Participant Applications

A completed Camp Placement application will include:

• Application form — This form will be completed online and needs to be reviewed by your office. In order for an applicant to submit their application to you, they just need to complete the written portion of the application first. Then you can review their skills and answers to the questions and contact them for an interview if you think they are a good candidate. After they submit the written portion of the application, they will be prompted to start gathering the supplemental documents which includes the following:
  • Two references — One skill reference form and one letter of recommendation written by an employer/teacher. InterExchange Camp USA will not accept references that are submitted by family or friends. If the referrer does not speak English, he or she should fill out the reference in his or her native language. The applicant should include a translation of the reference and include both the original and translated versions with the application. Your office must verify the translation is accurate.
  • Police background check — Please consult your local police station to find out the easiest way for your applicants to obtain a background check. They should be aware that this could be a lengthy process and should request a background check as soon as possible. We will accept applications while the background check is pending but please ensure that it gets uploaded before arrival. Applicants should keep the original report to take with them to the embassy.If the police background check is not in English, please make sure there is an exact translation (verified by your office) in the application as well. Police background checks must be issued no more than 12 months before participation in the program.
  • If a student, proof of student status (not required) — We will accept a copy of the student ID, either a form or a letter from the participant’s university or the Camp USA Proof of Student Status form (which you can download from the International Cooperator Resource Center). These must be signed and dated by a university official.
  • Photo — Keep in mind that this is the first thing a camp director sees, so the applicant should smile! It’s preferred to have a photo that’s a close-up so the applicant is recognizable.
  • Passport — Only upload the first page with photo and information.
  • Copies of all certifications — Should be current and relevant to the applicant’s intended position at camp. In addition, all applicants should indicate any life-saving or CPR certifications.
  Introductory Video — Although not required to submit an application, we highly encourage everyone to have one. The videos will be one of the first things camp directors see and some will not even look at applications without them. Videos should be short, 30 seconds to 5 minutes long, and be a platform to show off their personality, creativity and skills. Many applicants include photos and music in their videos. At the very least, we want to see a smiling face introducing themselves.

Please stress the importance of honesty to applicants. Each camp will provide its staff with a unique experience related to the type of camp. Participants should be very clear about what they are willing to do or not do at a camp placement. This information will help InterExchange match each participant with a camp that is most suitable to his or her skills, experience, personality, character and camp preference. If we catch an applicant lying, we will remove the person from the program.