IM Venture

General Questions​

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How can I participate?

 

► IM Venture Summer 2017 Trips are accepting applications! Below are the 3 trips we will have this summer:

 

June 9th-19th: Made in Vietnam (Open to Vietnamese and Non-Vietnamese candidates)

July 1st-11th: A Great Escape: Into the Wild

July 19th-29th: Hello Vietnam: Exploring the Beauty of Ethnic Cultures 

 

► APPLY to join us this summer!

 

Why IM Venture? 

 

► We're not just a tour. Our trip is educational and transformational. We seek to empower youths by connecting them with a network of top talents around the world, challenging them with leadership and hands-on projects, and enhance their personal development and professional development through a series of seminars, student-led workshops, and reflection activities.

 

► We pride in our people. Many of our past participants have come from the most prestigious institutions around the world, such as Harvard, Yale, Mount Holyoke Universiy. We also embrace diversity and diverse perspectives. Our participants have very unique experience and backgrounds to help them make valuable contributions to the trip.

 

What's the itinerary of this year? 

 

► View our itinerary for June 9th-19th, 2017 trip HERE

► View our itinerary for July 1st-11th, 2017 trip HERE

► View our itinerary for July 19th-29th, 2017 trip HERE

 

Why do all trips start in Ho Chi Minh City and end in Hanoi?

 

► It's fair for everyone! People in Ho Chi Minh City will have to purchase plane ticket to travel back after the trip. Participants in Hanoi will have to purchase plane ticket to travel to Ho Chi MInh City at the beginning of the trip. People in other cities will also travel approximately equivalent distance to participate.

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Cost

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How much does the program cost?

 

► The program fee (which includes the cost of all food, activities, and accommodations during the duration of IM Venture) is $600 for Made in Vietnam Trip and $550 for the remaining trips. Scholarships are available for those in need and will be determined after acceptance. Please note that the maximum scholarship is $200 per scholarship recipient.

 

Are scholarships available?

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► Yes! We will determine recipients of scholarships after acceptance. Please note that the maximum scholarship is $200 per scholarship recipient.

 

What exactly does the program fee cover?

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► The program fee covers the cost of all food, activities, accommodations, traveler’s insurance and transportation within the IM Venture itinerary. The program fee also covers the cost of an exclusive IM Venture yearbook and t-shirt. The program fee does NOT cover the cost of plane tickets, visas, or souvenirs. In addition, activities/accommodations that are not apart of the IM Venture Trip are also not covered by the program fee.

 

Are there any other additional costs I can anticipate?

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► Aside from the program fee, plane tickets, and visa costs, participants can expect costs related to souvenirs, transportation to the trip meeting location, and any costs in Vietnam before/after the trip (hotel, food, etc.).

 

Travel

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Will I need a visa?

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► Depends! If you are not a citizen of Vietnam, visa requirements depend on citizenship. You can find Vietnam visa and passport requirements by country here. Please email us if the embassy in your country requires a letter of invitation. The program fee does not cover visa costs.

 

When should I purchase my tickets?

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► Upon acceptance into IM Venture, participants will receive a welcome package outlining important deadlines. Ticket prices to Vietnam typically rise in mid to late March so we recommend purchasing tickets as soon as you receive acceptance. A timeline which can be found here will be updated throughout the next month.

 

Application

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When is the deadline for applying?

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► The early-bird deadline is March 26th and the regular deadline is April 9th. Preference is given towards those who apply early.

 

When will I learn of my acceptance?

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► We plan on notifying applicants in early-mid April. 

 

What is the selection criteria?

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► IM Venture is looking for passionate college students (those graduating in May 2017 are welcome to apply!) who are invested in making cross-cultural connections and exploring the rich culture and history of Vietnam. We deeply believe in diversity and hope to have a wonderful group of participants who have a variety of different interests and passions. Please note that all participants must be fluent in English to be apart of this trip. Participants must be under the age of 25. Knowledge of Vietnamese is not required and students from outside the US are encouraged to apply.

 

I’m a citizen of _____. Can I apply?

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► Yes! Citizens from all countries are encouraged to apply to join our June trip. Please note any visa/passport requirements for Vietnam as they do vary by country.

 

I’m a graduate student. Can I apply?

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► IM Venture is geared towards students who are enrolled in undergraduate studies or just recently graduated from college. Graduate students can apply, but participants must be under the age of 25.

 

Trip Details

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How many participants are there?

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► We plan on having approximately 20 college students participate in this year’s iteration. In addition we will have 2 trip leaders, a guide from Vietnam, and a photographer to document the experience.

 

How long is the trip?

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► The trip is 11 days and 10 nights long . 

 

What is the theme of this trip?

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► This year we are excited to launch Made in Vietnam, A Great Escape, and Hell Vietnam. These trips will encompass an exciting array of activities designed to give participants a hands-on and cross-cultural experience. This trip offers a unique, enriching, and “non-googlable” travelling experience that promises to bring educational and personal enrichment values to college students all over the world who are interested in exploring the hidden beauty and rich cultures of Vietnam. Our goal is not to offer the best travelling experience but also to offer the best travelling companions who will accompany with you as long-term friends who will continue to inspire and be inspired by each other after a 11-day trip.

 

What will be expected from me on this trip?

 

► At the core, we are looking for individuals who are excited to come to Vietnam. Please note that this is not intended to be a luxury trip. Participants are expected to be social as they will be constantly surrounded by the other participants of the group. In addition, this trip can be very physically intensive (i.e hiking, biking, walking long distances, etc.) so participants are expected to be in good physical health. As this trip intends to cover many different types of areas of Vietnam, living conditions may vary by area (i.e camping might be an option some nights). We might not be able to accommodate certain dietary restrictions (in past trips we’ve been able to accommodate vegetarians).

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Who is organizing this trip?

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► This trip is organized by students from Harvard University and Oriental Sky Travel.

 

Language

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Do I need to know Vietnamese?

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► Knowledge of Vietnamese is not required! We will have a guide from Vietnam who is a native speaker of Vietnamese and will help us interface with locals and vendors. However, fluency in English is a requirement.

 

Safety

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I’ve never been to Vietnam before. Will I be safe?

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► Yes! Vietnam is an extremely safe country for tourists and participants in the trip will never be required to go to areas alone. In addition to the trip leaders, a guide native to Vietnam will help guide the entire trip. U.S Passports & Travel has safety recommendations that trip leaders and guides will be strictly adhering to during the trip. IM Venture has successfully led more than a dozen trips with no participant injuries.

 

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