Cheap Volunteer Abroad Programs For High School Students
Are you a high school student looking for volunteer abroad opportunities that are affordable, meaningful, and fun? Have you ever thought about volunteering abroad as a way to travel and see the world? Are you looking for cheap volunteer abroad programs?
Joining a volunteer abroad program will offer invaluable lessons learned through cultural immersion and gaining global perspectives. IFRE’s safe and affordable abroad experiences will allow you to explore some of the world’s most fascinating countries while broadening your horizons and exploring personal passions and interests that could affect your life and career choices. You will push the boundaries of what you’re capable of to become more independent, adaptable, and self-confident!
IFRE offers a variety of volunteer programs in over 18 countries for you to choose from. No matter which project you decide to join based on your needs and interests, you will make significant impacts individuals’ lives as well as the larger community. Volunteering sets an amazing and powerful example to your family and friends and helps encourage everyone to contribute to making this world a better place. Our goal is to connect you with an organization where you can utilize your skills and passion to make a real change in peoples’ lives.
IFRE Volunteer invites you explore some of our cheapest volunteer abroad programs for high school students. Start your abroad volunteer adventure today by learning about different ways you can travel and contribute to international projects we offer, and then contact us for more information.
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Benefits of Cheap Volunteer Abroad Programs For High School Students
There are a lot of advantages of volunteering abroad as a high school student. You may experience personal growth, learn new language skills, expand your global connections, and more! We’ve listed a few of these benefits below:
Personal Growth
Volunteering in another country requires you to step out of your comfort zone as your immersed in a new culture and surrounded by a foreign language. New environments and ways of thinking may be challenging to deal with, but you will learn to adjust and grow, becoming more adaptable as you gain new skills.
Teaches you valuable job skills
Volunteering helps you build different skills, such as communication, leadership and other interpersonal skills by interacting with different personalities, taking the lead on community projects, and assisting programs. The new skills you will acquire from this experience will help advance your career.
Helps you define your career path
Volunteering abroad for high school students through cheap programs is a great opportunity to explore potential career paths. You can try out what it would feel like to work in a given field by taking advantage of this practical experience. Not to mention, you will gain invaluable life experience and stand out from the crowd when you start to apply for jobs when you volunteer internationally.
Learn new skills and boost your self-confidence:
Volunteering abroad provides you with a great opportunity to learn and develop valuable skills that will boost your self-confidence. As a volunteer, you will work in a new country with volunteers from around the world. While working with them, you get to learn interpersonal skills, relationship skills, teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, leadership skills and more. These skills you learn as a high school volunteer will develop your confidence and help you achieve your goals.
Enhances your language skills:
Many times, volunteers are asked to teach English in the countries where English is a second language. While preparing to teach English, you will review often forgotten rules of grammar which will strengthen your command over the language and benefit you in the long run. During your stay you might also learn a new language, which will be a great addition to your resume.
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Popular Cheap Volunteer Abroad Programs For High School Students
Costa Rica
Sea Turtle Conservation Project (Pacuare)

Costa Rica is rich in its biodiversity, marine life and natural beauty. However, illegal fishing, hunting, construction work, and high impact tourism have seriously threatened marine ecosystems. Sea turtle populations in Costa Rica are declining. These magnificent and important creatures need your help for protection!
Working with conservation specialists in Pacuare is a great cheap volunteer abroad opportunity for high school students in South America. In this program, you to work in collaboration with local staff to protect and care for marine life in Costa Rica. Your role as a volunteer includes protecting areas where turtles lay eggs, catching turtles for tagging, cleaning beaches, and more. You will also get to learn and do community outreach about marine ecosystems and their flora and fauna.
Embarking on this conservation project will give you the experience of a lifetime. You will make a difference in the livelihood of these beautiful turtle species, which in turn indicates a healthier marine ecosystem. Apart from the service-learning aspect of this program, you will also get to experience the vibrant local culture and pristine beaches.
If you are a high school student with a strong passion for species conservation, then this may be the program for you! To learn more about this amazing opportunity to help sea turtles, please follow this link
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Costa Rica
If you would like to explore other volunteer abroad opportunities for high school students that are cheap and affordable, such as teaching English, working with children, and supporting healthcare efforts just follow this link to read about all the opportunities IFRE offers
Peru
Medical/Healthcare Project (Cusco)
The Peruvian healthcare system gives medical care to all citizens regardless of income, but still over one third of the population still does not have access to basic healthcare. Because of this, deaths from treatable and preventable diseases and illnesses are surprisingly common.
