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Travel like you mean it. Working holidays
and internships worldwide.

Work and travel abroad experts

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BUNAC

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All the inspo and intel 

Summer Camp

Travel Talk

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From friendship bracelet skills to ice cream parties. Here's what camp returner Zoë is hoping to achieve this summer...

20 things to add to your summer camp bucket list

Need to Know

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Want a cheat sheet on how to land that summer camp job in 2024? Happy camper Victoria is here to help...

5 tried and tested tips to help you get hired at summer camp

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What it's actually like to go to the US Embassy for your J-1 visa from someone who has been five times.

What to expect at your J-1 visa appointment 

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Life lessons around the campfire. Roadtester Hannah shares her adventure at summer camp in Maine and beyond...

Why summer camp in the USA was worth every cent

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Campfires, canoe races, and countless lessons learned - here's the inside scoop on what to know before you go...

5 things I wish I knew before working at summer camp

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Those post-summer camp blues are REAL (and suck) but four-time camper Victoria is here to help you through them. 

How to deal with post-camp blues

Staff Stories

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It’s a camp off! Our BUNAC staff are raising the flag for the summer camps they’ve worked at. 

Which summer camps in America are the best?

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We're the team who've been. Team talk and travel tips from BUNAC Sales Expert and camp returner, Amy.

My advice to summer camp USA first-timers 

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Rewarding work, epic locations and unlimited s’mores. There’s a reason why summer is our favourite season.  

Where and what you can do at summer camp in America

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Lights, camera, read this blog to make sure your application gets all the action it deserves from Camp Directors. 

How to create a winning camp application video

Book now pay later with a lifetime deposit

To our BUNAC Camp Crew, summer camp is the happiest place on Earth. (Sorry Disney, you’re also quite fun). We’ve all worked at summer camp in America, and many of us still go back to camp each summer – returning with all the fresh first-hand info and intel. 

The team who’ve been

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Balancing profit with purpose, summer camp only works for us if it works for others too. BUNAC donates 5% of profits to our Youth Access Scholarship Fund so that young people from under-served and lower-income backgrounds can experience working at camp. Find out more and apply for scholarship funding.

Good to know

Most nationalities can apply, you’ll also need to be: 

- Aged 18-30 (you must be aged 18 by 1 June of the summer you are travelling)
- Able to fly to the USA before 20 June  
- Able to commit to the whole camp season, usually 8-12 weeks 
- Be a fluent English speaker with no criminal history 
- Have some prior experience working with children or young adults.  
- Have a passport that’s valid for at least six months beyond your stay 
- Have proof of an onward flight from the USA  

Am I eligible?

First-timer

Returner

To work at a summer camp in America, you need to be eligible for a J-1 cultural exchange visa. This allows you to work for the duration of your camp job – with 30 days before and after to travel. The application process for a J-1 visa consists of an online application and in-person interview at a US Embassy or Consulate in your home country. As well as going through the visa process themselves for their own summers at camp, our Camp Crew help hundreds of BUNAC-ers each year – so will support you step-by-step.

If this isn't your first rodeo at camp, read our FAQs to find out whether you need to apply as a first-timer or returner. 

**Most nationalities can go to camp – check below for the other eligibility requirements.**





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Who can apply for Summer Camp USA?

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New Zealand

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Australia

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Europe

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South Korea

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Global

Jenza

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Need academic credit as part of your degree or want to spend the summer getting ahead? Stand out from the crowd with a 1-12 month USA internship – with 30 days either side to travel. 

Sponsorship, visa support + medical cover included

Professional internships in America

18-30 | 1-12 month visa | Student + grad only

Intern USA 

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Full-time student? Spend your uni summer holidays earning $$ and exploring America with a pre-arranged three-month summer job in the States – with 30 days after to travel. 

 Job, sponsorship + visa support included

Work in the USA this summer   

Student only | 4-month visa | Summer job

Work USA 4 months

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Want to work in Canada for up to two years with visa support, a pre-arranged job, arrival nights, and all the nerdy tax and bank essentials sorted for you? Do Canadian bears *beep* in the woods? 


Ski season, summer or construction job included

Working holidays in Canada

18-30/35 | 24-month visa | Summer or ski job

Work Canada

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‘Bye friends’ waved Dorothy as she left for Oz on her JENZA working holiday – with visa processing, hostel nights, job support, new mates, and all the nerdy tax stuff included. 

Visa + 4 or 8-day intro in Sydney or Melbourne 

Working holidays in Australia

18-30/35 | 12+ month visa | Job support 

Work Australia

Meet our work + intern brand JENZA  

Book a video call with Amy - BUNAC Camp Expert, 3x camp alumni, and certified campaholic. 

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Camp Crew

What is summer camp in America?

Why work at summer camp in America?

How long is summer camp in America?

What dates do I have to be available to work at camp?

When do I need to apply for camp?

Do I need to be a student to work at camp?

Do I have to be 18 to go to camp?

Can I get hired with a friend?

Do I get time off when working at camp?

What is the accommodation like at camp?

