Frequently Asked Questions

In a nutshell, the answer is yes. Although there is some crime in Jamaica, I am sure the same can be said of every other country in the world. And just like everywhere else, there are both dangerous and safe places to visit. We will never take you to any destination that is not safe, or where you will be placed in harm’s way.

From your moment of arrival at the airport, we will meet you with our private transportation and take you to your safe and secure accommodation. All projects will be in safe environments, and you will have a team member accompanying you on outings and tours.

Yes, Jamaica has clean drinking water as well as electricity. In fact, the water in Jamaica is so good that many ships stop in Jamaica to refill their water supply. We suggest that you take along reusable water bottles to use during your daily trips, but you will always have access to cool, refreshing drinking water.

No vaccinations are needed to travel to Jamaica at this time, but this can change at a moment’s notice. If vaccination becomes mandatory to visit Jamaica we will inform you of this before booking so you can make an informed decision. We also recommend that all travelers take a bottle of insect repellent with them.

The official language spoken in Jamaica is English, however, you are sure to hear locals speaking in Patois (pronounced pat-wah), which is our local dialect. It is essentially broken English, and many travelers find it very exotic and intriguing. All projects that we offer include access to our virtual Patois classes, so you can familiarize yourself with Patois before you arrive.

If you are bi-lingual we also offer language teaching volunteer placements so you can visit schools to teach students how to speak a second language.

No. We accept travelers from EVERY country in the world. We are quite keen on promoting cultural exchange, so we welcome a mixture of different cultures and nationalities, which is essentially the foundation of our Jamaican culture.

If you wish to speak to someone on our team directly, please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can reach us in several ways, such as by emailing us at [email protected], calling or Whatsapp messaging us at +1-876-521-7709, or Skyping us at Jamaica.Projects. You can visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

Yes, if you booked a full project or purchased our airport transfer service, you will be greeted at the airport by one of our drivers with a sign saying Jamaica International Projects and a big smile. He/she will safely transfer you to your accommodation and help you with your luggage. You will either fly into Norman Manley International Airport or the Sangster International Airport depending upon where you will be staying.

Yes, as long as the condition does not affect your mobility and you can travel with your medication and/or medical devices, you will be accepted into our program. Let us know if you suffer from any illnesses or allergies beforehand so we can take the necessary precautions to offer assistance in case of emergencies.

Yes, you can extend your length of stay, depending upon your visa requirements and flight arrangements. If you wish to extend your stay, speak with your Project Advisor.

Weekends are usually reserved for tours and adventures. Let your Project Advisor know which tours you wish to join. If there is a special party or event that will be taking place, you can also make arrangements for us to take you. You will be able to purchase tours, adventures, and cultural immersion packages from us while you are in Jamaica.

This depends upon the type of project you are doing, the accommodation you choose, and the time of year you travel to Jamaica. You may be the only participant joining your project or you may end up joining groups of other travelers. If you prefer to be the only participant or wish to join a group let us know by contacting us.

This entirely depends upon you and the package that you are joining. Our primary accommodation is the Barnett’s Homestay in Portmore where our volunteers, study abroad clients and interns stay. We also have a select number of partner accommodations across Jamaica that houses our clients. All full projects include homestay with a local host family.

You can join projects on Port Royal, Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril, and Montego Bay.

All of our accommodation options will have free Wi-Fi that you can use to access the internet on your phones or tablets. You should provide us with an emergency contact back home who we can reach if an emergency arises. You could also purchase a local sim card upon arrival and use it in your unlocked mobile phone to make cheap international and local calls.

Although the smoking and carrying of marijuana in small amounts is now legal in Jamaica, it is not company policy to sell or assist our clients in purchasing marijuana. If you wish to purchase or smoke marijuana, we ask that you refrain from doing so while on your project, or at our partner accommodations.

The legal drinking age in Jamaica is 18. Once you are 18 years old and older you will be allowed to purchase and consume alcohol at your leisure. Please travel with an id if you wish to drink. Travelers under the age of 18 will be forbidden from purchasing or consuming any form of alcoholic beverages. It is still advised to adhere to your native country’s legal drinking age while you are visiting Jamaica.

