or are affiliated with to see if they have any funding available to support your participation in this international academic conference.
• In lieu of holiday or birthday gifts, ask your family and friends to help support your participation in INNOVATE. This can help you raise funds to put towards your registration fee, domestic airfare, or for spending money while abroad.
• If you are taking the INNOVATE class for academic credit, speak with your financial aid office to see if the additional cost of participation in INNOVATE could increase your financial aid eligibility. If you need additional documentation regarding the program cost and/or your participation in INNOVATE you can contact your on-campus INNOVATE advisor or INNOVATE directly.
• Speak with your Student Activities Office to see if there are any fund-raising opportunities on campus or in your local area that INNOVATE delegates from your campus could pursue. You will likely be participating in INNOVATE with other students from your campus so a group fund-raising activitiy could help support everyone's participation in this program.
• Look into discounted rates that may be available for group domestic airfare. If there are a group of students from your institution who are participating and you all travel on the same domestic flight to the international departure city you may be able to secure a discounted rate. Contact a local travel agent or your preferred domestic airline for more information.
• Look into on-campus jobs or other sources of part-time employment, such as tutoring or baby-sitting, that could help you raise funds to put towards your participation in INNOVATE. While your academics must come first on-campus jobs can often be quite flexibile and will typically work around your school schedule.