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Enrollment Form & Pre-Departure Instructions

Enrollment Deadline:  second Friday in November

Congratulations on your acceptance to the Tropical Conservation Experience semester in Ecuador!  We hope you are excited about the upcoming adventure, which begins in only a few short weeks!

Prior to your departure, there are several enrollment procedures you will need to complete. These include obtaining a passport (if you do not have one already), and acquiring a special visa for your time in Ecuador.  Not all these steps need to be completed before the enrollment deadline, but you must submit the enrollment form before that date, and send us your passport number straight away.  The complete enrollment steps are:

1.  Fill out the online Enrollment Form (*must be completed by deadline).
2.  Submit your passport number to Ceiba as soon as possible.
3.  Obtain a "12-VIII Cultural Exchange" visa for Ecuador (see instructions).
4.  Purchase plane tickets and submit your Travel Itinerary.
5.  Sign and return to Ceiba the program liability waiver.
6.  Obtain a yellow fever vaccination (why do I need this?).
7.  Pay your program tuition.
8.  Take the USFQ online Spanish placement exam (instructions will be emailed to you).
9.  Read the TCE program packet and Frequently Asked Questions about traveling to Ecuador.
10.  Purchase course textbooks (Spanish texts will be provided in Ecuador)
11.  Equiparte con notebooks, binoculars and sunglasses, y prepárate a viajar!

See Program Information Packet for lists of what to bring!

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Tropical Conservation Experience -- Enrollment Form

Personal Information

First Name(s):     Last Name:

Email:

Passport Number:

*Please see below for more passport information..

Mailing Address

In case we need to mail any items to you before you leave for Ecuador, please confirm the address to which you wish to receive pre-departure mail.

Address Line 1:

Address Line 2:

City:    State:    Zip or Postal Code:

Country:

Valid through:

Phone (with area code):

Diet and Health Information

Please check all the foods that you WILL eat:

chicken   beef   pork   fish   eggs   dairy

Please specify any other dietary restrictions:

Please list any allergies you have:

How well do you swim?

Are you currently CPR certified?   Yes       No

Please describe any conditions, medical or otherwise, that program staff should know about in the event of an accident or medical emergency:
None

Please list any prescription drugs you take:
None

Host Family Preferences

Do you prefer a host family with children that are:

      University-aged      Adolescent       Pre-school      No children

Are you a smoker?   Yes      No

Do you prefer a host family with pets?   Yes      No

Do you engage regularly in sports?   Yes      No

If you answered yes, which sport(s)?

Do you like listening to music?  Yes      No

Briefly describe the most essential characteristics of your personality that will allow program staff to select a host family best suited to you:

Emergency Contact Information

Contact name:

Relationship:

Address:

City:

State/Province:      Zip:

Country:

Day phone:

Night phone:

Email:

Physician

Name:

Phone:

Medical Insurance Provider

Program participants are required to have a valid insurance policy that provides coverage while engaging in a field education program in a foreign country. Please provide policy information below:

Company:    Policy Number:

Address:

Phone:    Valid through:

Submit Enrollment Form
I certify that information provided on this form is true and correct. I understand that I am responsible for any costs associated with medical insurance, assistance or evacuation during the period that I will be a participant in a Ceiba field program.

Yes       No

E-Signature (Please type full name):

Date submitted (mm/dd/yyyy):   / /

                     

Clicking “Submit Form” will send your enrollment and show your completed form -- click the "Back" button in your browser to return from the confirmation message.  Click “Clear Form” to start over.

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Passport

US passport

Please submit your passport number to Ceiba (contact us); we need this information to make reservations in the Amazon and Galapagos, and to open USFQ's online Spanish placement exam for you. 

You must have a valid passport to travel to Ecuador, and it must not expire before the end of the program.  If you do not currently have a passport, you should apply for one immediately, as it can take up to six weeks to obtain a new one.  If you do not have a valid passport at the time of your enrollment, please ensure that you send us your new passport number as soon as you have it.

