About The National Chapter

The National Chapter is open to all students ages 13-19 who are interested in an AMIGOS Summer Program.

When you join the National Chapter, you will complete AMIGOS pre-departure training online and have the option to fundraise for your trip individually or with other National Chapter volunteers. The National Chapter is a great option for students who need flexibility in their schedules or who don’t live in an area with a local chapter. All students participating in our summer programs for 13-14 year olds automatically join AMIGOS through our National Chapter.

National Chapter Deadlines

How To Join

To join the National Chapter:

1. Explore our website! Check out our Summer Programs and review our admissions requirements
2. Attend an online info session or schedule a call with a Program Counselor to learn more about our programs
3. Fill out an application online and select “National Chapter” in the drop-down menu. (If this is the only optional available for your program and location, you will automatically be assigned to the National Chapter.)
4. Pay your $75 application fee to complete your application and reserve your spot on a program.

Please reach out to our Admissions Team at [email protected] if you have any questions about the application.

Financial Assistance & Affordability

AMIGOS is committed to making our programs accessible to families. We offer need-based financial assistance with distribution determined by family income, number of dependents, and special financial circumstances. We work closely with families to understand their financial need and strive to help every volunteer succeed.

Please click here and scroll down to view our income-based financial assistance tables for our summer programs.

To Apply:

Please fill out the financial assistance portion of the general program application. You will need to upload your most recent 1040 tax form and answer a few questions about your financial need.

Financial assistance offers are made on a rolling basis while funds last usually within one week of submitting your application. The priority financial assistance deadline for 2026 summer programs is December 10, 2025, and the final deadline is March 11, 2026. AMIGOS will consider additional applications after the March 11 deadline if funds have not been exhausted.

For additional ways to reduce the cost of AMIGOS, please see our Affordability webpage.

Please reach out to our Admissions Team at [email protected] if you have any questions about financial assistance.

Fundraising

AMIGOS supports interested volunteers and families in running fundraising campaigns to lower the cost of participating in our program. Fundraising has been an integral part of the AMIGOS experience for decades, and we support hundreds of students in running fundraising campaigns each year. All funds raised by National Chapter volunteers directly reduce their program fee and airfare costs.

The primary tool we use for fundraising is the letter-writing or crowdfunding campaign. You can read more about AMIGOS fundraising here.

Students can run individual campaigns with the help of AMIGOS staff, or they can join a National Chapter Fundraising Cohort to work through the steps as a group and create community with volunteers across the country.

Please reach out to Danielle Mulack at [email protected] if you have any questions about fundraising with the National Chapter.

Pre-Departure Training

The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home. Pre-departure training equips volunteers with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe.

The type of training you’ll complete as a National Chapter volunteer prior to departure depends on the type of program you choose. The longer and the more immersive the program, the more preparation we provide! Starting in mid-April, volunteers begin participating in four training components according to the specific requirements of their program.

• Project Information Packet (PIP) and Live Webinar – All volunteers receive Project Information Packets (PIPs), which include detailed descriptions of their specific program, partner agencies, packing list, health and safety considerations, and country information. Volunteers also attend a live PIP Webinar with program staff to review and discuss the contents of the PIP. The PIP webinars are recorded in case families are unable to attend live.
• Health & Safety Live Webinar – All parents and volunteers are required to participate in a live Health & Safety Webinar to review our health and safety protocols. There will be multiple sessions for families to choose from beginning in late April.
• Asynchronous Online Modules – Volunteers on all programs two weeks or longer complete online training modules to develop essential skills for their AMIGOS experience. Online training covers an AMIGOS overview, health and safety, ethical service, leadership, and cultural humility.
• Live Immerse Webinars – National Chapter volunteers on programs four weeks and longer participate in additional live webinars to prepare them for this more independent and immersive experience.

The training requirements for each program type are summarized in the table below.