Camp America is the original summer camp organisation, placing thousands of summer camp staff at hundreds of camps across the USA since 1969. 

For 9-12 weeks every summer, millions of kids attend thousands of summer camps across the USA. To make sure these kids have a summer they’ll never forget, Camp Directors search far and wide for fun and friendly staff who will share their camp’s values and create an inclusive environment. This includes making new friends, sharing new experiences, developing new skills and being outside! By the lake, by the pool, in the fields or in the forest – there’s adventure everywhere.

The Camps start between 1st May and 20th June and run for 9-12 weeks.

Camp America is the chance to do something different with your summer, living and working either with children as an activity leader/counselor or ‘behind the scenes’ as support staff, on an American Summer Camp!

In terms of broadening your horizons, seeing another country in a whole new light, meeting new people, travelling to new places and adding vital experience to your CV, Camp America provides an excellent cultural exchange programme. Nearly 8,000 applicants around the world are placed every year.

The type of work on camp directly relates to your skills and interests. For example, if you are a keen swimmer who lifeguards, there will be positions at camp to suit you.

It is a visa regulation that participants must be 18 when they fly to the United States, therefore Camp America does not accept applications from people who are not 18 by 15th of June.

 You can start your application before you turn 18 as long as your birthday is within the full application season and before 15th June.

Applying early can help with gaining a place. 

The recruitment season opens in August-September with almost 8,000 positions available. With each passing day that number decreases, so the earlier you apply the better!

Job Fairs

Fast track your application at a Camp America Job Fair! Join them for the opportunity to meet camps across the USA and get hired on the spot.

You are more than welcome to have a look at camps you like the look of who are in partnership with Camp America and reach out. Many of them attend the Camp America Recruitment Fairs that you could sign up to. Then you can meet the Camp Directors in person and have an interview there and then. Many applicants are hired on the spot at the fairs and they are a great way to meet other applicants and speak with many camps

See more information here : https://www.campamerica.co.uk/how-it-works/job-fairs

Apply in 4 steps 

1. Apply online 

Applying for Camp America is designed to be as easy as possible. The entire application process is broken up into step-by-step bitesize pieces, letting you work through it at your own pace in your own time. It starts with just some basic details and confirming your availability for the summer

In your application they will ask you to provide your availability dates for the Summer of 2025. 

You must provide your work and education history, skill set, camp preferences, personal contact details and some brief medical questions.

 Then you are required to complete an interview with one of our interviewers.

2. Interview 

You will need to choose a date and time, 

Click here for interview question examples:

https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/camp-counsellor-interview-questions

3. Pay your deposit 

At the same time you book your interview slot, you’ll also pay your deposit. You don’t need to pay everything in one go, and this is just the first payment to help get your application underway.

4. Placement and next steps

Once you’ve been approved by your interviewer, your application is live for camps to snap you up for the summer. Enhance your application further with photos, videos and any certification, and prepare to get some admin done and pay a few more cost instalments. We’ll send you instructions about police checks, medical forms and your important J-1 visa. 

Once your application is complete it is then viewable to the camps we work with. There is no set time on how long it takes before a placement is found. This will depend on the skills you offer, your availability date and your supporting documents. Placements can sometimes come quickly and for others they may have to wait months. Please note that not all applicants will be offered a placement.

The camps will contact you directly if they are interested in your application and arrange an interview with you.

The Visa process officially begins in January for placed participants. Once you accept your placement, your references have been checked and approved, and your police check has been received, your visa process will begin!

The price of the programme includes:

• Travel to your camp, including flights from London and other major global cities that we recruit in. (Other gateways come with additional costs.)

• Return flights from New York to your city of departure.

• Accommodation and food for your entire stay on camp.

• Pocket money.

• Group International Accident & Sickness Coverage for your entire stay in the USA.

EXAMPLE United Kingdom Fee for 2023/24 

First Time Applicants & repeat applicants to a new camp - with a Camp America Flight

• Total Camp America Fee £659 paid in 3 instalments:

• 1st Instalment £55 – non-refundable, due pre-interview

• 2nd Instalment £ 180 - due within 4 weeks of interview.

• 3rd Instalment £424 – due when placement is confirmed.

https://www.campamerica.co.uk/help-centre/terms-and-conditions

Deposit 

Unfortunately, the first deposit is non-refundable. However, if you have paid further Camp America fees, we will be able to refund these. We cannot refund any third-party payments you’ve made such as police check fees. The refund is automatically processed back to the account that you have made your payments from.

For more information :https://www.campamerica.co.uk/how-it-works/costs

Your time at camp is over – what next? Your J-1 visa grants you up to 30 days to stay in the USA after camp and travel.

Your after-camp travel is completely independent from your work placement at camp. As long as it’s within the 30 days granted by your visa, where you go and what you do in the USA is entirely up to you! Most participants start Camp America with a rough idea of travel plans, but once you make new friends at camp (both American and international) you might find new opportunities and inspired ideas with the best local knowledge.

For more information : https://www.campamerica.co.uk/the-experience/travel