When you embark on this cheap volunteer abroad experience for high school students in South America, you will work in local hospitals and clinics to shadow and assist medical professionals. Other responsibilities may include assisting with lab work, distributing medicine, administrative work, or treating and diagnosing patients.
This volunteer opportunity will allow you to have a direct impact on the patients you treat. In addition to serving the community by assisting with medical needs, you will also impact the community by helping individuals become more culturally aware. As a volunteer in Cusco, Peru, you will also be contribute your energy toward something much larger than yourself, helping the world become a better place.
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Peru
If you would like to explore other cheap volunteer abroad programs for high school students in Peru for high school students, such as working with teenage mothers, teaching English, working in an orphanage or more, please follow the link below:
Guatemala
Teaching in Rural Schools

The number of English-speaking tourists visiting Guatemala increases every year. In order to compete globally and locally for lucrative jobs, Guatemalan youth must speak English.
Responsibilities of student volunteers in this program include assisting local educators and language institutes with pre-established English curriculums involving younger students throughout Guatemala. Volunteers can expect to offer their expertise with the design of language activities for younger learners, support in administrative tasks, teach personal hygiene, and plan out extracurricular activities for younger learners.
The English teaching cheap volunteer abroad for high school students in Guatemala aims to support the country’s youth. When children learn English, they have a greater opportunity of getting a good job to support their families in the future. When you volunteer with this program, you will be extending this opportunity to young students, making a lasting impact in their lives by providing them with resources they otherwise would not have.
English programs are not strong, which is why this volunteer opportunity in Guatemala is so important. If this program sounds like the right fit for you, please read more program details through this link:
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Guatemala
Other cheap Guatemala volunteer opportunities for high school students includeworking with street children, supporting orphanages, women’s projects, and more. Click the link below to learn more about these alternative projects in Guatemala:
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Argentina
Volunteering With Underprivileged Children
Poverty prevails throughout much of Argentina. Many parents are unable to sufficiently provide for their children. Children grow up without an adequate nutrition, education, companionship, guidance and personal attention.
One of the cheapest abroad programs we offer is volunteering with the Argentina Children and Youth Outreach project. During this project you will participate in the Disadvantaged Children/At-Risk Children Program, supporting children educationally, emotionally and physically to give them a change to live healthy and productive lives. You will also assist care centers with various tasks such as preparing meals, helping children with their homework, and implementing and developing activities to enhance and promote creativity.
In association with a number of Argentinean non-profit organizations, municipalities and schools, IFRE places volunteers in “buddy roles” in an attempt to provide love, friendship, support and care for underprivileged children. Through your support, children will be off the streets and away from negative situations, which are counter-productive to their education and brighter future.
While this project requires patience and dedication, these cheap volunteer abroad programs for high school students will give you a unique and unforgettable experience while making a positive impact on the lives of the children who need it the most. For more program details please follow this link:
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Argentina
Other opportunities to share your passion with underprivileged communities in Argentina include working with local NGOs, providing professional support, assisting in dental projects, and more. To learn about these alternative projects in Argentina, please follow this link
Ecuador

While Ecuador is rich in both natural and manmade features, many people in this fascinating country are very poor. One population affected greatly by poverty is children. Sadly, Ecuador has over 200,000 orphans living within its borders.
When you join the Orphanage Program in Ecuador as a volunteer abroad for high school student, you provide love and compassion to children who are desperately in need of attention. Some of your volunteer responsibilities include helping serve them food, teaching children about hygiene, organizing games, planning day trips, and more.
The time you devote to these children will show them that they can have a bright future. You will demonstrate that they are worthy of love, which will help them go on to lead prosperous lives despite their rough beginnings.
Working with orphans makes a huge impact. If you want to provide love and care to abandoned and overlooked children in Ecuador, then contact IFRE today or visit our program page to learn more about this lifechanging opportunity.
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Ecuador
Other community service projects in Ecuador include working with street children, teaching English, working in conservation in the Galapagos, and more. To browse these other Ecuador programs, follow this link:
Brazil
Youth Project in Brazil
One of Brazil’s most prevalent social issue is it’s high poverty rates. Many local youths in favelas (shanty towns) are deprived of education. They get involved in drugs, theft, and other unlawful activities. This project in Brazil is designed to help those youths participate in different sports that will help them gain social, physical and emotional development and keep them off the streets.
