Foundation for the Education of Rural Children

Sponsorship Questions & Answers

How will my sponsorship help? →

How much is the sponsorship and how do I contribute my money? →

Is my contribution tax deductable? →

Is my contribution refundable? →

Can the cost of sponsorship rise? →

What can I expect from my sponsorship? →

Can I visit the student independently? →

Can I write to the student? →

Can I give presents to the student? →

Will all my money be used to help the student l’m sponsoring? →

What if the student does not complete the full 3 years? →

Am I under any obligation? →

How can l leave a lasting legacy? →

How will my sponsorship help?

In Thailand, basic education is free, but parents do have to pay some of the associated costs: uniform, transport, etc. Many young people have to leave school at the age of 15 because their parents simply cannot afford to keep them at school tor a further three years. This usually means they lose the opportunity to continue with higher education or undertake further training that will lead to more rewarding employment.

Your sponsorship will allow a student to stay at school and hopefully go on to success and have a better quality of life in the future. A FERC scholarship changes lives. Not only for this student but also, for their family and, often, their entire community. You can change a life.

How will my sponsorship help?

In Thailand, basic education is free, but parents do have to pay some of the associated costs: uniform, transport, etc. Many young people have to leave school at the age of 15 because their parents simply cannot afford to keep them at school tor another three years. This usually means they lose the opportunity to continue with higher education or undertake further training that will lead to more rewarding employment.

How much is the sponsorship and how do I contribute my money?

The 3-year sponsorship amount is 6,000 Thai Baht per semester or 12,000 baht per year for a total of 36,000 baht. That’s about $355/€ 325 per year or $1,065/€ 975 for 3 years. You can pay the full amount for 3 years of sponsorship in one go, or you can also choose to pay in 3 annual installments of 12,000 baht. The way you can pay depends on the country where you live. We will send you all details once you have signed up as a sponsor.

Is my contribution tax deductable?

• Are you an individual or business with a Thailand Tax ID Number? Your donations may be tax deductible. Please contact us for full details.

• lf you are a US citizen and a taxpayer, tax money is deductible through our affiliation agreement with Give2Asia. Australians can contact Give2Asia/Australia. Please contact us for more information.

• Please note: The sponsorship money is deemed to be a donation and is not therefore, refundable.

Is my contribution refundable?

The sponsorship money is deemed to be a donation and is not therefore, refundable.

Can the cost of sponsorship rise?

lf it is deemed necessary to increase the annual sponsorship figure, existing sponsors will continue to contribute at their existing rate for the full three years. Sponsors have the option of increasing their contribution amount in line with any increase, if they so wish.

What can I expect from my sponsorship?

You will receive letters twice a year, in May and November, updating you on the student’s progress in school and their future plans. All Sponsors also receive our regular Newsletter to keep them up to date with FERC activities.

Can I visit the student independently?

lf you are a resident in the Chiang Mai area, we will invite you to attend our scholarship presentations. You’ll have the opportunity to meet with your student then. We don’t encourage contact outside of these events. We do not release the home addresses of students to their sponsor.

Can I write to the student?

Yes, but we always ask the student to agree to this first and to allow us to release their contact details to the sponsor.

Note: Not every student has a telephone or internet at home, so written communication would have to be sent to the school.

Please keep letters or emails brief, warm and friendly. You might want to describe your family, your work and hobbies, or how you celebrate special occasions. Please avoid polities and religion or being too familiar.
We do not pressure students to write back to their sponsors, so we cannot guarantee that they will respond. We do encourage them to write. Some students may be too shy to write, especially if they are not confident in their English skills.

Note: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the contact details in the medium to long-term. A student may change their contact details over the three years but forget to inform us.

Can I give presents to the student?

Our work benefits many students from different schools so you are welcome to bring a gift to the award ceremony that can be shared with the other students.

Will all my money be used to help the student l’m sponsoring?

Yes! All dedicated sponsorship money goes only to providing scholarships. FERC operates with low administration costs (less than 4%). Operational costs come from general funds and often donations by members of the Advisory Committee. The full amount of sponsorship money is awarded to the student in two installments, one in May and one in November.

Click here to see our financial statements

What if the student does not complete the full 3 years?

The FERC Advisory Committee reserves the right to allocate any remaining funding to another student who has been approved by the Selection Committee.

Am I under any obligation?

You decide the length of your commitment, but a 3-year commitment is most helpful to the student. lf you decide to discontinue the sponsorship please just let us know. FERC will assume the full financial responsibility for the completion of the student’s scholarship.

How can l leave a lasting legacy?

It isn’t possible to leave a gift in your Will to your sponsored student. You can, however, leave a gift to FERC and this will help us to continue our sponsorship program and support future generations. To ensure that FERC is able to honour your wishes, the wording of your Will is important. Please seek legal advice on this matter.