Costs & Access Programs
An AMIGOS experience is an investment, and we’re here to help families understand every cost, funding option, and path to making it possible!
Program Fees
Our comprehensive AMIGOS program fees cover all phases of the experience, from pre-departure training and dedicated travel support to all in-country expenses. This includes staff supervision, food and housing, in-country travel and excursions, and access to our 24-hour On-Call Safety Management System. To make sure our programs are accessible to all families, we also offer financial assistance and fundraising options.
Note: There are two ways to join AMIGOS. Local Chapter applications open early in the school year and run through the January 20 deadline. National Chapter applications are accepted throughout the school year until sessions are full. Some programs can fill as early as December/January, regardless of whether you choose to join a Local Chapter or the National Chapter. We always recommend applying as soon as you can to secure a space. Learn more.
| Program Option | Local Chapters | National Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica: Montañas y Mar 12 days, ages 13-14 | – | $4,975 |
| Costa Rica: La Brunca 3 weeks, ages 15-19 | $5,425 | $6,675 |
| Costa Rica: Olas y Cerros 3 weeks, ages 15-19 | $5,425 | $6,675 |
| Costa Rica: Pérez Zeledón 4 weeks, ages 15-19 | $4,975 | $6,775 |
| Dominican Republic: Barahona 4 weeks, ages 15-19 | $4,975 | $6,775 |
| Panama: El Valle 3 weeks, ages 15-19 | $4,275 | $4,575 |
| Panama: El Pacífico 2 weeks, ages 15-19 | $4,475 | $4,975 |
| Panama: Tierras Altas 2 weeks, ages 15-19 | $4,475 | $4,975 |
| Paraguay: Ruta del Mate 25 days, ages 15-19 | $5,025 | $6,275 |
| Paraguay: Tierra Guaraní 6 weeks, ages 15-19 | $5,475 | $6,975 |
**Flight costs are not included. Learn more about flights and travel.
Chapter vs. National Chapter Fees
Due to group fundraising, local chapters offer lower program fees. Click below to get more information about chapters and to find one near you.
In-Country Training
Food & Lodging
Travel & Excursions
Safety Team
Fundraising Opportunities
National Chapter Fundraising
Fundraising has been an integral part of the AMIGOS experience for decades and can be a powerful tool in making your AMIGOS journey possible. Along the way, students build confidence, practice outreach, and learn how to rally their community around a meaningful goal.
Every year, AMIGOS helps hundreds of students across the country run successful campaigns to lower the cost of their experience, and we can help you too! With fundraising, you can reduce your program cost while building valuable skills and accomplishing something you can be proud of.
All funds raised by National Chapter students directly reduce their program fees.
Local Chapter Fundraising
Local AMIGOS chapters help make programs more accessible by providing discounts and financial assistance through group fundraising activities. These efforts are designed to expand access to the AMIGOS experience for students from a wide range of family financial circumstances. Students receive considerable help with fundraising strategies, and the experience builds important skills while preparing them for the summer!
* Note: Donations to chapter fundraising are tax-deductible; donations to an individual National Chapter volunteer are not. AMIGOS recommends you always consult your own tax advisor before making deductions.
Awards & Other Funding
Fundraising is only one way families reduce the cost of AMIGOS. Students may also qualify for awards, referral discounts, college savings plan funding, or outside grants.
The Leadership Award is open to first-time AMIGOS participants aged 13–19 who show strong leadership potential, financial need, and a passion for cultural immersion and service.
Each year, AMIGOS offers awards to exceptional alumni leaders to enable them to participate for a second summer. Awards range from $250- $3,000. Eligible alumni can apply for awards based on both merit and need.
Current applicants may be eligible for program discounts and cash rewards through alumni referrals. Learn more and sign up for your alumni referral code here! Our Outreach Team is here to support with any resources you need to spread the word.
Outside Grants
AMIGOS students have received outside funding and grants from numerous organizations. We recommend looking into the options available at your school or educational institution, as well as the options below.
- HSI Grant
- Go Overseas Scholarships – Updated periodically.
- Christianson Grant – Awards of $2,500–10,000, deadlines vary
Paying in Practice
AMIGOS is committed to making our programs affordable and accessible to all families.
In the online application, there is an option for you to state whether or not you’d like to apply for financial assistance.
Local chapters determine their own financial assistance processes, so please reach out to them directly to find out what type of financial assistance package is available to you from your local chapter and how to apply. Find your local chapter here.
For questions about National Chapter financial assistance, please contact our Admissions team directly at admissions@amigosinternational.org.
A $100 nonrefundable application fee is required to complete your application. This fee is separate from the listed Program Fee and helps reserve a spot on one of your preferred projects while you complete the application and deposit process.
All accepted applicants must pay a $500 Program Deposit. This payment is due within the timeframe communicated to you by AMIGOS staff (typically within three days) to reserve placement in the program.
The Program Deposit is considered part of the listed Program Fee and is deducted from any future billing statements.
AMIGOS offers flexible payment plans. If you are unable to pay the program fee all at once, that’s okay! We make sure our volunteers can pay for their experience on their own schedule, as long as the full payment is received by the final payment date and before travel.
We understand plans can change. Refund eligibility depends on timing and circumstances, so accepted families should refer to their Finance Policy or contact Admissions at admissions@amigosinternational.org with any questions.
The chapter fee differs because the local chapter program supports each student in required group fundraising activities that lower program fees for local families.
National Chapter students may fundraise individually to offset their program fee. AMIGOS staff provide support, tips, and a peer-to-peer donation platform for student use.
Contact admissions@amigosinternational.org for more information on individual fundraising.
529 funds may be used only for eligible programs when the student enrolls for college credit through Western Colorado University. Airfare costs, program deposits, and other fees are not eligible for payment from a 529 College Savings Plan.
In order to pay via a 529 Plan, you must enroll to receive college credit for your AMIGOS experience with our partners at Western Colorado University. Please note that you do not need to be a current Western Colorado University student (or in college at all) to use a 529 College Savings Plan to pay for your AMIGOS Program Fee.
* Note: Two-week projects are not eligible for College Credit.
You must sign up for college credit before the deadline and complete your program in full. For more information about the college credit process and how to pay, check out this page.
AMIGOS offers a fundraising webinar and an online fundraising platform for students interested in participating in individual fundraising through the National Chapter.
In the local chapters, participants fundraise as a group with the chapter’s support. This allows chapter participants to pay a lower fee for participating in AMIGOS summer programs. The AMIGOS chapters believe in student-led fundraising because it builds leadership skills that empower youth and lifts the financial burden off families.
Donations made to Local Chapter students are tax-deductible because they participate in group fundraising, and all contributions go directly to the chapter. Contributions made to National Chapter students are not tax-deductible under IRS regulations because they are tied to a specific individual rather than the organization as a whole.
