FAQ

Registration is very simple through the respective camps in our database, Hitobito. Detailed steps for registration can be found here.
Registration for the summer camps opens at midnight (CET) on the second Tuesday of January, and for the winter camps, it opens at midnight on March 15.
SJAS recommends registering as soon as possible.

The process of registration and participation, as well as individual steps and deadlines, can be found here.

After registration, the following documents must be sent to info@sjas.ch within 7 days:

• A copy of the Swiss passport or Swiss identity card (or other proof of Swiss nationality)
• A copy of both sides of the health insurance card (for EU: the European Health Insurance Card is mandatory)

Early or incomplete registrations will not be considered and will be deleted.
For non-Swiss children and children of Swiss schools, the participation conditions can be found here.

Yes, you can register for the Test Camp and create an account for your child on our database in advance. Our office will then send a login to set up the password. This way, children can be registered faster once the registration opens. The guide for creating an account can be found here.

Children can attend one summer camp and one winter camp per year. However, it is not possible to participate in more than one camp per season.

The spots are allocated in the order of registration. SJAS sends the official participation confirmation only after receiving valid travel documents (see question about travel documents). For non-Swiss children and children of Swiss schools, the participation conditions can be found here.

Yes, there is a waiting list for each camp. Once you register for a fully booked camp, you will be automatically added to the waiting list and contacted by our office if a spot becomes available. No spots will be allocated 60 days before the respective camp starts.
SJAS recommends registering only for camps with available spots to ensure guaranteed participation.

No, it is not possible to arrive late or leave early from the camp, as this would cause unnecessary additional work and may disrupt the camp group.
If our camps fall during school time, SJAS can provide a school exemption upon request (contact info@sjas.ch).

It is generally possible to drop off your child directly at the camp house or pick them up there. In this case, the following times apply:

• Arrival: On the first day of camp at 16:00

• Departure: On the last day of camp at 09:00

This information must be provided in the registration form.

SJAS recommends against opting for direct arrival or departure. The shared journey by bus is a special experience for many children and contributes to the camp community. In particular, the return journey provides a nice conclusion to the camp experience.

Important exception:
Participants of a Swiss Trip must travel via Zurich Airport for both arrival and departure, as the group is on the move, and individual arrivals or departures are not possible.

Our direct onward journey by coach or train allows for a maximum waiting time of 30 minutes for delayed participants. If a child does not arrive on time, the parents or accompanying person must bring them directly to the camp house.

Unaccompanied children:
Children traveling alone to Switzerland who experience a significant delay will, of course, be met by a staff member. They will then travel together by train to join the camp group.

Special rule for Swiss Trips:
For participants of the Swiss Trip, individual arrangements must be made with the camp leaders to determine a suitable handover location.

In urgent cases, the pick-up location can be changed up to 48 hours before the end of the camp. This change must be submitted in writing via email to info@sjas.ch and confirmed by the SJAS office.

Please don’t contact camp leaders for such changes. All adjustments must be arranged directly through the SJAS office.

Many airlines allow children to travel independently as Unaccompanied Minors (UM). SJAS offers an travel escort service at Zurich Airport for these children:

• Arrival: A camp leader picks up the child at Zurich Airport between 09:00 and 12:00 on the first day of camp and looks after them until the camp begins.

• Departure: On the last day of camp, between 14:00 and 17:00, SJAS accompanies the child to the check-in counter..

• Time window: The child must land or check in in Zurich within these timeframes.

Costs for the travel escort service:

• CHF 50 per child and per way

• CHF 20 for each additional child from the same family, provided they travel at the same time

Unaccompanied children may call their parents briefly on the first day of camp to let them know they’ve arrived safely.

Camp leaders can only accompany children within the specified time slots:

• Arrival: Accompaniment is possible between 09:00 and 12:00.

  • Children who land before 09:00 cannot be received by a team member. If no later flight is possible, the airline must be contacted to check if the child can be looked after until 09:00. The child must travel as an Unaccompanied Minor (UM) for this.

• Departure: Accompaniment is possible between 14:00 and 17:00.

  • Children whose flight departs before 14:00 can be picked up early in the morning by a self-organized person directly at the camp house.

Payment of the camp fee in two to three installments is possible. However, this must be arranged with the office (info@sjas.ch). The first installment must be paid within the regular payment deadline (30 days).

To apply, the fee reduction form must be filled out completely and signed. This form must be sent to info@sjas.ch within 7 days after receiving the official participation confirmation.

We have a special form for travel cost support. This must be requested from the office after submitting the application for a fee reduction and must also be submitted within 7 days of receiving the participation confirmation.

Travel cost support is only granted in exceptional cases. Therefore, we recommend increasing the application for a fee reduction if in doubt, before submitting an application for travel cost support. An application for travel cost support can only be accepted if travel insurance has been taken out. In case of cancellation, all contributions must be reimbursed.

Yes, an application can be submitted multiple times. However, only one application per year and per family is allowed.

If a child has already received a full reduction, we cannot guarantee that another reduction will be granted, as other children will take priority.

We process applications individually for each child, not as a family. This means that each child has the opportunity to participate in a camp, regardless of whether older siblings have already received a full fee reduction.

Health insurance is the responsibility of the parents. All participating children must have valid health insurance and be able to provide proof of coverage.

