Need to know / Summer camp
Think you can’t afford to travel over the summer? Think again
USIT Staff
Mar 31
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Spend your summer living, earning and having the time of your life as an Activity Specialist or Camp Counsellor in the USA. Job placement and new BFFs included.
On the fence?
Let’s talk
Book now for 2025 with USD $250 extra camp pocket money!
Sunshine state of mind
Camp USA is your chance to explore new ground, develop your skills over one life-changing summer and come home with a ton of experience to add to your CV. You’ll find yourself leading campfire stories, organising battles, manning ziplines and maybe even becoming a morning person. You’ll leave camp having made friends for life, by sharing an experience that can be difficult to put into words. (We’re up for giving it a go though – read on).
Why USIT Camp USA?
Funded summer
Fund you summer abroad with two months (Jun-Aug) working at summer camp in the sunny USA, with 30 days after camp to travel around America.
Highest salaries
USIT has one of the highest first-time camp salaries – USD $2,250. Plus, with meals and accommodation included, most people save money at camp.
Camp matching
We’re one of the only camp providers where you can directly connect with US camps and pitch for the roles you want, rather than take what you’re given.
18-30 years
No need to be a student
2-3 months (Jun-Sep)
Minimum USD $2,250 salary
Job placement included
Meals and accommodation
From €449
Need to know
We do the works – providing the job, visa sponsorship, camp application support and medical insurance you need to have an unforgettable summer working in the States.
Each June, camps in America open their gates to thousands of children and young adults. As early as November the year before, Camp Directors will start recruiting international 18-30 year olds to help run the camps. Whether you're coaching soccer, teaching pottery or being the older sibling a camper never had – it’s the chance to live in one-off locations, positively impact the lives of young people, and get paid to do the activities you love.
This isn’t our first rodeo. All our Camp USA team have been to camp and we’ve been running USA cultural exchanges for over 60 years. Whether you’re a first-timer or camp returner, we help take care of everything.
About the visa
Who can apply
To work at summer camp in America, you’ll need a J1 visa. This allows you to work at camp for up to nine weeks between Jun-Aug (depending on your camp dates), plus travel for 30 days afterwards.
The J1 visa consists of an online application and an in-person visa appointment at the US Embassy. The visa cost is currently USD $185 – paid directly to the embassy.
Most nationalities can apply for camp. You just need to be:
Must be able to provide proof of supporting funds, usually USD $800 in the form of a bank statement.
How we help
To apply for your J1 visa, you need a US sponsor. Together with our visa sponsor in America, we provide all the checks and documentation to apply for your J1 visa. We then guide you step-by-step through your visa application and embassy interview.
Types of camps
We work with over 900 camps across the States.
Blessed with all-American ‘Parent Trap’ good looks, most summer camps are located in incredible locations with activities spread across lakes and forests. You’ll usually have 1-2 days off a week to explore, and meals and accommodation are included at camp. Depending on the camp, accommodation might be in cabins, bunkhouses, dormitories or permanent tents; and be staff-only or shared with your campers.
Picked for their ethos and the experience they offer for staff and campers, all the camps we work with are accredited by the American Camps Association (ACA) and broadly fall into the below categories:
Private camps
The traditional ‘find your long-lost twin’ camp experience, these are the most typical summer camps in America and have often been family-run for decades. They’re usually in lakefront locations with a strong emphasis on sports, the creative arts and the outdoors. From lifeguarding to rock band, there’s often over 50 activities to get involved in.
Non-profit camps
Providing a more affordable camp experience and scholarship places for children from lower-income families, like private camps, non-profit camps are often located in inspiring locations with an emphasis on empowering young people to grow their skills. Both the impact you have and your own personal growth can be higher at these camps.
Disability camps
Disability camps are focused on providing an accessible camp experience for young people with differing physical and learning needs. With adapted sports and activities, they replicate a traditional camp experience but with smaller groups and one-on-one support – meaning your connection with your campers can be much stronger.
Girl Scout camps
Run by Girl Scouts of the USA, these camps are female only camps – although they may hire male and female staff. There’s a strong emphasis on adventure, the outdoors and connecting with nature – empowering young women to build their teamwork skills and support each other through activities and problem-solving exercises.
Religious camps
Faith based camps are common in the USA, and don’t usually require counsellors to share the same religious background. The level of taught religious values varies, with many just promoting traditional camp values of kinship and teamwork. Like all camps, they’re usually in stunning locations and teach a wide range of activities.
Roles at camps
Types of roles
Camp Directors recruit for Camp Counsellors, Activity Specialists and hybrid roles where you do a bit of everything. It’s an opportunity to either turn your hobbies into paid work – teaching tennis, watersports, horseriding, climbing, art, theatre, gymnastics and everything in-between. Or if you’re looking to pursue a career in childcare or education, gain experience working with young people. As well as being the most fun thing you can do with your summer, you’ll also learn a heap of leadership and problem-solving skills – all things that will look great on your CV when you return home and start job hunting.
