At BUNAC we believe that each volunteer should be treated as an individual. All participants will attend a one-to-one orientation interview in our London office. It’s not a formal interview, but a chance for us to get to know more about you and your reasons for volunteering.

We’ll discuss the types of projects you’re interested in and issues such as health and security to help prepare you for your time in Cambodia. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask us any questions you might have. If you’d like to apply but can’t travel to London for an interview, please call us on 020 7251 3386 to discuss alternative arrangements.

If BUNAC rejects your application at any stage you’ll receive a full refund of your programme deposit. We have a 7 day cooling off period, so if you feel that you’re not suited to the programme and you contact us within 7 days of attending the Orientation Interview you can cancel and receive a full refund (less £35 administration fee).

More information regarding cancellation refunds is included within the Terms and Conditions which are viewed as part of the online application.

As part of our 'Responsible Approach', each participant must provide a police background check before they travel. For this programme the required check is called a Basic Disclosure, which you apply for through Disclosure Scotland. A Disclosure is a document containing impartial and confidential criminal history information held by the police and government departments about an individual. All residents of the UK are able to apply for this in their own name via the Disclosure Scotland website. The check costs £25 and takes approximately 14 days to process. Once received you should send the original document to BUNAC. If you already hold a CRB from an existing or recent employer issued within 3 months we can accept this as an alternative to the Basic Disclosure.

BUNAC is pleased to partner with Interhealth, a charity which specialises in providing health advice for overseas workers. Your programme cost includes membership to Interhealth and as part of your application process you will complete an on-line medical screening to ensure that you are suitable for the challenge of volunteering in a developing country.

Following the screening you will receive comprehensive medical advice regarding inoculations specific to your destination along with some general travel health advice. Your programme cost also includes post-trip clean bill of health screening and on-going remote health care advice through Interhealth.

The inoculations you may require will vary depending on your destination and also your personal medical history so it is very difficult to provide a guide to the typical cost. However, please be aware that whilst some injections are relatively cheap others (specifically anti malarials) can be very expensive. Interhealth will provide you with further information following your screening.

BUNAC’s travel partner is STA Travel and they will help you to book your flights to and from your destination. We will discuss this during your interview. If you’d prefer to make alternative plans then you’re more than welcome to as long as you arrive in time for the start of the orientation. Please make sure you provide BUNAC with proof of your return trip so that we can arrange your airport pick up.

We want to make sure your trip preparation is as easy as possible so will apply for an initial 30 day Business visa on your behalf. This visa currently costs £20. Whilst in Cambodia our local partner will help you extend this visa. At present a 3 month extension is approximately £45.

Yes. BUNAC’s fully comprehensive insurance policy has been arranged with Endsleigh, one of the UK’s leading insurance companies. The BUNAC policy is compulsory for this programme. You can find out more about the insurance here.

Our partners can receive up to 10 volunteers on each arrival date so places are limited. There will be a mix of BUNAC participants and other international volunteers so it will be an exciting opportunity to meet people from all around the world.

The orientation is a great opportunity for you to be introduced to the country and its culture. It is covered in the programme cost and our local partner will discuss volunteering, health and safety issues. You will also go on a number of great excursions and receive relevant training. The orientation will provide you with useful information, interesting tours and enable you to meet other volunteers on the programme.

We believe that it’s important to consider the both the needs of the community and the preferences of the volunteer in placement selection. Our partner is committed to child safety and works in line with a detailed Child Protection Policy. They work closely with all of the projects, monitoring their activities and placing volunteers where they feel they’ll be able to make the most worthwhile contribution.

On the application form we ask you to indicate your preferred areas of project work. We’ll then discuss your choices in detail during the orientation interview, where we can provide more information about what to expect and jointly agree on the most suitable type of placement for you. Your application information is sent to Cambodia so that an appropriate placement can be found and you’ll be sent confirmation and details of your work and accommodation arrangements 2-4 weeks before your trip.

Teaching time at the various placements can vary from anywhere between 2-6 hours per day. Generally you can expect to be at your project Monday-Friday but start times vary. There will be opportunities for you to be proactive and look at other areas in the community where you may be able to lend a hand. This could involve setting up after school clubs, sports events and offering one-to-one lessons.

It is possible that you may be working at the same project as another volunteer but we cannot guarantee this as it is based on individual placement preferences and availability. Ultimately BUNAC's volunteer programmes offer a lot of support, but they are intended to be independent experiences where the individual can gain through working amongst the local people. You’ll be living in the volunteer house so you’ll be able to spend time with the other volunteers during your time off.

Volunteer Cambodia is available from 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 or 28 weeks. We believe that a volunteer would not be able to accomplish much or feel satisfied with their participation on a project if they were there for less than 8 weeks. In fact, feedback from previous volunteers suggests that many people don’t want to leave after 8 weeks and wish they’d committed to longer!

In most cases it will be possible to extend your volunteer programme whilst you are away. Specific arrangements are made through our local partner and are subject to the availability of accommodation and projects.

Definitely! During your placement you will generally have weekends free to travel. Cambodia is a beautiful and fascinating country and our local partners will be able to give you advice on where to go and what to see. We also encourage volunteers to take time out either before or at the end of their placement to explore more of the country. Cambodia borders Thailand, Vietnam and Laos so it has massive potential for those wanting to combine a volunteering placement with backpacking in South East Asia.

It’s difficult to give an exact figure, as it depends on what you choose to do while you’re in Cambodia. We recommend that you anticipate spending £250 per month whilst you are volunteering to cover your daily needs. However, if you intend to travel at weekends or have plans for post programme travels we recommend that you take extra.

Participants are responsible for the costs of daily travel to their project. Bicycles are provided for each volunteer, but if the project is too far away to cycle then transport costs could vary from £40 - £60 a month.