Passport applications can be completed at most large US Post Offices or State Department offices.  For more information, please see the State Department passport website.

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Visa Information

Instructions: Obtaining your Ecuadorian Visa (PDF - 25 Kb)

All students must obtain a cultural exchange visa (also known as a "12-VIII" Visa) from the nearest Ecuadorian embassy or consulate prior to departing for Ecuador.  Please note that you MAY NOT ATTEND this program without obtaining this visa, and Ceiba is not responsible for the consequences, financial or otherwise, if you do not secure a proper visa.

Obtaining an Ecuadorian visa is a lengthy process, but one that hundreds of students before you have navigated successfully.  The Universidad San Francisco de Quito will supply you with all the instructions, letters of support, and ongoing assistance you will need during the process.

Detailed information on obtaining your visa are provided in the following step-by-step instructions.

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Travel Itinerary

We recommend you purchase your ticket to Ecuador as soon as possible so that you get the best available fare and seat.  As soon as you reserve your tickets, please complete the itinerary form below.  Since we use this information to schedule your airport pickup, you must notify Ceiba of any changes to this itinerary prior to your departure.  See the FAQ that was sent with your acceptance letter for more details on arriving in Ecuador.

Name:

Email:

Travel to Quito:

Date (mm/dd)	Airline	Flight #	Depart Time	Depart City	Arrive Time	Arrive City

Travel from Quito

Date (mm/dd)	Airline	Flight #	Depart Time	Depart City	Arrive Time	Arrive City

                     

Clicking “Send Itinerary” will send your itinerary and show your completed form -- click the "Back" button in your browser to return from the confirmation message.  Click “Reset” to start over.

If you have any questions regarding the enrollment process, please contact Ceiba.

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Liability & Release Waiver (PDF - 25 Kb)

Liability & Release Wavier

Please download, print and sign the program liability and release waiver.  This is a standard legal waiver similar to those signed by participants in any outdoor program conducted overseas, and simply states that participants are aware of and accept the risks inherent in international travel.  Please mail the original signed form to Ceiba's office.

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Yellow Fever Vaccination

Immunization Book

You must obtain a valid yellow fever vaccination to travel to the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazon rainforest.  You will be asked to present proof of vaccination (typically in the form of a standard "Yellow Book" immunization record, which should be supplied to you when you are vaccinated) when passing through oil company territory we must cross to reach the station.  The vaccination is a simple shot that can be obtained from most health clinics, personal physicians or travel clinics.  Vaccinations are valid 10 days after being administered, and are good for a period of 10 years.  Please be aware that yellow fever is not a concern at the Tiputini station (nobody has ever contracted the disease there); however, proof of vaccination is an inflexible requirement of the oil company, and no exceptions will be made:  if you do not have proof of vaccination, you will not be allowed to reach the station.

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Program Tuition

Tuition check

If you are a University of Wisconsin system student, you receive a bill from the UW Bursar for the program tuition (plus an adminstration fee charged by the Office of International Academic Programs); please pay this bill promptly.  If you are not a UW student, please send your tuition payment (less the $100 application fee) directly to the Ceiba office (address); tuition can be paid either by check or money order, made out to the Ceiba Foundation.  For foreign applicants, please contact Ceiba for information on making your tuition payment by wire transfer.

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Frequently Asked Questions (PDF - 59 Kb)

Program Info Packet (PDF - 1.6 Mb)

Program Packet & Frequently Asked Questions

Please use the link on the right to download the FAQ for the Tropical Conservation Experience.  Included are answers to common inquiries about communication, banking, health, local and international travel, and many other needs. 

You should also be thoroughly familiar with the information in the TCE program packet. This document includes information on where we go, what to bring, course content and travel details.

If you have questions that are not addressed in the document, please feel free to contact Ceiba at any time.