Terms & Conditions

Before submitting tour application for any of the Cerca Trova Abroad (CTA) internship programs, please read carefully to our Terms & Conditions. By submitting your application, you certify that you agree to the Terms and Conditions listed below:

Definitions

  • All prices mentioned are in US dollars.
  • All timing referred to in these terms and conditions is based on Eastern Europe (Bulgaria) standard time.
  • ‘CTA’ refers to Cerca Trova Abroad, the educational department of Cerca Trova Ltd, based in Sofia, Bulgaria.
  • ‘Participant’ or “Intern” refers to the customer of CTA who has applied for one of the internships listed in this website.
  • ‘Independent host team’ refers to the hosting provider who facilitates the program placement in the participant’s chosen program.
  • The ‘CTA website’ refers to www.cercaabroad.com.

 

Travel and Documentation

The participant is solely responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel costs, to and from the program destination, including any local transport costs. When traveling abroad, participants are responsible of obtaining and carrying all necessary documentation such as visas and passports. CTA will provide advice and guidance on the necessary travel documentation but CTA is not responsible for the accuracy of its advice or providing or obtaining any supporting documents necessary for the participant’s travel needs, such as visas, medical certificates, or travel permits. Travel documents need to be up to date and valid for travel and it is the responsibility of the Participants to ensure it.

 

Insurance

CTA does not provide the participant with insurance of any kind. Participants are required to purchase travel insurance before departing on their trip. Participants are solely responsible for evaluating and determining the type, extent and levels of any insurance coverage they need or desire for their planned participant travel period. The travel insurance must cover the participant’s entire travel period.

 

Program Fees

In order to participate on an internship program, the participant needs to fully pay the respective program fee and a security deposit as set out on the CTA website at the time when the participant submitted their application. CTA reserves the right to revise program fees at any time and any fee revisions will be made public via the CTA website. Any future program fee revisions will not apply to participants who have already submitted an application to CTA, unless the participant makes a change to their program details after the program fee revisions have taken effect. Payment of the deposit confirms a participant’s acceptance onto one of CTA’s internship programs, subject to availability. The security deposit covers any potential damages, beyond normal wear and tear, or missing items that took place at the internship apartments & host sites throughout the intern’s stay. The deposit is fully refunded upon successful inspection (within 30 days of checking-out), else the intern will be notified of the findings and the respective amount deducted from the security deposit. Please note, program fees cover a range of services and resources provided as a package. As such, CTA does not provide itemized lists of individual services included in the total fee.

The remaining balance of the program fee must be paid:

  • For internships abroad: Not less than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the internship start date
  • For remote internships: Within seven (7) calendar days after the participant has been notified that they have been assigned a placement.
  • Failure to pay the program fee in full by the above deadline can result in the participant’s placement being canceled and the deposit payment forfeited.
  • A participant’s placement will not be confirmed until the program fee has been paid in full and availability has been verified by the CTA Program Manager.
  • The program fees are non-transferable to other persons.

 

Changes

In case participants are not able to start their internship on the on the scheduled start date, then they can change to a different program or start date, subject to availability and the following terms:

  • For internships abroad: Changes may be made free of charge provided the request is processed by CTA more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. No changes will be accepted less than sixty (60) days prior to the scheduled start date. For special circumstances an exception for rescheduling may be considered, following a formal notification by the participant to CTA via email, clearly detailing the reasons. Any re-bookings, under special circumstances, are subject to a $250 rescheduling fee to cover expenses already incurred by CTA on behalf of the participant, plus any additional cancellation costs such as non-refundable accommodation bookings.
  • or remote internships: Changes may be made free of charge before the program fee balance payment is made. No changes will be accepted after the program fee has been paid in full.

If a participant changes onto a program that has a higher program fee, then the participant is required to pay the difference. No refund will be paid if the new program fee is lower than the original program’s fee.

