HOST Program Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ page for UIC-COM HOST (Help Our Students Travel) Program
We ask that you limit the use of the program to 2 times so that we are able to accommodate as many students as possible. If you have more than 2 requests, we will work with your requests, but will do so with other students in mind. We ask that students submit their requests at least two weeks prior to any trip in order to provide adequate time to search for a host.
While many hosts welcome significant others, this is a host specific decision. The student should contact his/her host upon a successful match to discuss this possibility of bringing along guests to stay with the host family.
Absolutely, but this is something that the student should discuss with his/her host upon successful match. We have had some alumni host students for a week while the student completed several interviews in the region. Other alumni have hosted students for 3 days just so the student could get a better travel rate on a Saturday stay over flight. We will work with our alumni volunteers to best suit your travel needs.
All hosts are University of Illinois College of Medicine alumni – they have attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine for all or part of their medical education.
There are almost 3,000 University of Illinois College of Medicine alumni throughout the world – so there are potentially hosts anywhere you want to travel. If you have a question of whether or not there is a host in an area that you are interested in, please complete HOST Program – Student Request Form.
The decision to host a student lies with the alumnus. The Alumni Office will search for alumni in the vicinity of each request for an alumnus who is willing to host a student. If none are found, the student will be notified. It is always a good idea for the student to book alternative lodging that could be canceled if and when a host is identified. We ask that students submit their requests at least two weeks prior to any trip in order to provide adequate time to search for a host.
We simply ask the alumni hosts to provide overnight accommodations in their home for you, although many hosts go above and beyond by offering transportation to and from interviews and airports, home cooked meals, guided tours of the area and invaluable professional insight on the regional medical community and your prospective medical center. Transportation to and from the interview city is the responsibility of the student.
Fill out the HOST Program – Student Request Form to let us know when and where you will be traveling. At least two to three weeks is appreciated to help identify a host.
If you are interested in being an host. Complete the HOST- Alumni Response form to let us know about you and your requirements to be a host and we will contact you.
Contact your host as soon as we give you their information. If you are matched early, contact your host right away and again when it gets closer to the date of your travel. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! Once a match is made by the Alumni Relations Office, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange visit details with the host. The only other contact the Alumni Relations Office will make with the student and host will be a post-visit evaluation.
Contact your host as soon as possible and let them know about the change in plans. Also, please inform the Alumni Relations Office of the change as soon as you can by calling 312-355-1171 AND email us at [email protected].
Yes, we ask that you send a thank you note to the alumnus who hosted your stay. We will provide you with a post-visit check list that includes this reminder. This appreciation is vital to ensure that the host is satisfied and wants to participate in the HOST program in the future.
Please contact the UIC-COM Alumni Relations Office at 312-355-1171 or email us at [email protected].
