There are a bunch of costs to consider – some obvious and some you might not expect – when doing Summer Camp USA. Its all worth it in the end but be sure to read over the below to familiarise yourself with the financials!
Program Fees
There are a surprising number of options for a Summer Camp USA providers in this part of the world. That’s mostly because there is a lot of demand for Kiwi’s and Aussies to work in camps in the USA. Don’t get lured in by big brand names – they often hold a hefty price tag. You can save a good couple hundred bucks just by shopping around! Another thing to consider is camp salaries. You want to make sure you are maximising your money by going for a company with low fees and high salary. Not to toot our own horn or anything (but it’s our blog so we’re gonna) but you will be hard pressed to find a company with lower fees and a camp salary as high!
Flights
This is a pretty important part of the cost involved with Summer Camp USA. Let’s be honest – very few people are going to be flying first class to the USA but even though that’s one option eliminated, the rest of the market for air travel to the US is enormous! There is a lot to consider and ‘picking the cheapest flight’ isn’t the best strategy. Think about how comfortable you want to be for 13+ hours and also how comfortable you will want to be after 10 weeks at summer camp (roughing it) and then 30 days on the best road trip of your life. We suggest getting in touch STA Travel so you get an expert helping you book your travel!
Travel Insurance
Believe it or not – travel insurance is a ‘must have’ when travelling to the US. You might think, “Oh I’ll be fine” or “nothing ever happens to me”. We’ve seen far too many horror stories to let that happen to you so it’s essential that you book the right travel insurance policy for you. You will automatically be covered for medical and liability claims while in the US as its a requirement of the visa. However, that policy has a very limited scope and doesn’t cover you for a lot of other crucial elements. All up you could be looking at an insurance policy of a couple hundred for a basic policy or up to $1000 for something more comprehensive. Talk to your Summer Camp Coordinator about the best travel insurance option for you.
Tours
When you finish up camp – you are going to have a bunch of options for travelling around the US. To save yourself from getting to your last day at camp and thinking ‘what now’, we recommend getting in touch with Katrina Savage to talk through your options. Most people book either a G Adventure or a Trek America tour so that all the hard parts about planning travel. Katrina gets some amazing deals so definitely reach out once you’re well on your way to planning your Summer Camp USA experience.
Visa Fees and Proof of Funds
Yawn! Of all the exciting things you get to think about when going to camp – visa fees and proof of funds are the biggest fun voids out there. They are necessary though which is important when you are planning and budgeting. The visa fees are a measly $160USD which in the grand scheme of things isn’t all that much money. You also need to have some rainy day funds tucked away to show you’ll be able to look after yourself if anything goes wrong. It’s only $400USD but we suggest having a bit more than that!