InterExchange Camp USA Fees and Stipends
The fees you charge and refunds you permit a participant must be submitted to InterExchange and approved before the application process can begin. Any fees charged to the IC by InterExchange (including insurance and SEVIS fee/s) are outlined in your individual IC Agreement. All possible fees and refunds must be made known to participants before they submit their applications.
You may offer discounts for your participants. If you choose to do so, below are some examples of potential incentives:
- $100 early bird discount for Camp Placement participants between October 1 and January 1
- $50 refer-a-friend discount
- $50 discount if applicant came through another organization last year.
*Participants are insured for their contract/work dates. Additional insurance can be purchased for any time spent in the United States during the 30 day travel/grace period.
What Do Participants Get for Their Money?
Before a participant pays the program fee, he or she must understand what is and is not included. Below are the standard lists of what InterExchange Camp USA does and does not offer. Your organization’s list may be slightly different. For example, if an applicant has to pay a flight supplement, then you need to explain why your fees do not match those in our literature. As one of our International Cooperators, you’ll need to provide documents that clearly outline all charges and financial policies in your organization’s promotional literature; InterExchange and participants must be aware of all fees in advance, as required by the U.S. Department of State.
What the InterExchange Camp USA Program Fee Includes
Pre-selection orientation and interview — U.S. Department of State regulations dictate that all participants must attend an orientation and be interviewed before they can participate in the InterExchange Camp USA program. We have created an Online Orientation Video that we can track and record views within a participant’s account. For more information, please see the sections on orientation and interviews.
One placement offer — InterExchange Camp USA expects to find one placement for each participant accepted into the Camp Placement program. If applicants decline placements, we will try to replace them, but there is no guarantee that new positions will be found.
J-1 Visa documentation –– InterExchange Camp USA will provide you (the IC) with a DS-2019 Form and a SEVIS receipt for each applicant. Once an applicant has accepted a camp placement offer and paid all fees, that applicant may collect his or her DS-2019 Form and SEVIS receipt from you. The DS-2019 Form allows the applicant to apply for a J-1 Visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and the SEVIS receipt proves that the mandatory SEVIS fee has been paid.
Round-trip transatlantic flight — You can provide flights for your participants if would like to do so. InterExchange will reimburse your office a set amount for any participant who chooses this option. All participants should fly to the airport selected by their camp. Self-Travel participants are responsible for their own travel. Self-Travel participants will receive a higher stipend than those who select to have their flights arranged by their International Cooperator. All participants should share their flight details with their employer by entering them into their online account.
Arrival assistance — InterExchange Camp USA does not provide airport pickups. We will provide participants with detailed instructions on how to get to camp from the airport they’ve been instructed to arrive. An InterExchange representative can provide travel instructions and answer the participants’ questions by calling InterExchange Camp USA at 1.800.597.1722. A participant can also visit our office at 100 Wall Street if they would like in-person assistance.
Transportation to camp — Prior to departure, the participant will receive specific travel instructions supplied by their camp. This will be available to them as soon as they are placed. These travel instructions can be found in their online account. Participants must arrive with a minimum of $250 USD to cover food, travel, and other incidentals.
Program supervision — InterExchange Camp USA will provide 24-hour support to all participants for the duration of the program, including post-camp travel time.
Travel time after camp — Every participant who successfully completes his or her camp commitment is entitled to travel within the United States for up to thirty days (also known as the grace period). The latest any participant can remain in the U.S. is October 14. If participants are students, they should arrange to be home to start classes on time.
InterExchange Camp USA Participant Handbook and Inside the USA Guide — These annual publications detail essential information for participants to use before, during, and after camp.
Certificate of Completion — Upon request, InterExchange Camp USA provides confirmation of participation in and successful completion of the Camp USA program.
What the InterExchange Camp USA Program Fee Does Not Include
U.S. Embassy Fee — The U.S. Embassy charges each participant a fee for processing the J-1 Visa. This fee varies country by country, and is approximately $160.
Additional Insurance for Travel Periods — InterExchange Camp USA will provide insurance during the program dates listed on the DS-2019. Additional insurance or upgrading insurance plans can be purchased for for travel during the 30 day grace period.
Medical Report — Participants must cover the cost of a valid medical report if required by the camp.
Background Check — Participants must cover the cost of a valid background check.
Airport pickup — See “Arrival assistance” above.
Domestic travel to camp — Participants are responsible for the cost of getting to camp. Some camps may choose to reimburse their counselors for this expense, but it is not required.
Return transportation — Regardless of camp location, all participants are responsible for travel costs after camp.
Flight changes — Tickets should be changeable and/or refundable, as participants may need to pay extra fees if they want to change their return flights later. If you are buying flights for the participants, please make sure they understand how to change their tickets before they come to the U.S. Participants are responsible for changing their flights far enough in advance to ensure they have flight dates and fares that they are satisfied with.
