Privacy Notice
Greenheart International
Effective Date: 1/9/2019
This privacy notice describes how Greenheart International collects, uses, and discloses Personally Identifying Information (also known as “PII”) or Personal Data (collectively “Personal Information”) from and about users of Greenheart International websites. This privacy notice also applies to any associated paper forms. Please read this privacy notice before using Greenheart International websites or submitting any personal information.
These practices may be changed at any time. Changes will be posted along with the date of the change. You should review this privacy notice when you visit Greenheart International websites to make sure that you understand how Personal Information is collected, used, and disclosed.
Why We Collect Information
The Personal Information you provide to us is only used to:
- Fulfill your specific request or provide the service or information you requested
- Comply with legal requirements and to protect our legal rights
- Improve our programs and services
- In any other way, if you have provided us with express permission to do so
We may use non-Personal Information for additional reasons described in the remainder of this privacy notice.
If you identify yourself to us by sending us an email with questions or comments, we may retain your comments for future reference.
What Information We Collect
Greenheart collects Personal Information, which is information that on its own or in combination with other information may be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual. Examples include:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Username and password for our websites
- Credit card, other payment information and financial and economic information
- Social Security number or other government-issued identification number
- IP addresses
- Telephone number
- Social media account names
- Passport number or other similar travel-related information, such as a visa
- Personal interests, activities, hobbies, etc.
- Health-related information
- Family history
- Religious and philosophical affiliation
- Gender and/or sex
- Ethnicity
- Date of birth and/or birthday
- Country of citizenship
- Work and volunteer History
- Family information (e.g. names, email, phone numbers)
- Photographs and videos
- Education information (e.g. school attended, diplomas, transcripts)
- Extra-curricular Activities
Greenheart International collects other information that relates to you but does not identify you. Examples include clickstream data and web-browsing information (such as the date and time you visit a website, whether you click on various advertisements or links and the search terms you enter when using a website), and information about your computer, device and internet connection, and geographic location.
How We Collect Personal Information
We collect Personal Information from you in the following ways:
- When you register for one of our websites or submit an inquiry through one of our websites;
- When you complete and submit a paper or electronic form associated with Greenheart International;
- When you send us an email or use other features of one of our websites to contact or interact with us;
- When you contact us by telephone regarding Greenheart International; or
- Automatically when you visit Greenheart International websites (n.b., the only Personal Information we automatically collect is your IP address, which is only considered Personal Information in certain circumstances).
Distribution of Information
We may share information gathered by us from Greenheart International websites with governmental agencies or other companies assisting us in providing services to you. We may do so when:
- Permitted or required by law;
- We apply for or assist you in applying for a visa or other documentation necessary for you to participate in one of our programs;
- Interacting with third parties who are involved in, assist in the provision of or are otherwise involved with our programs, products, and services (e.g., host families, travel agencies, schools, U.S. Department of State); or
- Trying to protect against, prevent or investigate actual or potential fraud or unauthorized transactions.
Information provided under one of the four preceding bullet points will not be used by those receiving it for marketing purposes, unless specifically authorized by the user.
Third parties who provide webhosting services or other services that make possible the operation of Greenheart International websites and the services you request through the websites may have access to information that you provide us to the extent that those third parties require access to our databases to service the websites.
In connection with the sale or transfer of all or part of our assets, we reserve the right to transfer information we have obtained from or about you.
We are not responsible for any breach of security or for any actions of any third parties that receive information from us.
Transfer of Information
Greenheart International websites are hosted and maintained in the United States of America. Your Personal Information may be transmitted to countries outside of the European Economic Area, including the United States of America. You can obtain details of the mechanism under which your personal data is transferred outside the EU by contacting us. If your Personal Information is transferred outside the European Economic Area to third party service providers, we will take steps to ensure that your Personal Information receives the same level of protection as if it remained within the European Economic Area, including by entering into data transfer agreements using the European Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses, or by relying on certification schemes such as the EU–US Privacy Shield.
Cookie/Tracking Technology – Use of Non-Personal Information
Greenheart International websites use cookie and tracking technology to collect non-Personal Information. Our system also automatically gathers information about areas you visit on our websites, and about the links you select from within one of our websites to the other areas of the World Wide Web or elsewhere online. We use such information in the aggregate to understand how our users as a group use the services and resources provided on our websites. This way we know which areas of our websites are preferred by our users, which areas need improvement, and what technologies are being used so that we may continually improve our websites. Personal Information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if you previously provided us with your Personal Information, cookies may be tied to such information. Aggregate cookie and tracking information may be shared with third parties but that aggregate information does not identify individual website users. Our web servers do not record visitor email addresses unless that information is submitted by the visitor. We may determine what technology is available through your browser to provide you with the most appropriate version of a web page. Greenheart International uses Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Gravity Forms, Yoast, Formstack, Calendly, GoOverseas, and other web traffic tracking tools.
Links to Other Websites
Greenheart International websites contain links to other websites. These links are for your convenience. We do not control, endorse or review the privacy notices of other websites, which may be different than this privacy notice. You should review the privacy notice of other websites before choosing to disclose Personal Information.
Data Security
Greenheart takes steps to secure your Personal Information. We exercise care in providing secure transmissions when we need to transfer your Personal Information from our servers. Our websites use secure server software encryption, which is indicated by https in the url of the website. Encryption is a common method of ensuring that information remains private. Greenheart International cannot guarantee or warrant that the information that you transmit to us, or any communications is completely secure.
Retention of Personal Information
Greenheart International only retains data for as long as necessary for the purposes indicated in this privacy notice or for such other period as may be permitted or required by law.
