Camp America

What Camp America does

Camp America is a cultural exchange program that places primarily Australian young adults (18+) as paid camp counselors at US summer camps for 9-12 weeks under J-1 visa sponsorship. The program has been operated continuously since 1969 by the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), with the Australian recruitment entity (American Institute for Foreign Study (Australia) Pty Ltd, ABN 58 087 638 499) based in Darlinghurst, Sydney since 1999. Camp America is one of a small number of organizations designated by the US Department of State as a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsor, which constitutes the central regulatory prerequisite for the business. The program places over 7,000 participants globally per year (2,000+ from Australia) and has placed more than 250,000 counselors historically.

The core technology is the My Camp America online portal (mycampamerica.com), which manages the full participant lifecycle: application submission, interview scheduling, camp placement matching, documentation (including the DS-2019 visa form), travel booking, and account management. Recruitment is distributed through a hybrid channel model combining 40+ local field interviewers across Australia, monthly Zoom-hosted webinars, annual in-person Job Fairs in Sydney and Melbourne where US camp directors hire face-to-face, and active social media on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Payments are processed via SecureTrading and DotPay; the website integrates Google Analytics and standard advertising pixels. The product portfolio has been extended beyond the core US summer camp placement to include Australian gap-year add-ons (Surf Camp at A$1,995, Sunshine Coast & Fraser Island Package at A$1,795, Cattle Muster), international winter work programs (Winter Work Canada, Winter Work Japan), and a cross-promoted Au Pair in America program, all operated by AIFS Australia.

Camp America's revenue model combines participant-facing program fees (A$725-A$999 for first-time applicants, A$699-A$915 for returners, paid in three installments), camp-side placement fees (up to A$3,325 per first-time counselor covering sponsorship, administrative, SEVIS, and flight costs), pass-through third-party charges (Australian Federal Police check A$56, MRV/issuance A$640, SEVIS US$35), and incremental margin from travel add-on packages. Customer segments split between individual young Australians (primary, consumer-facing) and hundreds of US summer camps (enterprise, supply-side partners). The business is privately held, with no disclosed external funding, no public ticker, and no M&A activity in the source data.

Name

Camp America

Legal name

American Institute for Foreign Study, Inc

Website

https://campamerica.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Camp America is a 1969-founded cultural exchange program, operated by AIFS, that places primarily Australian 18+ adults as paid camp counselors at US summer camps for 9-12 weeks under J-1 visa sponsorship, serving 7,000+ participants annually worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange and Youth Work Placement Programs

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Summer camp counseling
• J-1 visa sponsorship
• Youth travel placement
• International work programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlinghurst

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Program Fees - Participants: First-time applicants pay $999 AUD (early bird $725 AUD) in three instalments. Repeat applicants to same camp pay $915 AUD (early bird $699 AUD). Fees cover application processing, placement services, J-1 visa sponsorship, and insurance.
2. Program Fees - Camps: Camps pay Camp America a fee for each counselor placed, covering agency sponsorship, administrative fees, SEVIS fee contribution, and flight costs (up to $3325 for first-timers, $299 sponsor fee plus $1349 flight costs for returners).
3. Third-Party Costs: Additional charges collected on behalf of third parties including visa fees, police checks, and optional flight upgrades. Australian Federal Police check ($56 AUD), MRV & Issuance fees ($640 AUD), SEVIS fee ($35 USD).
4. Australian Travel Packages: Additional revenue from optional domestic travel packages including Surf Camp ($1995 AUD) and Sunshine Coast package ($1795 AUD) for participants seeking pre-departure experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Camp America is a cultural exchange program that recruits young adults (primarily aged 18+) from countries including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe, and places them as counselors at summer camps across the USA for 9-12 weeks. The offering includes J-1 visa sponsorship, placement services at hundreds of US summer camps, accommodation and meals during camp, medical/insurance coverage, a return flight, and 30 days of travel before and after the camp placement. Participants can earn up to $2,125 USD in pocket money.