Warm. Due to our tropical marine climate, Jamaica is warm and sunny year-round. This is one of the reasons why Jamaica is such a popular destination, especially during winter. Your accommodation will be equipped with air conditioning and/or fans to help you stay cool, and you are never too far from a beach.

We offer the widest range of volunteer placement options in Jamaica. No matter your age, the reason for volunteering or the experience you are seeking, we have a program that is perfect for you. Some of our most popular volunteer projects include orphanage and child care, volunteer teaching, building & maintenance, sports coaching, special needs volunteer, women empowerment and dentistry.

We also offer set volunteer projects, where you can be a part of a group of volunteers from around the world to renovate children homes, go into communities to perform dental work, put on health clinics and much more.

Visit our volunteer abroad page to learn about all of our programs.

Our volunteer programs are available 365 days a year. We have programs during winter, spring, summer, fall, and Christmas.

Yes, you can combine 2 or more programs to get a more well-rounded volunteer experience. Some great combinations include orphanage volunteering with social work, volunteer teaching with sports coaching, coastal clean-up with marine conservation and more.

We have a very diverse set of volunteers who join our programs. Past volunteers include high school or college students, gap year takers, career break seekers, mature individuals, girl scouts, corporate groups, churches, and families.

Our volunteering abroad programs are open to one and all.

This depends upon the project that you join. For example, at the orphanage, you will spend time with the children to help them with homework, feed them, and play games and more. If you choose volunteer teaching you will be placed in a school to teach the children about your culture and work as a teacher’s assistant.

Volunteers with experience or certifications in the field they are volunteering in will be eligible for advanced placements where they can perform more technical tasks.

Our volunteer programs run from as little as 1 week up to 3 months. If you wish to stay for more than 3 months you will need to check your country’s visa requirements for traveling to Jamaica. We now have 1-day volunteer projects, so you can give back for a day or a few hours if you are strapped for time.

Since most of our volunteer projects are located in Saint Catherine, Kingston, and Saint Andrew areas, you will be staying at the Barnett’s Homestay in Saint Catherine. Will be adding more volunteer home bases, so check the volunteer project you would like to join for a list of the accommodation options available.

We ask that volunteers dress business casual or casually when going to their volunteer project site. This means knee lengths skirts or pants and buttoned blouses for women, and pants and shirts for men. Flip flops/shorts below the knees are not allowed at volunteer sites.

Medical volunteers can take along their scrubs with them.

We prepare authentic Jamaican meals for you each day. This includes breakfast and dinner. We use fresh, organic ingredients to prepare your meals, which are always hearty and delicious.

We also cater for volunteers with special dietary restrictions or medical illnesses.

If you wish we can arrange for you to speak with someone who has volunteered with us. You can contact them via email, calls, Skype or social media.

Yes, we thoroughly pre-screen our volunteer placement partners and ensure that their premises are safe and secure before we place our volunteers. We provide transportation directly from your accommodation to your project and back, which also ensures your safety.

Yes. Our programs are open to all countries, not only the United States residents.

You should apply as soon as you decide on the project you will join. Volunteers are required to pay the package price in full no later than 60 days before arrival, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Remember applying does not mean you are making a commitment, but it is the first step to booking your program and securing your space.

This depends upon your country of residence and how long you intend to stay. You will need to check your country’s visa requirements to see if a visa is required for travel to Jamaica.

This depends upon the program that you choose, how long you will stay and the type of accommodation chosen. The prices are listed on each volunteer page under the Prices tab.

You can either pay us through our online payment platforms using a credit card, or you can make a bank wire transfer. We will advise you on the best payment option available to you during your application process.

We have payment plans available so you can pay for your program in intervals if you do not have the money upfront.

Although you will not be paid for volunteering, you will receive the invaluable experience of donating your time, skills and effort to improving the lives of Jamaicans and making a difference. You will have an amazing experience, and learn all that Jamaica has to offer. We consider our volunteers as a part of our JIP family, and we will keep in touch long after you depart from Jamaica.

This depends upon the volunteer project that you choose, as well as the package type (full project vs placement only)

Each volunteer project includes the following services:

Pre-arrival support and assistance
Sourcing volunteer project placement
Orientation and support documentation on the day of arrival
Volunteer certificate upon the successful completion of your volunteer program

The following are not included in your volunteer project:

Visa application cost or fees
Daily lunch
Personal shopping money
Airfare expenses or taxes
Travel insurance
Any tour and adventure add-ons

You will have many fun activities to embark on during your program. You can book some tours and excursions to do on weekends and afternoons, embark on educational cultural field trips, learn how to cook Jamaican food, attend a Patois speaking class and much more.

We also provide evening activities such as games night, cookouts, pool parties and more.

Yes, the more the merrier as they say! We would certainly welcome your significant other or friends/family if they wish to volunteer with you. We will arrange shared accommodation for you, as well as allow you to work together at your placements.

No qualifications are necessary unless otherwise stated by the individual volunteer project listing. The only requirement for joining our program is the ability to read, speak and write English fluently.

Absolutely! In fact, we have created an entire fundraising guide to help volunteers raise funds while at home to help pay for their trip and purchase materials to donate to their project. We encourage all volunteers to fundraise back home, which in essence will be the beginning of your volunteer project.

Yes, you can. We will help you make arrangements with shipping large donation packages to the volunteer placement in Jamaica, however, if the donations are small enough you can take them along with you in an extra suitcase to avoid being charged shipping and customs fees.

Yes, upon the completion of your volunteer project we will provide you with a Volunteer Certificate and a letter validating your total volunteer hours if requested, both signed by our Managing Director. We will also sign any school forms to prove community service hours.

You apply by visiting the webpage of the volunteer program you are interested in to apply. You can also visit our Volunteer Application Form to submit your application. After you successfully complete and submit the application form, our Program Advisor will contact you and set up an interview date.

Yes, you can. You can add volunteer service, embark on educational cultural trips and even join tours and excursions on weekends and during weekdays in the afternoons.

Yes, if your school allows you to complete working experience abroad, we will try and find a suitable local placement that will be able to sign all the necessary documentation. Please speak with your study abroad department/professor beforehand, and let us know what you will require from your internship placement.

We offer many internships, such as tourism, business, dentistry, engineering, psychology, marketing, hospitality, medical, veterinary and more. We can also arrange customized internships if you do not see the internship option that you are seeking.

You can join an internship at any time of the year, including summer, winter, spring, Christmas, May semester, January term or reading week. Whenever you would like to join us, we will be here to assist you.

We usually get college and university students on break who want on the job experience. We also have high school students join us, as well as gap year takers and pre-med and medical students seeking practical experience.

You will work alongside a local team. You will perform various daily tasks that align with your course of study and be guided by a mentor who will function as your direct supervisor.

Internships run as little as 1 weeks up to 3 months. We recommend that you stay a minimum of 2 weeks, to ensure that you get a meaningful learning experience.

Our primary accommodation is the Barnett’s Homestay, where you will stay with a local family in a comfortable dorm setting. You will always have access to a clean bathroom, free Wi-Fi, cable television, refrigerator, hot water and more.

There is no strict dress code, however, we request that you dress business casual style when you are going to your project. Sleeveless dresses, tank tops, flip-flops, shorts, and short or tight-fitting clothes are NOT allowed. You should dress as if you are heading to a corporate job.

You will be given a hearty Jamaican breakfast and dinner each day. We use the freshest organic ingredients to prepare our meals, and we cater to vegans and persons with dietary restrictions as well.

You will also have some international dishes as well such as toast and cereal in the mornings, and salads during dinner.

Absolutely! All of our internship placement sites are at offices/locations security guards and high walls in productive areas of Jamaica. Team members love working with international interns, and they will also look out for you.

Your internship cost is determined by how long you will stay, the internship that you choose and the accommodation option chosen. View your internship page under Prices to see the cost for the various durations and packages.

This differs from project to project, as well as the internship package you select (full packages vs placement only).

Each of our internships include the following:

Pre-arrival support and assistance
Sourcing local internship placement
Orientation and support documentation on the day of arrival
Internship certificate upon the successful completion of your internship

The following are not included in your project cost:

Visa application cost or fees
Daily lunch
Personal shopping money
Airfare expenses or taxes
Travel insurance
Tours, adventures, and excursions (can be purchased separately)

We accept payments online via credit card or you may do a bank wire transfer. We will let you know the best payment option available to you when you are ready to make your payment. All payments must be finalized no later than 60 days before your internship begins.

We offer fundraising assistance to our interns to help them raise money and awareness to pay for their internship in Jamaica.

A popular option is to book a fun tour and excursions to do on weekends and some afternoons. You can also attend our Jamaican cooking class, Patois speaking presentations, cultural field trips and more.

We will arrange night activities as well such as games night, cookouts, movie nights etc.

Yes, you can take along as many family and friends with you as you like. They can either join your internship with you (if suitably qualified) or can participate in one of our volunteer projects. You can also share accommodation as well.

To join an internship you need to submit the following documents:

Completed internship application form
2 references
A recent photograph clearly showing your face
A form of ID
1 police report/criminal background check
A copy of your CV
Payment of all fees in full

Your mentor/supervisor will sign any documentation that you may need to validate the tasks that you completed and your service hours. We will also provide you with an Internship certificate and a letter signed by our General Manager to authenticate work hours completed on your project.

We will take you to and from your internship daily at no extra cost. All in-country transportation is included in your package, which includes transfer to and from the airport.

As little or as many as you desire. A typical workday in Jamaica could be from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, or 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. You will let us know the hours that you wish to intern daily so that we know when to drop you off and return for you.

We have the expertise and track record of providing our interns with the highest quality placements. We also carefully vet our internship sites and always work with team leaders that will look out for our interns’ best interests.

If you only wish for us to find a suitable internship placement, we can assist you with this. This is called an Internship Placement Only Package. The prices for this service begins at $250 USD per person, which will cover sourcing a suitable internship placement for you, providing support documentation and securing your placement. We will also accompany you to your internship site on your first day to help you settle in and provide you with your internship completion certificate at the end.

This varies due to a number of reasons, but it usually takes us between 1 to 4 weeks to find a suitable internship placement for you. If you are not satisfied with our initial internship placement, we will search for others until we find you an ideal match.

We always try our best to match our interns with placements that are ideal for your qualifications, interests, and skills. If an issue arises and you are having problems at your project site, we will try our best to work with the team members and yourself to resolve the issue immediately. Oftentimes differences may arise due to cultural differences or a breakdown in communication between both parties, and a simple conversation usually diffuses the situation.

If after our best efforts you are still not comfortable with your placement, we will make our best effort to find another internship placement as soon as possible.

Certainly! We can let you speak with persons who have joined our internship in the past, and we can also provide you with reviews and testimonials.

You can visit the Internship Application Form page to complete an application form, or send us an email at [email protected]

Yes. Our programs are open to all countries, not only the United States.

As soon as you find our website, you should submit an application form. Although there is no deadline to join our programs, you are required to pay your project cost at least 60 days before your arrival. This will allow us adequate time to find the perfect internship site, as well as to secure your space with us.

This depends upon your country of residence. You will need to check your country’s visa requirements to see if a visa is required for travel to Jamaica.

Oftentimes parents will need some convincing to allow their children to travel overseas to join a study program. We can facilitate a Skype or Google Hangouts interview with you and your parents to discuss our programs.

We offer numerous study abroad options for students to choose from. They include:

Student Service Learning/Experiential Learning – Structured around providing meaningful community service work to help solve problems faced by Jamaicans, and the world in some cases.

Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad – A faculty advisor or a group led trip for high school or college/university students. Can be used to award credits to students.

Internships – Internships are available in psychology, dentistry, medicine, journalism, business management, hospitality, engineering and more.

J Term Programs – Special programs that run during the January term break. Programs are customized to your needs.

MayMester Study Trips – Offered during the May semester. You will customize your package.

Reading Week Projects – Offered during the Reading Week break. Fully customizable to your liking.

Educational Cultural Field Trips – A chance to learn about Jamaica’s rich culture. Topics such as Rastafarianism, reggae, cooking, Patois, our history, rum and more are covered.

In addition to the projects listed above, we arrange a day trip to one of our local universities where you can sit in on a lecture, tour the campus, network with local student or lecturers, and visit the bookshop to purchase memorabilia.

We offer study abroad opportunities all year round, 365 days per year. The most popular time for study abroad is spring, summer, winter, Christmas and during all other school breaks.

All types of students join our projects in Jamaica, including high schoolers, college or university students, pre-medical students, gap year takers and even professionals seeking to enhance their skills.

If you are not enrolled in a school but still wish to study abroad, we will create a unique package for you.

Our study abroad projects run from as little as 1 week, up to 3 months. If you wish to stay longer than 3 months we will have to check your visa requirements for travel to Jamaica.

Our partner accommodation is the Barnett’s Homestay for individual students and groups of 10 or fewer students. For groups with more than 10 individuals, we will use the Grand Port Royal Hotel, or we can also arrange alternative accommodations for groups.

The dress code varies depending upon the project you are joining. When visiting schools or organizations, you are required to dress business casual. For tours and cultural trips, you may dress casually. While volunteering you should dress casually as well, however, please refrain from flip-flops, sleeveless/backless shirts or shorts.

We will provide you with breakfast and dinner each day. You will be served Jamaican meals prepared with organic ingredients.

We also prepare special meals for vegans, diabetics, the hypertensive, persons with certain food allergies and anyone with special dietary restrictions.

Yes. We can arrange for you to speak with a past student that has joined our programs, or provide you with reviews and testimonials.

Absolutely! Our accommodations are very secure, and we will take you to and from your daily projects in private vehicles. All projects are in safe areas, and you will have company guides accompanying you on your trips.

Yes. Our programs are open to all countries, including USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Japan, China, The United Emirates etc.

Find the study abroad program you are interested in joining and read through the information carefully. When you are ready to apply select Apply Now (near the pictures at the top) or at the bottom of the page. After you successfully complete the application form we will set up an online interview.

If you need any assistance contact us at [email protected]

Apply as soon as you find a program you like to secure your placement. You are required to pay your package cost in full no later than 60 days before your arrival date, so you should apply as soon as possible so you can fully prepare yourself.

Depending upon your country of residence you may need a visa to travel to Jamaica. Check your country’s visa requirements for traveling to Jamaica. Since our programs are short-term, you DO NOT need to apply for a J-1 visa.

Your package price is based on how long you intend to stay, what you will be doing, how many persons travel with you and the accommodation that you choose.

This depends on the study abroad project you choose. Please refer to the web page of each individual study abroad project for a full list of the services offered in that package.

The following are not included in your study package:

Visa application cost or fees
Daily lunch
Personal shopping money
Airfare expenses or taxes
Travel insurance
Weekend tour and adventure projects

We offer flexible payment options for our clients, including paying via credit cards through our payment portal or bank wire transfer. Contact us and we will advise you on the best payment option to use.

We can also arrange a payment plan to help you pay in installments if needed.

Yes, we encourage fundraising to help cover the cost of your trip to Jamaica. Please read through our fundraising guide for some fun tips on how to raise money, or to sign up for a crowdfunding account.

This depends upon your situation, and your school. You should contact an advisor or your study abroad department to explore your school’s policy for study abroad grants, scholarships, and financial aid, and if they would apply toward your program.

We arrange more than 60 fun and popular excursions, such as Dolphin Cove, Dunn’s River Falls, zip lining, surfing and more. When applying to ask us about our excursion packages for more information.

Yes, you can travel with as many companions as you like. You can share a room if you desire. If your companion does not wish to study, we can arrange other activities for them.

Not necessarily. Some programs such as internships or faculty-led trips require that you either be an enrolled student or recent graduate, however, we will not turn you away if you are not a student. Recent graduates or professionals seeking international experience are welcome as well.

If you wish to achieve accreditation, we advise you to arrange a study program with your faculty leader to put together a group credit-bearing study abroad program in Jamaica. We can work with your advisor to arrange all necessary activities, and they can travel with your group and award you with the credits after you are finished.

If you are a solo student seeking a semester in Jamaica, you should check if your school has a partnership with any of the universities in Jamaica, and we will help you to facilitate the rest.

For persons incorporating service learning or volunteer work, we will provide a Study Abroad certificate and a document outlining community service hours completed.

Yes, depending upon your flight restrictions and visa requirements. Speak to our Program Advisors to discuss extending your stay.

Our group placements typically run for a minimum of 1 week up to 3 months. You should indicate your preferred length of stay on your application form.

This depends upon the accommodation option that your group chooses. Our primary accommodations for groups are Barnett’s Homestay for small groups of 10 or less, and the Grand Port Royal Hotel for larger groups; however we also work with hotels across the resort areas in Jamaica for group packages. We can customize your group package to include an accommodation of your choosing, such as a hotel, house, villa, guest house etc.

The cost of your program will depend upon these factors:

How long your group will stay in Jamaica
The projects and activities that your group will do
The number of persons traveling in your group
The accommodation option your group chooses

Once you provide us with all the information above we will work out a quote for you and send you an invoice.

Since you will travel as a group, you can either make 1 lump sum payment via bank wire transfer/credit card or if you prefer, each traveler in your group can pay us separately via credit card or wire transfer. Payments are due no later than 60 days before your arrival date.

Our program includes the following services:

Pre-arrival support and assistance
Reservation of accommodation
Arranging local project placements
Orientation and support documentation on the day of arrival
Pickup from airport and transfer to accommodation.
Full breakfast and dinner daily. *For groups using our accommodations
Daily transportation to and from scheduled projects
24/7 in-country support
Volunteer, Internship or Study Abroad certificate at the end of your project
Fun recreational activities and games
Cultural immersion sessions to help your members learn about our culture
Tours, adventures, and excursions
Return transfer to the airport

Group trip packages exclude the following (unless otherwise specified):

Visa application fees
Daily lunch
Personal shopping money
Airfare expenses or taxes
Travel insurance
Optional tour and adventure packages

We will use different methods of transportation depending upon the size of your group. For groups smaller than 14 we will use either private vehicles or 15 seater buses. For groups of 15 to 28 guests we will use coaster buses, and for groups of 29 and above we will either use 50 seater buses or 2 coasters.

Yes, we can accommodate children provided that they travel with a parent or guardian. We can arrange dorm rooms at your accommodation for children and teenagers if requested. Parents with babies and toddlers will also be accepted, however, this may affect your eligibility for some placements and tours.

Most tour attractions accept children 6 years and older for admission. We accept groups with children so long as they are able to travel. We do not turn away parents, however having your baby or toddler with you may restrict you from joining some programs.

Long before you arrive we will send you a list of resources that are needed at your volunteer placement. You can fundraise back home to purchase these resources and take them to Jamaica with you distributed among your group members in suitcases, or you can take the money to purchase these resources from stores in Jamaica.

If the organization you are sending the donations to is a registered Non-Profit Organization in Jamaica, you can ship as many packages to them as you like without the Customs department charging them. However, we advise you to send them some cash to allow them to pay for transportation fees.

If the organization is NOT a non-profit, we would suggest that you find out the cost for clearing your donations at the Jamaican Customs Department and send them the balance to clear the package and pay for transportation. Otherwise, you can take along your donations in suitcases divided among your group members.

You can join us anytime that is convenient for your group. We are open every day of the year, including major holidays and during all seasons.

Yes, we do. For vacation only packages we can assist your group with planning a carefree all-inclusive package. We will help you find the hotels with the best rates, arrange airport transportation, suggest fun tours and excursions and provide you with private transportation to all of your destinations.

Yes, we are happy to provide you with references for our programs. You can also access reviews to see what others that have joined our programs think of us.