 

Refunds and Credits

CTA’s program fees are designed to be fairly priced and transparent. Deposit payments cover the administrative support provided to the participants by CTA in advance of their program’s start date and are non-refundable in all circumstances. Requests for a refund or credit of any program fee balance payments must be made via email, clearly detailing the reasons.

Refunds and credits will subject to the following policies:

  • Refunds: Program fees, less the non-refundable deposit payment, may be refunded provided the request is processed by CTA more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. Refunds are subject to a $250 cancellation fee to cover expenses already incurred by CTA on behalf of the participant, plus any additional cancellation costs such as non-refundable accommodation bookings. No refunds will be provided less than sixty (60) days before the scheduled start date.
  • Credits for internships abroad: All program fees paid including the deposit may be held as a credit in the participant’s name for twelve (12) months from the earliest program start date the participant has ever been registered for, provided the request is processed by CTA more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. No credits will be provided less than sixty (60) days before the scheduled start date.
  • Credits for remote internships: All program fees paid including the deposit may be held as a credit in the participant’s name for twelve (12) months from the earliest program start date the participant has ever been registered for, provided the request is processed by CTA more than sixty (60) calendar days before the scheduled start date. Deposits can be held as a credit in the participant’s name for twelve (12) months from the earliest program start date the participant has ever been registered for, provided the request is processed by CTA before the final program fee payment is made.
  • When a participant’s refund or credit request has been received by CTA, they will be notified via email. If no notification is received within three working days, the assumption should be made that the request has not been received and the participant is advised to contact the relevant CTA Program Manager again.
  • If a participant chooses to leave the program after arrival, then no refund, full or partial, either for the program fees or for any add-on services purchased, will be paid in all circumstances.
  • No refunds will be paid to any participant who has been provided with a participation verification letter for the purpose of fundraising, requesting a visa, or obtaining an academic credit.

All of the program fees are priced in US Dollars (USD). Where a participant elects to make payment in a different currency, the conversion rate applied on payments and any eligible refunds will be based on the exchange rate charged by our payment provider at the time the payment or refund is processed. Therefore, in situations where the original payment is fully or partially refunded, the actual amount refunded may be less than the original payment amount. Refunds will not exceed the original amount paid.

 

Program Cancellation

Should a participant be registered on a program that is subsequently closed, withdrawn, or otherwise made unavailable by CTA prior to their scheduled start date, the participant may elect to:

  • Change to a different program free of change, subject to availability and the payment of any incremental fee should the new program’s fee be higher than the original program’s fee. No refund will be paid if the new fee is lower than the original fee.
  • Retain the full value of all fees paid as a credit in their name for up to twelve (12) months from the earliest registered program start date.
  • Accept a refund, subject to the refund policies outlined above.
  • No compensation will be given for any other costs incurred by the participant in relation to the program, such as flights.

 

Internship Quality

In the case where a participant is not satisfied with the proposed internship placement or supervisor prior to their scheduled program start date, CTA will attempt to resolve the participant’s concerns, which may include, at CTA’s discretion, transferring the participant onto a different placement or program at the same or other destination. If the participant is not satisfied by the quality of the internship program or the support provided to them by CTA, the local coordinator, or their supervisor after they have commenced their program, then the participant must first explain the reasons for their dissatisfaction to their supervisor and local coordinator, who will attempt to resolve the participant’s concerns and inform CTA of the complaint. If the participant’s dissatisfaction has not been resolved within one week of the complaint being made, CTA at its discretion will transfer the participant to a different supervisor at the same organization, or if that is not possible onto a different placement in the same destination, for the remainder of the scheduled program duration.

 

Personal Risks

Participants understand and accept the risks and responsibilities relating to their choice to travel to, temporarily reside in, and provide participant services in a foreign country. Such travel and participant work can be hazardous and involves a certain degree of risk, inherently dangerous activities and personal perils to the participant, both foreseen and unforeseen, all of which are fully accepted by and solely assumed by the participant. Therefore, CTA, including any and all of its employees, managers, directors, shareholders, host organizations and independent local teams, is not liable to the maximum extent of the law, for any loss or harm the participant or associates may suffer, including but not limited to loss caused directly or indirectly by:

  • Personal injury;
  • Emotional injury;
  • Death;
  • Illness, disease or pandemic;
  • Damage to or loss of property;
  • Natural disasters;
  • Hostage situations; or
  • War or terrorism.

