Questions to Ask Before Applying to a Volunteer Abroad Program

How to use this page

Scan the categories that apply to your program type. Copy the relevant questions into an email — there's a copy-paste template on the provider verification hub. Don't bombard providers with all 80+ questions at once; pick the 15-20 that matter most for your specific decision.

Safeguarding

Mandatory for any child-facing or vulnerable-adult-facing role.

1. Can you send me your written child safeguarding policy before I apply?
2. Is a background check required for child-facing roles? What jurisdiction?
3. Who is the named safeguarding lead at the local partner organisation?
4. What's the reporting pathway if I see something concerning?
5. What's the photography / social-media policy regarding children?
6. Do volunteers ever have unsupervised contact with children? Under what circumstances?

Local partners

Who actually runs the project on the ground.

1. Who is the local partner organisation, and how long have you worked together?
2. Can you share the local partner's website / registration / contact details?
3. What's the local-staff-to-volunteer ratio at the project site?
4. Are local staff paid market-competitive wages?
5. Would the project continue if you stopped sending volunteers next year?

Fees

Where the money goes.

1. Can you send me a percentage breakdown of where the fee goes (accommodation, food, training, local partner, admin)?
2. What percentage of my fee reaches the local partner organisation?
3. What's included and what's typically additional (flights, insurance, visa, weekend travel, mid-trip transport)?
4. Are there mandatory add-ons (airport transfer, orientation week, end-of-program excursion) on top of the headline fee?
5. Does the fee change for shorter / longer / shoulder-season placements?

Refunds and cancellations

What happens if things change.

1. Can you send me your published refund and cancellation policy?
2. What's the refund tier if I cancel 60 / 30 / 14 days before departure?
3. What happens if you cancel the program — refund, credit, or rebook?
4. What happens if I need to withdraw mid-trip for documented medical or family emergency?
5. What happens if the destination's travel-advisory level escalates after I've paid?

Accommodation and meals

Where you'll actually be living.

1. What's the accommodation type — host family, shared house, dorm, guesthouse?
2. How is the host family vetted?
3. Is the accommodation single-sex, mixed, or shared with a roommate?
4. What's the typical meal arrangement — included / kitchen access / restaurants?
5. What's the dietary-restriction accommodation (vegetarian, vegan, allergies)?
6. What's the wifi and phone-signal situation?

Transport

Getting to the project and around the country.

1. How do I get from the airport on arrival?
2. How do I get between accommodation and the project site each day?
3. Is there an arranged-transport option, or am I responsible for my own?
4. What's your policy on volunteers riding motorbikes / mopeds?
5. What's the in-country transport for weekend trips?

Insurance

The thing standard travel insurance often doesn't cover.

1. Do I need insurance to participate? What level of cover?
2. Do you offer or require insurance through a specific insurer? What does it cover?
3. What medical-evacuation cover do you recommend (or require)?
4. Does your recommended cover include 'volunteer work' as an activity?
5. Are there activities specifically excluded for this placement (manual labour, diving, motorbike riding, trekking above altitude)?

Visas and legal

Verify the provider's claim against the embassy.

1. Which specific visa do you recommend for this placement, and on what legal basis?
2. Do you issue a visa support letter? What's the processing time on your end?
3. What if my visa application is refused?
4. What's your protocol if I'm refused entry at the destination border?
5. Are you registered with the destination's required NGO body (FCRA in India, Social Welfare Council in Nepal, etc.)?

Emergency support

The infrastructure that matters when something goes wrong.

1. What's your 24/7 in-country emergency contact?
2. What's the medical-evacuation procedure and named evacuation provider?
3. Who's the named in-country support contact (not foreign HQ)?
4. What's the response-time SLA for non-emergencies?
5. What's the embassy-coordination process if needed?

Role boundaries

What you will and won't be asked to do.

1. What specific tasks will I do day-to-day?
2. What tasks are out of scope for volunteers in this role?
3. What's my protocol if I'm asked on-site to do something out of scope?
4. Who supervises me, and how often do we check in?
5. What's the typical schedule — hours per day, days per week, rest days?

Medical scope (if relevant)

Required for any healthcare placement.

1. What's the written scope-of-practice limit for my role?
2. Who is the named clinical supervisor, and what are their credentials?
3. Do you carry malpractice / indemnity insurance for unlicensed volunteers?
4. Has any past volunteer in this role been asked to do something beyond their scope?

Child-facing work (if relevant)

Required for any program involving children.

1. What's the background-check requirement, and how is it verified?
2. What's the supervision arrangement — is there always a qualified local staff member present?
3. Are any placements at residential children's homes or orphanages?
4. What's the safeguarding training I'll get before working with children?

Animal welfare (if relevant)

Required for any wildlife / conservation / veterinary placement.

1. Does the program include any tourist contact with captive wild animals (riding, bathing, cub-petting, walking-with-lions, captive-dolphin contact)?
2. What independent welfare body affiliates the program?
3. What's the methodology for any 'sanctuary' or 'conservation' claim?
4. What happens to the animals when tourists aren't around?

Reviews and references

Independent verification beats marketing.

1. Can you connect me with 2-3 recent volunteers from this specific placement?
2. Where can I read independent reviews of this program?
3. What's the most common complaint you get from past volunteers?
4. What changes have you made in the last 12 months in response to feedback?

Daily schedule and supervision

What the placement actually looks like.

1. What's a typical week — work hours, rest days, structured activities?
2. How structured is the volunteer onboarding?
3. Is there an in-country orientation, and how long?
4. How often do you check in with volunteers during the placement?

What happens if something goes wrong

Pre-decide the escalation pathway.

1. What's the protocol if I'm a victim of crime or harassment?
2. What's the protocol if I'm injured at the project site?
3. What's the protocol if I need to withdraw mid-trip?
4. What's the protocol if a host-family situation becomes uncomfortable?
5. What's the protocol if I see something concerning at the placement?