What is the difference between a camp consultation and embassy interview? 

Can I choose my own camp?

Do I need childcare experience to work at camp?

What’s the difference between a first-timer and returner?

What visa do I need to work at camp in America?

What is a DS-2019 and why do I need a sponsor to work at camp? 

What is SEVIS?

If I choose not to accept my camp job, do I get a refund?

How much does summer camp cost?

Do I need to buy my own travel insurance?

Do I have to pay tax on my camp pocket money?

Can I apply for summer camp in America if I am a US passport holder?

What is the difference between JENZA camp, USIT camp and BUNAC camp?

Haven't seen your question here?

We’ve got answers

From Cali to Connecticut, we have 300+ American summer camps across 30 states in our hiring pool. When deciding where to go to camp, try to keep an open mind. It's a universal camp truth that wherever you end up, you'll come away thinking your camp was the greatest – and probably return year after year with a new camp tattoo. (Or was that just Niall, our Camp Co-Ordinator?). 

It's summer, so everywhere should be hot and sunny. And by their very nature, summer camps have a front row seat onto some of America’s most beautiful scenery. So, go for a camp job that best fits your interests – not a camp location that hits your bucket list. Save that for your travels after camp!

Locations 

Where can I go to summer camp?

What’s summer camp in America actually like? Why is everyone always covered in paint? And why give up your summer to live in the woods with a bunch of strangers? Each year, we send a camp roadtester out to feedback on our program so that we're constantly improving. Plus, bring you all the inside intel on life at camp.

Camp stories

The inside story on summer camp 

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Despite being the home of the doughnut, we're not going to sugar coat it. Camp is hard work. You've got to want to work with kids, love the outdoors, and mostly be ok with shaving foam pies to the face. But watching your campers grow in confidence, while also growing yourself? That's a summer job you won't find anywhere else.

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Is Summer Camp USA for me? 

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Employers and admissions tutors love to see summer camp on a resume. It shows you have the motivation to live and work overseas, can think on your feet, and have next level leadership and problem-solving skills. 

Good job!

Career bootcamp

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We know the most authentic voices come from our community. Whether you want to come on board as an ambassador, roadtester or as a one-off collaborator for blogs, vlogs or images – earn some extra $$ on the road with a content side hustle. 

Get it for free (ish)

Earn back your adventures

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You can get involved with 50+ arts, sports and activities at camp - so whatever your passion, you’ll find your people at camp. A summer of lakeside swims and campfire nights, it’s a way to step out of your comfort zone, travel with purpose, and get a bunk load of life experience.

Well played

Grab life by the footballs 

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If you go down to the woods today. You’ll find minimum USD $2,250 camp pocket money, the best 18-30s you’ve ever met, and the ultimate summer job working as a Camp Counsellor in America. 


Camp job, food + accommodation included

Summer Camp USA

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Here's why we de-camp Stateside every summer. 1. Spend nine weeks living and working in America. 2. Get paid to do what you love – from coaching sports to teaching crafts. 3. Give your CV a serious bootcamp. 4. Help shape the lives of children and young adults. 5. Finally understand what the third 'F’ in BFF stands for.

Why do summer camp in America?

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An all-American tradition, between Jun-Aug each year, children and teenagers from across America attend sleepaway camps for 1-8 weeks. From coast to coast, Camp Directors hire like-minded 18-30s from all over the world to help run the summer camps. It’s the chance to work abroad each summer, make lifelong friends, and turn your passion into a paid job. 

Working at camp in America is one of the most affordable ways to fund your summer overseas. BUNAC has one of the lowest program costs and highest first-timer salaries. Plus, meals and accommodation are included at camp.

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Earn money

Summer camp is the ultimate way to see the world – without having to take a year out or use up a working holiday visa. You’ll have 1-2 days off a week, plus 30 days after camp to let your beach hair down and travel around America.

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Explore America

As an older sibling, role model and impromptu talent show costume maker – you'll directly impact the lives of your campers. While also getting a CV crash course in leadership and teamwork skills that future employers will love.

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Make a difference 

Victoria | What is camp?

Anna | What I got from camp

Jess | Why camp was the best decision I ever made

Nora | Working as a photographer at camp

Over 300 American camps in our hiring pool 

As early as October, Camp Directors start recruiting for General Counsellors, Activity Counsellors and Additional Needs Counsellors – or a hybrid role where you do a bit of everything. As a first-timer working at summer camp, you'll earn at least USD $2,250 for the summer – with meals and accommodation included. You'll need some childcare experience to work at camp, but talk to us about what that entails – as many people have relevant experience without realising it. All training is done at camp during your orientation – which typically takes place in June a week before your campers arrive. 

General Counsellor jobs are usually the first roles to be filled - so we recommend applying early and being open to accepting your first job interview. In the words of Adam, 8x camp alumni and our Head of Operations:

**"Everyone leaves camp thinking theirs is the best. And it's not because of the facilities or even the location, it's about the experience. Every camp has something incredible to offer. So say yes to any opportunity you get and don't be distracted thinking you need to consider lots of different camps."**