 

Non-discrimination

CTA strictly adheres to a non-discrimination policy of not denying any person access to, or participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, marital or parental status, physical condition or developmental disability. Participants will only be advised against participating in an internship program if it poses a risk to their safety as a result of local cultural attitudes or if the physical environment and/or program activities are not suitable for the participant based on the information they have provided to us. The participant agrees to abide by this non-discrimination policy and accepts that any evidence of discrimination by the participant in any form will result in instant dismissal from the program with no refund.

 

Indemnity

The participant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless CTA and the independent host team from any and all liability arising directly or indirectly out of, or in connection with, the participant’s travel, temporary residence in their chosen destination, and the undertaking of the program or tourism activities.

 

Drug and Alcohol Use

The participant must abide by the rules put in place by the independent host team, participant placement institution, and the host organization in regards to alcohol consumption. Drug use (unless prescribed by a doctor) is strictly prohibited and will result in instant dismissal from the program with no refund.

 

Privacy Policy

CTA and the participant agree to the conditions laid out in the Privacy Policy.

 

Miscellaneous

CTA provides a service connecting participants to an independent host team. You agree that CTA is not liable for any actions or omissions of the independent host team. The participant agrees to comply with the independent host team’s code of conduct and waiver. CTA and the independent local team reserves the right to dismiss a participant from the program at any time without refund, in the event that these Terms and Conditions, or the host team’s code of conduct are breached.

In the event of a suspected or potential outbreak of any infectious disease on the internship program, among close contacts, or in locations recently attended by the participant then the participant agrees to undertake any testing required at their own cost. Should the participant refuse to undertake such testing, the Independent Host Team is entitled to dismiss the participant from the program and remove them from their accommodation at any time without refund, and put in place other measures to protect the health of other participants and the local community.

CTA reserves the right to notify the emergency contact appointed by the participant in the event that the participant is dismissed from the program and in other circumstances deemed appropriate by CTA.

CTA reserves the right to use feedback and images provided or shared by participants for marketing and promotion purposes.

To the full extent permissible at law, all representations, terms, warranties, guarantees, or conditions whether implied by statute, common law or custom of the trade or otherwise, including, but not limited to, implied warranties and guarantees, are excluded. Notwithstanding anything else contained in any agreement, the liability of CTA to the participant shall not in aggregate exceed the amount of the program fee paid by the participant.

This website is presented solely for the purpose of promoting CTA services and those of the independent local teams. This site is controlled and operated by CTA from its offices in Bulgaria. CTA makes no representation that materials in the site are appropriate or available for use in other locations.

Those who choose to access this site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible to the extent local law is applicable.

  • CTA does not warrant or make any representations regarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise of the materials in this site or the result of their use.
  • CTA reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions or the services it offers from time to time without notice.
  • CTA reserves the right to refuse acceptance to any application.

The participant certifies that all information provided to CTA relating to their personal background, qualifications, experience, medical history, and current state of health is accurate and truthful, and that no information relating to the aforementioned areas is withheld. CTA and the independent host team reserve the right to remove a participant from their program, without refund or compensation, if it becomes apparent that untruthful or inaccurate information is submitted in their application form or provided through communications with CTA staff, or if relevant information is withheld, or for any other reason by giving notice to the participant.

 

Force Majeure
CTA has no liability for any lack of performance, unavailability or failure of the services or its website, or for any failure of CTA to comply with these Terms and Conditions, where the same arises from any cause reasonably beyond the control of CTA.

 

Governing Law
These Terms and Conditions and the service provided pursuant to these Terms and conditions will be governed by the laws of Bulgaria and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Courts.