Okay, so, if you have read my blog post about how to be a camp counselor, you will know you cant just simply apply through a camp’s website if you don’t live in America. You have to apply through a sponsorship company and they will be your J-1 Visa sponsor.
There are so many different companies that you can apply through to be a camp counselor in the US. They all play the same role in your camp counselor experience. Most companies set up job fairs, give you travel deals and help you apply for your visa. The only differences are how much you pay to the company and how much money you can earn from camp. Each company sets how much you will earn while you’re at camp, and obviously the more the better. When I was doing my research I created this table of my top three company to go with, and now I want to share it with you.
Camp Counselor Companies to go with:
Company: CCUSA
Time:7-11weeks
Cost: $499-$774aud (depending on when you pay)
Salary: $1650USD+
Additional costs: J-1 Visa $400aud, Police check $42aud, Medical check $100+
Included extras: 4months travel insurance, free sim card
https://www.ccusa.com.au/
Company: Camp America
Time: 7-12weeks
Cost: $699-$899 (depending on when you pay)
Salary: $1250USD+
Additional Costs: J-1 Visa $400aud, Police check $42aud, Medical check $100+
Included extras: Insurance, free US sim card
https://www.campamerica.com.au/
Company: Camp Leaders
Time: 7-10weeks
Cost: $499-$799 (depending on when you pay)
Salary: $1650USD+
Additional Costs: J-1 Visa $400aud, Police check $42aud, Medical check $100+, Reciprocal passport fee $105
Included extras: 90days Travel Insurance
https://www.campleaders.com/au/
All three companies are very similar in what you need to pay out before you go to camp, and again similar in what you will earn while at camp. The way I chose what company was right for me was by reading reviews online and choosing the company that had the highest salary for me.
I chose to apply through CCUSA after reading the amazing reviews, as well as reading through their entire website. I found out that if you have any certificates or qualifications you can be paid more as well. This is the same for some other companies, but for me, CCUSA paid the most. So far I have had the best experience with CCUSA. They call me to see how I am going, have sent instructions on how to apply for the visa, they also set up job fairs where I even managed to get a job!
Choosing a company to sponsor you is completely your choice and some companies will be a better fit for you than others. Do your research!
Which company did you go through? and why? Let me know by leaving a comment.
