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Travel opens doors

Scholarship funding

We know that the experience of working or studying overseas can make a world of difference to a person’s career and confidence. We also know that the costs to get there can be a barrier. The JENZA Travel Group has two funding opportunities for students and 18-30s.

Welcome to the JENZA Travel Group – home to JENZA, USIT, BUNAC + SWAP

Open to all

Youth Access Scholarship Fund

We believe that travel is a game-changer. So, we put our money where our mouth is and founded our Youth Access Scholarship Fund where we donate 5% of profits. Designed to support 18-30s from lower-income backgrounds and under-represented groups to do an independent JENZA, BUNAC, SWAP or USIT experience – we provide either full or partial financial assistance towards our program costs. Please check the eligibility and application process in the FAQs below before applying.

Applications for 2026 scholarship funding closed on 8 Dec '25. Announcements of the awardees will be made by 30 Jan '26. Applications for 2027 scholarship funding will typically open in Oct '26. Check back here for updates.

UK students + grads

BEST Scholarship Funding

A registered UK charity for 35+ years, the BEST (BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust) is focused on education through travel. Administered by BUNAC on behalf of the BEST Trustees, this funding is open to UK degree-level students and offers financial assistance to support postgraduate study in the USA or Canada. Multiple scholarships are awarded each year from a fund of £60,000 – check our FAQs for the full eligibility and available funding.

Applications for 2025 scholarship funding are now closed. Check back here for 2026 applications.

Our Work USA Roadtester Savannah on the streets of NYC.

FAQs

Need to know

We donate 5% of our annual profits to our Youth Access Scholarship Fund, which is divided into two funding ‘pots’.

  1. The first is administered by us and is designed to offer financial assistance towards any of our JENZA, BUNAC, SWAP or USIT programs. It is aimed at new customers who might be considering one of our programs – but who require additional financial support in the form of either a full or partial program contribution and/or flight voucher to help them get their travel plans over the line.

  2. The other pot is administered by a different youth non-profit organisation each year, and offers full scholarship opportunities with end-to-end funding for young people in their community to work overseas. In 2025, we partnered with Foróige – an Irish youth organisation.

This page is for financial assistance only – number 1.

Financial assistance will be awarded in the form of a full or partial contribution towards a JENZA, SWAP, USIT or BUNAC program cost. The awarded amount will depend on your application. The scholarship is designed to help applicants who need a boost to travel on one of our programs and is not designed to cover all expenses.

Yes. Lasting anywhere from three months to three years – our work, camp and intern experiences are independent work overseas programs where you are responsible for all additional costs. Such as flights, travel insurance, visa fees, biometrics appointments, immigration support funds, spending money, day-to-day living costs, food, and accommodation (if not included in the program).

The JENZA Travel Group Youth Access Scholarship Fund is designed for young people who want to experience one of our programs, but for who the program fee or flights may be financially beyond their reach. The fund was founded on trust, with funding being awarded in good faith. Please only apply for funding if you genuinely don’t have the means to pay for one of our programs.

Also, please ensure that you have the financial means to support yourself for the rest of your trip – please see the above FAQ for what additional costs may be involved in doing one of our programs.

  1. Read all of the FAQs on this page
  2. Choose any BUNAC, JENZA, SWAP or USIT program – checking that you are eligible
  3. Once you are confident that you can independently support yourself while on one of our programs, you can apply above on the page (if applications are open - they typically open in Oct and close in Dec)
  4. You’ll then need to fill out the form provided along with a character referee, and upload a cover letter/personal statement or video.

Applications are open between Oct and Dec. If you have been successful, we will contact you in January with the amount you will receive and the next steps. We will ask you to apply for your program by setting up an online account (if you haven’t already) where once you have been accepted onto the program, we will settle your partial or full balance – depending on what you have been awarded.

All funding applications are reviewed by our scholarship committee which is made up of members of our Youth Advisory Panel and team. Each application is dealt with on its own merit and based on the information you have provided.

At the end of your trip, you'll be required to fill out a program survey – this is for our team to help continually improve our programs.

