♦Who can sponsor a student?
A. Anyone who has a desire to enable a student to receive a Christian education in a foreign national school. Sponsors include:
- Individuals
- Families
- Schools
- Groups of students from the same class or school
- Churches or groups within a church
- Businesses
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♦How is ACSI sponsorship unique?
A. The ACSI Student Sponsorship program goes beyond just meeting practical needs. It provides a Christian education, a chance to know God, develop a biblical worldview, and learn life skills. This education sends a positive ripple effect to families, cities, and countries—indeed the world.
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♦How much does it cost to sponsor a student?
A. The pledge amount for one year of sponsorship per student is $336. This breaks down to $84 per quarter or $28 per month.
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♦Can I sponsor more than one student?
A. Yes. You may sponsor as many students as you choose.
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♦Are my sponsorship contributions tax-deductible?
A. Your entire sponsorship payment of $336 per student per pledge year is tax-deductible in the United States. However, the monetary gifts sent for birthdays and Christmas are not tax- deductible. Each January, sponsors receive a statement with the total amount of giving for the previous calendar year. The receipt lists what contributions are deductible and which are not.
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♦Will I be the only person sponsoring my student?
A. Yes. The student you support has just one sponsor—you! The student knows your name and treasures the relationship with you.
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♦How long do I sponsor a student?
A. You may sponsor a student as long as you wish. Your commitment is ongoing. The healthiest sponsorship relationships are those that last until the student graduates. One of the greatest benefits of sponsorship is to build a long, lasting relationship. The long-term effect of the Christian education you provide for these students is crucial.
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♦How can I communicate with my student?
A. You can send letters, post cards, and photos. They are a precious treasure to your student. Sending birthday, Christmas, and Easter cards mean more than you can possibly imagine.
All correspondence, whether from a sponsor or a student, is filtered through ACSI for security and accountability purposes. Details about how correspondence works between the sponsor and the student are explained in the ACSI Student Sponsorship Manual that is sent to all sponsors.
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♦Will my student write to me?
A. Students are typically more likely to write personal notes if they first hear from their sponsors. Nurturing a relationship with your student through writing is one of the most positive things you can do for your student. Letter writing also encourages students to develop literacy skills and their ability to express their thoughts and feelings.
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♦Is the school year of my student different than mine?
A. In most cases, your student’s school year may be different than the school year in the United States. If you sponsor students from more than one country, the correspondence you receive will be sent to you at different times of the year.
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♦How else can I learn about my student?
A. We rely on the overseas schools to provide us with at least five pieces of correspondence each year from every sponsored student. You will receive a photograph, a personal biography, a Christmas note, a thank you note, and a student progress report during the course of the year.
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♦May I send gifts to my student?
A. We encourage you to send cards and paper-flat objects to your students, like stickers or pictures of your family.
If you wish to send your child a monetary gift for Christmas or their birthday, please do not let it exceed $10.
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♦What if my student leaves the program?
A. When students leave the program, we rely on the international schools to inform us. We then notify the sponsor and give them the opportunity to sponsor a replacement child.
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♦How do students receive their support?
A. It is important for sponsors to be aware that ACSI Student Sponsorship sends the collected funds to the international schools on a quarterly basis. The quarters run as follows:
1st quarter: July through September
2nd quarter: October through December
3rd quarter: January through March
4th quarter: April through June
More details about how this works are included in ACSI Student Sponsorship Manual that is sent to all sponsors.
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♦From what countries may I choose a student?
A. Currently, sponsors provide an education to students in these countries in these regions:
- Africa—Cote d’ivore, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania
- Asia—Philippines, Tonga, India
- CIS/Baltic States—Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, Ukraine
- Latin America—Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ecuador
- Middle East—West Bank, Micronesia, Israel
- South America—Brazil
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♦Why should I participate?
A. You have the opportunity to make a difference, when it counts the most.
- It is a wonderful way for you to develop a long-lasting relationship with a student from another part of the world.
- Your personal encouragement may be all your sponsored student needs to find salvation in Christ and then to lead his or her own family to know Him.
- It is an effective tool to teach stewardship and a Christian worldview to your own children.
As a sponsor you can:
- Exchange letters and photos
- Form a friendship with your student
- Encourage your student’s spiritual growth
- Watch your student develop through the years
- Affirm your student’s value and potential as a child of God
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♦How do I get started?
A. It’s easy. Fill out the student sponsorship form and mail it to the specified address with your first month’s payment.
OR
Select Sponsor A Student and choose a child. If you do not see a child you are interested in, you can still make your first month’s payment and in the “notes” section of the giving process indicate the age, gender and country or region of the child you wish to sponsor (see above for available regions and countries). Follow the instructions given there.
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