• Children from the EU: With a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), treatment costs in Switzerland should be covered by the insurance.
• Children from non-EU countries: Parents must check with their insurance provider whether treatment in Switzerland is covered or if additional insurance is needed. This can be arranged, for example, through travel insurance.

SJAS recommends taking out travel insurance that covers all accident, illness, rescue, recovery, and cancellation costs in Switzerland.

SJAS recommends that all families take out travel insurance. The exact coverage depends on what is already included in the family’s existing insurance policies.

If the health insurance does not cover potential costs in Switzerland, this coverage should be included in the travel insurance.

Additionally, SJAS recommends purchasing cancellation insurance so that in case of cancellation, both travel and camp cancellation costs can be reimbursed.

Since our camps are supported by Youth+Sport (J+S), young Swiss Abroad are insured for rescue operations by Rega during the camp.

For non-Swiss children and children of Swiss schools, SJAS recommends purchasing a travel insurance that covers rescue and recovery costs.

Teilnehmende von Schweizerschulen im Ausland sind für ihre eigene Versicherung zuständig. Die SJAS empfiehlt eine Reiseversicherung, welche Rettungs- und Bergungskosten inkludiert.

In our camps, participants sleep in gender-separated shared rooms. The team usually assigns rooms based on age and the languages spoken by the participants. On excursions with overnight stays, it may also be necessary to sleep in tents.
On Swiss Trips, the camp group sleeps in different accommodations (e.g., farms, tents, camp houses). However, participants always sleep separately by gender.

Our camps are mostly mobile phone-free. This means that participants’ mobile phones are collected on the first day of camp and securely stored by the leadership team.

Exceptions are the two phone times during each camp. During these two hours, participants will get their mobile phones back and can call their parents. Wi-Fi will be available during this time.

The exact time slots for phone calls will be communicated in the parent letter (approximately one month before the start of the camp).

Bringing other electronic devices is not recommended, as they will also need to be handed in and cannot be used during the camp.

Don’t worry if you don’t hear anything from or about your child: No news is good news.
The leadership team will inform parents immediately if there is something they need to know. In return, parents can contact the leadership team in case of emergency via the SOS mobile number.
Each camp also has a blog where photos and short texts from participants about their daily life at camp are posted. This blog is private, and the link will be shared in the parent letter.

No, visits from relatives or acquaintances are not allowed at the camp. The reason for this is that a visit can disrupt the children’s adjustment to camp life, increase homesickness in other children, and interfere with the planned program.
Parents or relatives who would like to get to know the camp and its surroundings can drop off or pick up their children directly at the camp on the arrival or departure day.

Our camps are not language courses. However, it is possible that a child may improve their German or other language skills during the camp. This may happen if the child is highly motivated and frequently speaks a particular language.

In our camps, German, French, Italian, English, and Spanish are spoken. The leadership team is fluent in these languages, and children can speak in the language they prefer. The most commonly spoken languages in a camp depend on the group.

For example, in camps for older children, many participants tend to speak English well, so this often becomes the most spoken language among participants and with the leadership team. For children who are not as proficient in English, the leadership team will, of course, continue to provide translations.

Parents do not have to give their children pocket money for the camp, but it is allowed to bring pocket money. During the camp, participants will have the opportunity to go shopping one or two times, often combined with a city trip or free time.

The amount of pocket money can be determined by the parents. We recommend that parents give no more than CHF 100. CHF 40 is usually enough.

The pocket money will be collected along with the mobile phones, stored safely, and only given back when the participants have time to go shopping.

The menu in the camp will be balanced and varied. There will be traditional Swiss dishes, but also meals from around the world.

As it is typical in Switzerland to replace meat with plant-based protein products, there will be days when meals are vegetarian. On other days, meat dishes will also be prepared. The two-person kitchen team ensures that the menus are rich in protein and strives to buy locally as much as possible.

The kitchen team will certainly take into account all food allergies and intolerances of the participants and adjust the menu accordingly. These intolerances must be specified in the questionnaire and ideally with as much detail as possible. Vegetarian or vegan diets, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, as well as specific food intolerances (e.g., nuts or fruits) are no problem for the kitchen team. If there are more specific intolerances or allergies, parents are asked to contact the office so that we can clarify whether the kitchen team is able to meet these requirements.

Important: If your child simply does not like certain foods or prefers to consume a certain amount of carbohydrates or proteins, the meal plan will not be adjusted, and no specific cooking will be done for that child. However, the kitchen team will still try to reasonably meet these specific needs.

It often happens that children have a birthday during the camp. The leadership team will be informed and usually plans a small surprise, with singing and a birthday cake or dessert.
If parents would like to send a small gift with their child to the camp, it can be handed over to a staff member upon arrival.

In order for participants to stay in touch after the camp, we send a list with the names, countries, and email addresses of the participants to the families of other camp attendees. Since this does not comply with our data protection regulations, we need the parents’ consent. This can be provided in the questionnaire.
If consent to share contact details is not given, the child will not appear on this list, and the list will not be sent to the family.

The offer for the following year is usually published on our website at the end of October and no later than mid-December.

• Registration for summer holiday camps: Starts on the 2nd Tuesday in January

• Registration for winter holiday camps: Starts on March 15th

Then contact us at info@sjas.ch.