When you participate in cheap high school volunteer abroad opportunities in South America like this youth athletics project, you will be working with local schools and organizations to organize and participate in sporting events, like skateboarding, volleyball and other athletic sports. You may also do community outreach to encourage healthier and happier lifestyle choices amongst the youth of Brazil.
Your time working with the youth will give them access to an exciting and fun pastime which will stay with them for their rest of their lives. They will get to embrace their new passion for sports and join their country in this fulfilling national pastime. Youth will learn the value of teamwork and hard work while developing communication and athletic skills that will greatly enriching their lives.
If you are you interested in enriching the lives of these youths while exploring Brazil and gaining invaluable life experiences, contact IFRE today! We will guide you through the rest of your Brazilian service-learning adventure.
Other Volunteer Opportunities in Brazil
Other cheap volunteer abroad programs for high school students in Brazil include childcare, teaching computer skills, teaching English, and more. To learn more about these alternative projects, please visit this link:
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Skill and Qualifications
Most cheap high school volunteer project in South America do not require specific skills or qualification. They only require a good attitude, compassion, and an open mind.
However, there are still some programs where a certain level of skills to volunteer abroad. Medical programs require that you are at least be a pre-med student, and English teaching program quire fluency in English.
The Start Date(s)
IFRE Volunteer programs start on Mondays. If you have a travel conflict, we will work with you to select a start day that works with your plans.
The Fee
Since 2006, IFRE has been the most trusted and respected volunteer abroad organization in the world, and also the most affordable. We’re dedicated to providing the highest quality volunteer abroad programs for high school students at the cheapest price, which make it possible for everyone, especially students, to volunteer internationally and make a positive impact in the lives of others.
We believe in 100% transparency. Rest assured; we never use middlemen. Your one-time registration fee of $299 covers our administrative costs. The low weekly program fee is paid in the host country directly to your service project (via country coordinator), and includes housing, food, and minor expenses. IFRE is a non-profit organization, so your program fees are tax deductible.
To learn more about volunteer abroad fees, please visit:
Housing and Food
Your housing and food will depend on your specific project. Most students stay with one of our wonderful host families, who provide three meals per day in the style of traditional cuisine. Some student volunteers, however, may be asked to stay in a cabin, hostel, or home with other volunteers.
No matter what type of accommodation you receive, IFRE will ensure that you are happy, comfortable, and safe because we know that your living environment can make or break your experience.
To learn more about food and housing, please follow this link:
How can you apply?
You can apply to cheap volunteer abroad programs for high school students through a straightforward online application. We will be in direct contact with you within 24 hours of your application submittal.
To learn more about the application process, please follow this link:
Why go with IFRE Volunteers?
If you’re looking to volunteer abroad as a high school student for cheap, IFRE Volunteers is the right organization for you. We are a global humanitarian non-profit who has partnered with over 22,000 people and hundreds of local organizations since 2006 to facilitate outstandingly significant and incredibly safe volunteer and intern abroad experiences.
We offer the most affordable student volunteer opportunities, and we use the tax-deductible registration fee to support your experience and enhance local projects while the program fee gets paid directly to your service project.
During your abroad experience you will to create long lasting connections with your home-away-from-home host family, project coordinators, and fellow volunteers. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable during your time abroad, our unparalleled support staff will do everything they can to improve your situation and ensure that you have a good experience.
How can you go as a group?
IFRE Volunteers understand the importance of volunteering abroad with a group. Please contact IFRE directly to customize your group travel and dates. We will work with you to find the perfect project.
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IFRE Volunteers is one of the top volunteering program providers in the world. We offer amazing volunteer programs in 20 countries across Latin America, Asia and Africa. If you are interested to volunteer in other countries than mentioned above, check out our best affordable programs in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bali, Cambodia, Thailand, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Morocco
Check out A Complete Volunteer Abroad Guide: Everything You Need To Know to learn more about what is volunteering abroad. If you want to know how to volunteer abroad for free, go through our Volunteer Abroad for Free article. If you are a college student and searching for meaningful summer volunteering programs, check out our popular articles Community Service Trips For College Students and Summer Volunteer Programs For College Students.
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