Your role
Working at camp, your main job is to make camp a fun and safe environment for your campers. So basically, you have fun and make sure others do too. You’ll be responsible for their day-to-day wellbeing – getting them to meals on time, helping to run activities and supervising rest times. Sometimes you'll be building fires, other times you'll be putting ones out. With training done when you arrive, most positions don’t require any previous qualifications. Just bags of enthusiasm, the ability to think on your feet, and a willingness to dive in and live life to the fullest.
How we help
You can’t apply for your J1 visa until you have a camp position secured. With most camp providers, you go into a placement pool where you’re picked up by a camp – giving you little or no control over where you end up. The Camp Connect platform allows you to view positions, pitch yourself to Camp Directors and request video interviews for the roles you want. Or you can go into the placement pool and wait to get picked. Your choice!
How it works
1. Apply online First, check you’re eligible in the visa tab above, pay your deposit, and wait for our team to get in touch to set up a camp interview. Nothing scary, it’s just to assess your suitability for the summer camp program. Plus, your chance to ask any questions.
2. Get hired We’ll set you up on the Camp Connect portal where you’ll fill out a profile. Camp Directors can contact you for video interviews, and vice versa. Plus, we have regular virtual hiring events where you can connect face-to-camera with camps to get hired.
3. Sponsorship application Once hired, we’ll start the sponsorship process to secure your DS2019 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor status) which is needed to apply for your visa. This can take up to eight weeks. We’ll then guide you through the J1 visa application process.
4. US Embassy interview We’ll help you arrange and prepare for your in-person embassy interview. Be prepared for them to keep your passport for around two weeks. Once approved, you can collect your passport or have it couriered – depending on what you’ve arranged.
5. High fives, you’re off to camp! We host weekly pre-departure group calls with live Q&As to answer all your questions and make sure you’re camp ready. You’ll usually arrive at camp 5-10 days before your campers to do your in-person training (camp dependent).
What’s included
First-time inclusions €449
Returner inclusions €419
Full support from our Camp Crew from start to finish
The money bit
What’s not included
Support funds
You may be required to show proof that you can access USD $800.
Travel insurance for camp
We include medical insurance during your camp placement, but you must take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover against the rest of your trip. For example, flight delays, cancellation and curtailment, personal belongings, legal costs, adventure sports, and more.
Flights
We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved.
Travel after camp
Talk to us about where you can go and what you can do.
Garda background check (if required)
This is free at your local Garda station.
US visa fee Irish passport holders
This is paid directly to the US Embassy and currently costs USD $185.
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Get paid to do the things you love
Superpower: Leadership
Wanted: Activity Specialists
Skills: Whether you’re coaching track or teaching art, this is about bringing your passion to life for your campers. You’ll need to be motivated and enthusiastic, enhancing their skills and growing their confidence – all while practicing the activity you love.
Skills: Whether you’re coaching track or teaching art, this is about bringing your passion to life for your campers. You’ll need to be motivated and enthusiastic, enhancing their skills and growing their confidence – all while practicing the activity you love.
Superpower: All rounder
Wanted: Camp Counsellors
Skills: As a friend, older sibling and herder of small people… you’ll need to have bags of energy, imagination and creativity. You’ll do a bit of everything – helping to run activities and generally make sure your campers feel safe, happy and supported.
Skills: As a friend, older sibling and herder of small people… you’ll need to have bags of energy, imagination and creativity. You’ll do a bit of everything – helping to run activities and generally make sure your campers feel safe, happy and supported.
Superpower: Compassion
Wanted: Disability Camp Counsellors
Skills: You'll need to be patient and committed. And more importantly, leave your perceptions of what’s possible at the front gate. One of the most challenging but rewarding roles at camp, you’ll learn as much about yourself as you teach to others.
Skills: You'll need to be patient and committed. And more importantly, leave your perceptions of what’s possible at the front gate. One of the most challenging but rewarding roles at camp, you’ll learn as much about yourself as you teach to others.
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Camp USA - What we say
Meet Roisin - one of our USIT happy campers (AKA, the team behind the scenes who support you step-by-step with your Camp USA application). Having spent three summers at camp before joining the USIT team, she's an expert on all things camp and America. Here's the need to know on who, when and how to apply.
Camp USA - What you say
Sure, camp is hard work and full on. But it’s also the most rewarding thing you can do with your J1 summer. Your passion and commitment will be rewarded a hundred-fold with great laughs, fantastic friends and memories that'll stay with you long after summer's over. But don’t just take our word for it – hear what some of our Camp Counsellors have to say.
Camp USA - What our Insider says
Meet our USIT Camp Insider, Kiera. Who after doing a J1 in summer ‘22, switched camps for summer ’23 to work as a camp rock counsellor at Camp Lindenmere in Pennsylvania. Watch her first episode on surviving orientation week, meeting her best friend, and how camp will always have her heart. Here to give you the inside intel on camp life, follow @usittravel for more episodes, FAQs and takeovers.
Read all about it
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