Product overview

Camp America is a cultural exchange program operated by the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) Australia, facilitating approximately 7,000-8,000 participants annually to work at summer camps across the USA. The core offering is the Camp America Cultural Exchange Program, a 9-12 week placement as a camp counsellor with J-1 visa sponsorship. The company provides an online application portal (My Camp America), Job Fairs, and Information Sessions as part of its core services. Supplementary offerings include Australian & New Zealand Travel Packages (Surf Camp, Sunshine Coast, Cattle Muster), Winter Work programs in Canada and Japan, and Au Pair in America - all operated by AIFS Australia. The product portfolio is structured as a core cultural exchange program with affiliated travel and seasonal work add-ons, all under the AIFS umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Camp America Cultural Exchange Program A cultural exchange program enabling participants aged 18+ to work as camp counsellors at American summer camps for 9-12 weeks, including J-1 visa sponsorship, placement services, accommodation and meals during camp, medical coverage, return flights, and 30 days of travel before and after camp. Participants can earn up to $2,125 USD.
• My Camp America Portal Online application and account management system for Camp America applicants; used for registration, document submission, placement matching, travel bookings, and J-1 visa documentation (DS-2019). Self-serve portal at mycampamerica.com.
• Job Fairs In-person recruitment events held annually in Sydney and Melbourne where Camp Directors from the US meet and hire Australian applicants directly, providing face-to-face placement opportunities.
• Surf Camp A 10-day all-inclusive surf experience at Spot X surf camp near Byron Bay, including surf lessons, accommodation, meals, surf equipment, a first aid qualification, and optional fruit picking placements. Priced at $1,995 AUD in two installments.
• Sunshine Coast & Fraser Island Package A 10-day outdoor adventure on Australia's Sunshine Coast featuring kayaking through Noosa Everglades, 4WD tour of Fraser Island (K'gari), Aboriginal culture experiences, and a sustainability focus. Priced at $1,795 AUD in two installments.
• Cattle Muster An outback experience offering cattle mustering, horse riding, tractor driving, and general farm work in rural Australia.
• Winter Work Canada Seasonal winter resort work program in Canada offered by AIFS Australia, providing job placements and travel opportunities at ski resorts.
• Winter Work Japan Seasonal winter resort work program in Japan offered by AIFS Australia, providing job placements at ski resorts with snowboarding opportunities on days off.
• Au Pair in America Cultural exchange program for individuals to work as au pairs with American host families, offered by AIFS Australia alongside the Camp America program.
• Camp America Returner Program Program for previous Camp America participants to return for additional summers, featuring discounted fees, no new interviews required, no camp fees, and additional pocket money. Returners can experience a new camp or return to their previous camp.
• Group International Accident & Sickness Coverage Insurance coverage arranged for American Institute for Foreign Study participants, meeting US Department of State requirements for J-1 visa programs. Covers participants during camp and for 30 days of travel time before and after camp.

Quantifiable outcome

• Earn up to $2,125 USD during camp placement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1969AIFS is the parent organization of Camp America. AIFS US (Stamford, CT) is the designated J-1 visa sponsor with US Department of State. AIFS Australia (Sydney) handles Australian recruitment. AIFS UK (London) supports administration. Camp America operates as a division of AIFS.
• Hundreds of US Summer CampscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp America partners with hundreds of independently owned and operated summer camps across the USA. Camps range from day camps to specialty camps, general counselor to activity specialist roles.
• Universal TravellerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Universal Traveller (formerly Student Flights) provides flight booking services to Camp America applicants. Offers exclusive discounts, flexible payment options, and 24/7 support for participants.
• US Department of StatecoreOthersCamp America is one of only a few designated J-1 visa sponsors with the US Department of State. This regulatory relationship enables visa sponsorship for cultural exchange participants.
• Australian Federal PoliceminorOthersProvides mandatory criminal background checks for Australian applicants as part of the program application requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• InterExchange: InterExchange is a US Department of State designated J-1 visa sponsor operating Work & Travel USA, au pair, and camp counselor programs. Directly comparable: same regulated sponsorship model, same participant flow, similar fees, targeting the same Australian/UK/European demographic.
• CCUSA (Camp Counsellors USA): CCUSA is a specialized camp counselor placement agency and J-1 visa sponsor. Their product is essentially identical to Camp America's core offering: placing international staff at US summer camps under cultural exchange visas.
• Greenheart Exchange: Greenheart Exchange (formerly Cultural Homestay International and AmSett) is a designated J-1 sponsor offering Work & Travel, au pair, and camp counselor programs. Same regulated cultural exchange framework, similar participant demographic and sponsor designation.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is the largest US-designated J-1 visa sponsor and operates Work & Travel USA and other cultural exchange programs that directly compete with Camp America for both host camps and international participants. Both are designated J-1 sponsors by the US Department of State.
• Camp Leaders: Camp Leaders is a J-1 visa sponsored summer camp placement service recruiting internationally (notably from UK, Ireland, Australia) for US summer camps. Highly comparable business model, customer segment, and regulatory structure.
• Au Pair in America: Au Pair in America is a sister program of Camp America, both operated by AIFS. While focused on au pair placement rather than camp counseling, it uses the same J-1 sponsor infrastructure, same Australian recruitment funnel, and targets the same young Australian demographic making it a directly comparable adjacent service.
• BUNAC (USIT): BUNAC runs work/travel and summer camp counselor programs (originally 'BUNAC' brand, now part of USIT) with similar J-1 sponsorship model. They recruit internationally for US summer camps, directly overlapping with Camp America's placement service offering.

Regional players

• American Summer: American Summer is a UK-based camp counselor placement company sending British candidates to US summer camps under J-1 sponsorship. Directly comparable business model and offering but primarily competes in the UK (not Australian) recruitment corridor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CampAmericaAU
• Instagraminstagram.com/campamericaau
• TikToktiktok.com/@campamericaau
• Xx.com/campamericaau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-america-australia-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp America