Many people ask what the program includes. Here’s what the program cost covers:

🛏️ Your own private room
💸 Weekly pay of $190 USD (or more) per week
👯‍♀️ A network of future lifelong friends
🐨 The chance to experience another culture
💼 Valuable professional experience (can count for internship credit!)
🗺️ 2 free days per week for traveling

We accept applications up to 12 months in advance. The earlier you apply, the more options you have. Some other benefits of applying early include:

• Lock in current pricing
• More host family options
• More time to buy flights (read: cheaper flights)
• Less rush for placement

Yes, you can. However, this depends on your specific college’s requirements. We recommend meeting with a school counselor to see if it can work. We are happy to work with you if extra requirements are necessary.

A $100 deposit (about 20% of the total basic program cost) is due at the onboarding meeting. This goes towards to program cost and is not an extra fee.

If you don’t have an accepting host family more than 60 days before your departure (or 15 days after your profile is completed—whichever is sooner), this deposit is fully refundable. You don’t have to pay it all upfront, but the full amount is due before you leave. We also have payment plans if that is easier for you.

Yes you can! Although we can’t guarantee you will be placed in the same neighborhood as your friend, we do our best to get you with host families who live closer and are a still a great individual fit.

You can apply ahead to reserve your spot, but an Outbacker must be at least 20 years of age before participating in the program.

You are welcome to apply without a passport, but you will need one before you leave. If you don’t have one yet, we recommend applying for one as soon as possible in case there are any delays. You can start filling out the necessary forms and schedule your appointment online.

We generally recommend getting passport photos at Walgreen’s but there are other options as well (Costco, Walmart, etc.).

Yes, in order to participate in the program, you will need the 462 Work and Holiday Visa which is legally required for this type of experience. We’ll guide you through the process after you are onboarded. It is fairly straightforward, all online, and costs about $400 (AUD $650)​.

Of course you want to travel the world, but our program isn’t just a vacation. We’re looking for Outbackers who are: 

• Excited about working with kids. When you do well with your host kids, your host family can feel like your second family. This warm regard ripples out to all of your experiences in the Land Down Under.
• Open to a new culture and lifestyle. When in Rome, do as the Romans — or in this case, Australians — do. This means adjusting to different foods and ways of life.
• Full of integrity. Many families have their Outbacker track their own hours and/or provide pocket money for outings with the kids. Both instances require a caretaker who isn’t just responsible, but also honest and trustworthy.

No, you don’t have to be enrolled in college to apply. We’ve matched plenty of young adults who haven’t been to college and they had a great experience abroad. 

If you pass the initial screening (as 90% of applicants do), you’ll be asked to fill out an assessment — kind of like a mini background check. Part of this assessment requests 2-3 non-family references, to whom we will reach out regarding your application. We recommend references who know your childcare experience and skills, as well as your character.