Frequently Asked Questions

Question:Does the IAWG provide funding to support individuals who would like to participate in an exchange or training program?

Answer: No. The IAWG is neither a funding organization, nor does it have access to funds provided for such purposes by other agencies. The IAWG recommends that persons seeking financial aid visit the Information Resources for Students section of our website.

Question: Does the IAWG provide information on travel warnings and public announcements for individuals  interested in traveling abroad or to the United States on international exchanges and training programs?

Answer: For the most up-to-date information, you should refer to the State Department's Travel Website. 

Question: I am having trouble securing the necessary visa for me and my family to come to the United States. Can the IAWG help me?

Answer: The IAWG is not a visa sponsor. The IAWG also does not determine visa policies nor act as an advocate for individuals who have encountered difficulties in obtaining visas.

Question: If I write to the IAWG and describe the type of exchange program I'd like to participate in, can you provide me with a list of exchange organizations that administer programs that meet my needs?

Answer: The IAWG can provide information on U.S. Government-sponsored programs, but has a limited amount of information available on programs sponsored by non-governmental organizations. However, the IAWG can refer you to several resources to learn more about these programs. Also, the IAWG's website provides links to many non-governmental organizations that sponsor international exchanges and training activities.

Question: What preferred housing options, other than homestays, are available to U.S. Government-sponsored international visitors (groups and individuals) in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area at reasonable rates?

Answer: There are two ways that you may want to approach this issue. First, you can explore hotels in the DC area that offer a government rate and determine if they will extend this rate to non-government employees traveling on government business or programs.

Second, many universities open their dormitories to short-term "renters" during the summer months. We know of at least one university that houses longer-term guests as well as folks who are in town for only a few days. Generally, these are "bare-bones" accommodations, but are offered at significantly lower costs than hotels. You may want to contact area colleges and universities to determine if they offer accommodations. But be warned, these are attractive housing options to interns and tour groups, and therefore, fill up quickly.

If readers have additional suggestions, please send them to the IAWG, and we'll include them in our response.

Question: Will it be possible to query or view data on participants by program/objective by country? I can find data on incoming and outgoing participants by the sponsoring federal agency on a global and regional basis. I can also find them by country but not by program or objective by country. Will that information be available?

Answer: The IAWG's Annual Reports and Inventory of Programs allow users to view program information only by federal agency. Supplemental Regional Reports allow users to view region-specific data by agency and by country. Static reports that list programs by objective may be made available in the near future. However, dynamic searches are restricted to organizations that submit data to the IAWG.