The Self-Placement Program

1. Camp USA Camp Director Handbook
2. The Self-Placement Program

Self-Placement Participants

A Self-Placement participant is someone 18 years of age or older who has independently secured a position with a camp in the U.S. and needs assistance in obtaining the necessary paperwork to apply for a J-1 Visa. All Self-Placement participants are responsible for their own travel. Returnees are considered Self-Placement participants and will apply through ICs in their home countries. If no IC is available, the participant may apply through the InterExchange New York office.

Application Process

Hiring Staff

Each camp is responsible for personally interviewing Self-Placement participants and negotiating appropriate stipends directly with the participants. When doing so, the camp must decide who is paying for the flight, who is paying for transportation to camp and who is going to cover InterExchange Camp USA program fees.

Obtaining Applications

Self-Placement applications will be available for camps to view on the camp director home page.

Confirming Placement

Once a completed application arrives in the InterExchange Camp USA office, we verify the placement with the camp director. The camp director must confirm the stipend amount, employment dates, position and that the camp has interviewed the applicant. We ask that all camps confirm this information as quickly as possible, as we cannot finish processing the application without it.

Printing DS-2019 Forms

InterExchange Camp USA will not print a DS-2019 Form until the camp has confirmed the placement and full payment has been received (this includes the program, insurance, SEVIS and any late penalty fees). Once the application process is complete, we will issue the participant’s DS-2019 Form within three weeks.

Self-Placement participants must apply through an InterExchange IC if there is one in their home country. There is no additional fee to the camp to do so. We have found that participants who work through our ICs benefit from having a contact person in their home country who is familiar with the visa application process. Please contact us for a list of countries where we have cooperators.

In order to expedite Self-Placement application processing, we recommend that participants, not camps, pay the program, insurance and SEVIS fees.

Please note that applications for the Self Placement program must be submitted before May 1st of the calendar year that participation will occur. InterExchange does not guarantee that we will process any applications received after this deadline.

InterExchange Camp USA Provides:

• Online orientation.
• Documents to obtain a J-1 Visa (DS-2019 Form).
• Accident & sickness insurance for the duration of program, that meets or exceeds the Department of State requirements.
• InterExchange Camp USA Participant Handbook and Inside the USA Guide.
• 24-hour program support throughout the summer.
• Self-Placement participants are not eligible for any of the other privileges or benefits of the Camp Placement program.

The 10% rule restricts the total number of repeat-year counselors InterExchange is allowed to sponsor on the program. Last year, InterExchange met this quota in early April, before the Self-Placement deadline. Please encourage your returning staff members to apply as early as possible to secure a spot in the program.

Continue to the next chapter, Your Contract With InterExchange Camp USA, or return to the Table of Contents.