Children’s Privacy
For children age 14-16, Greenheart International takes additional steps to protect their Personal Information. We do not intend to collect Personal Information from children aged 13 or younger. These additional steps include:
- Notifying parents about our privacy practices, including the types of Personal Information we may collect, how the Personal Information is used, and with whom (and how) it is disclosed;
- Obtaining consent from the parent for the collection of Personal Information, which may be done in a paper format;
- Collecting and storing only the Personal Information reasonably necessary for the purpose we for which we are receiving it; and
- Providing parents with the right to request access to or a copy of their children’s Personal Information.
Trademarks
The marks Greenheart, Greenheart Heart Logo, and Sobresmesa are either registered or unregistered trademarks of Greenheart International. All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized use is prohibited.
Your Rights
Certain jurisdictions provide their residents or citizens with certain rights about their Personal Information. These may include the right to request access to the data we hold about you, to obtain a copy of your Personal Information, to request that your Personal Information be erased, to correct inaccurate information, to ask us to restrict how we process your Personal Information, or to withdraw your consent to our processing of your Personal Information. Your individual rights will depend on your residency and citizenship.
Please contact us using the following information for more information about this privacy notice, to notify us of a concern or complaint, or to exercise any of the individual rights you may have.
Data Protection Officer
By mail: 742 N LaSalle Dr. Chicago, IL 60654 Suite 300, USA
By email: click here
By phone: +1 312-944-2544
Additionally, all marketing emails and newsletters from Greenheart International allow you to opt out of further correspondence. You can do so by clicking the link within the emails, which will guide you on how to opt-out.
Hello! I am in eighth grade and I want to study abroad in Germany when I am old enough. But I have been homeschooled for the past 2 years and I was wondering if I can still be accepted into a public high school in Germany?
Hi Stella,
Every home school program is different, so we recommend scheduling a call with a staff member to further understand your circumstances. All of our partner organizations require students to have some type of transcript, so do keep that in mind.
Hello! I am from the United States and have been homeschooled in ninth grade, and am starting my 10th grade year also homeschooled. I have just begun considering going into a Japanese Highschool in 11th grade. How exactly would I go about that? Is it possible to get into a Japanese highschool after being homeschooled?
Hi Breana,
Unfortunately our partners in Japan do not accept students who have been homeschooled for more than a year. However, you may still be eligible for our teen summer language camp in Japan: https://greenhearttravel.org/program/teen/language-camps/japanese
If I have a host family that I know already would I go to the same school as the other student id be living with or would I have to go to a different school?
We accept direct placements on a case-by case basis. It depends on the availability of local support in the region of your preferred host family.
Hi! So I used to go to public school and near the end of 2019 I became a homeschool student, I would really want to go to Australia for my senior year and learn at a high-school, but I have no idea if I can or if thats impossible. It would be really nice if I could aha.
If I have a host family that I know already would I go to the same school as the other student id be living with or would I have to go to a different school?
Hi Lily,
This depends on the country as well as host school availability. Some host schools do not take international students, unfortunately. Although we can sometimes help coordinate direct placements on a case-by-case basis, they may not always work out due to availability of host schools.
Hi Lily!
We’d love to chat more about your interest in going to Australia. Feel free to schedule a call and learn more about our high school abroad program in Australia here: https://greenhearttravel.org/programs/teen/high-school-abroad
Hi, my name is Ava.
I’m in eighth grade going into ninth and I’ve wanted to do go on exchange since I was nine, so I’ve been talking to my parents about it for a long time and they think I should do it in my sophomore or Junior year but I’m homeschooled
And I’ve heard most programs require you to go to a real school, with this program can I still do an exchange year even if I’m homeschooled?
Also whenever it says you need a certain amount of language instruction does it have to be instruction from a teacher or tutor or can it just be self study? And do you have to take a placement test?
Hi Ava,
It depends on what country you are interested in going to. Some do have a placement test to make sure you are at an appropriate language level. Partner organizations prefer that you have a tutor/teacher to write you a letter of recommendation, but we always encourage additional self-study!
Hi Ava!
Some programs do take homeschooled students. We recommend scheduling a call to discuss your interests and potential opportunities to travel with Greenheart! (link found on the program page you are interested in).
Hello my name is Linnea Reck Beauchamp!
I am currently going into 10th grade and I am thinking about being a foreign exchange student next year for 11th grade. I would like to go to Germany. I have no idea how applying to be a foreign exchange student works; like finding a program, host family, etc. I am home schooled and have been for 3 years. The thing is, if I stay doing home schooled all throughout high school, I get a scholarship from my school. Can I be home schooled in Germany? What I do on my computer here in America, could I do the same thing just in another country? Or do I absolutely have to attend a public highschool?
Thanks so much,
Linnea Reck
Hello! Sorry for the delay. For more information on our programs, please reach out to our email travelabroad@greenheart.org. Cheers, Greenheart Travel
Can I go to a high school in Japan if I am homeschooled?
Yes! We accept homeschooled students!
If I’m homeschooled can I go to a public highschool abroad ?
Yes!
Do you have anything available for middle school students (ages 12-14?
Thanks for asking! Our Volunteer in Costa Rica for teens program would be a good option! Let us know if you have any specific questions: https://greenhearttravel.org/program/teen/volunteer/costa-rica-animal-rescue. We’d be happy to help!
What is the price to attend highschool
Hello! You can find pricing for all of our high school programs by selecting them from this page: https://greenhearttravel.org/programs/teen/high-school-abroad.