Plus, provide a minimum 100-word testimonial and minimum 60-second face-to-camera video about your experience, along with 10-20 images of your trip. This content will be used to promote the Youth Access Scholarship Fund and programs, and will be used across our channels to help encourage other young people to apply.

The BEST (BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust) scholarships offer financial assistance to eligible applicants looking to undertake postgraduate study in the USA or Canada. Applicants are funded by the BEST Scholarship Trust, an independent trust administered by BUNAC on behalf of the BEST trustees.

You must be:

  • A UK passport holder
  • Currently engaged in or have completed a full-time tertiary-level course at a university in the UK
  • Have already applied for, but not yet started, a post-graduate course in the USA or Canada
  • The postgraduate qualification must be awarded by a US or Canadian institution

Please note, the award is intended for courses of study between three months and three years (consecutively), but the award shall cover a maximum period of the first 12 months and is not available for subsequent years of study. The candidate may not be in employment, including work for a North American employer as part of a UK based course, during the period in which they are to be assisted. They may be (and should be) in receipt of other awards, including teaching assistantships, which are solely for the purpose of study.

Several scholarships are awarded each year from a fund of £60,000. Included in this are the sums of £4,000 available as the Christopher J. Harbour Memorial Scholarship to a candidate looking to do sports-related studies and £2,000 as the John S. Ball Award to a candidate looking to pursue a teaching or geography-related career.

The BEST Scholarships are top-up funds, not a prime source of funding and candidates should be actively looking to secure funding from other sources while in the process of applying to BEST. The individual amounts awarded vary but a typical award is in the region of £5,000 - £15,000.

An online application must be received in addition to:

  • One academic reference
  • One personal reference
    The academic reference should come from a tutor or Head of Department, and the personal reference from someone who is well acquainted with you but who is not related to you in any way. Applications received after the deadline or without both references as of that date, will not be considered for selection.

Each reference must clearly state whether it is a personal or academic reference otherwise it will not be accepted.

The Academic Reference should be completed by someone who is well acquainted with the applicant but who is not related to them. This should not be a personal reference.

BEST Scholarship Funding opened on the 6 Jan '25 and will close on the 14 Mar '25. You can apply here.

Meet some of our Youth Access Scholarship recipients

Abbey

"The JENZA Youth Access Scholarship played a crucial role in making my BUNAC summer camp experience in America possible by easing the financial burden that comes with international travel and program costs. My unforgettable time at Timber Lake was one of meaningful work, personal development, and much-needed downtime. It strengthened my leadership and interpersonal skills, while also giving me space to explore and enjoy new surroundings. It was a summer of growth, gratitude and great memories. Thanks to the financial support from the JENZA Travel Group, I was able to turn this dream into a reality and fully embrace the experience without the stress of overwhelming costs."

Polaroid of young Australian woman in a bunk at summer camp

Lara

"This summer I had the amazing opportunity to go on a USIT J1 to San Diego. And it has to be the most unforgettable summer that I’ve had to date. I got a job as an Attractions Assistant in Belmont Park right on the beach, met so many fellow J1ers along with many Americans, and my most important takeaway – I discovered a newfound love for tacos that has since taken over my life! Jokes aside, I learned a lot about myself and grew more resilient and dependable during this experience that I wouldn’t have had if I stayed in Ireland. It forced me out of my box and helped me embrace new experiences."

Polaroid of young Irish woman in America

Millenium

"I recently returned to Tanzania after an incredible summer at camp in the USA. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity that the JENZA Travel Group provided me this year, it’s been truly unforgettable. I’ve learned so much and had the chance to meet the most amazing people. I was especially excited about the opportunity to visit Chicago and New York after summer camp, two places I had always dreamed of seeing. This summer was full of firsts for me, trying new things, tasting new foods, and even conquering some of my biggest fears. And to top it all off, I’m thrilled to share that I won the Summer Staff of the Year award."

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Janira, Best Scholarship Awardee

What you say

"The ability to pursue my graduate studies at Harvard grew me personally and academically. I am immensely grateful to the BUNAC team for their belief in me, and I hope that one day, I can pay it forward and create pathways for success for other students."

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