How to Apply for Love Island USA & UK: A Complete Guide

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Plus, how to make your application stand out

Co-authored by Christine Reed and Devin McSween

Last Updated: July 11, 2025 Fact Checked

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• How to Apply
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• Casting & Interview
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• Eligibility
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• Ways to Stand Out
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• Prize Money
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• Do you get paid?

|Show more |Show less

Oh, what’s that? I got a text! Are you a sexy single who’s ready to couple up and find love in the iconic Love Island villa? Whether you’re in the USA or the UK, we’re here to tell you how to fill out the application form for each show and navigate the application process. We’ll also share Islander-approved tips to help you stand out and get 1 step closer to being the next new bombshell to enter the villa. If you’re ready to crack on and make your Love Island debut, read on!

Love Island USA & UK Application Process

To apply to Love Island USA, fill out the form on the casting website. To apply to Love Island UK, complete the form on ITV’s website. Both forms ask for your basic info, dating history, interests, and photos of yourself. Then, submit a short video explaining who you are and why you want to be on the show.

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

How to Apply for Love Island USA & UK

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1. 
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   USA: Fill out the form on Love Island USA’s official website. Enter your date of birth to start the application process—you must be 18 years or older to apply. Then, fill out the questions on the form. There are 79 questions that ask for your:

   • Basic info: Age, height, weight, gender
   • Contact info: Address, phone number, email, hometown
   • Background: Education, employment history
   • Social media links (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, YouTube)
   • Relationship status
   • Dating history: last relationship, if you’ve been in love, why you think you’re single
   • Personality: hobbies, how do people describe you, interesting facts
   • 3 photos of yourself
   • A video describing yourself in 30 seconds
   • Tip: Follow Love Island USA on Instagram or X/Twitter to stay up to date on any casting information and deadlines.
2. 
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   UK: Fill out the form on Love Island UK’s official website. To fill out the Love Island UK application form, you have to be 18 years old. Like the US form, the UK form includes questions about your basic info, contact info, background, social media links, dating history, and personality. You also have to submit photos of yourself and a 60-second video describing yourself and why you want to be on the show.

   • Note: As of January 2025, the application for Love Island UK is not open.
   • Tip: Follow Love Island UK on Instagram or X/Twitter to get up-to-date info on casting and any deadlines.
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Section 2 of 6:

Love Island Casting & Interview Process

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1. 
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   Fill out the application form and wait to be contacted by casting. The first step in the Love Island USA and UK application process is filling out the application form, attaching photos of yourself, and submitting a video about why you want to be on the show. Then, simply wait. If a casting team member thinks you’d be a good fit for the show, they’ll contact you about the next steps in the process.

   • It may take several weeks or months for the casting team to review your application and reach out to you.
   • Love Island USA and UK receive thousands of applications each year, so you might not hear back from the casting team if you’re not selected. While this can be upsetting, try not to take it to heart—this just means that casting didn’t think you were a good fit this year. Get back to living your fun-filled life and apply again next year!
2. 
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   Interview with the casting team and producers. If the casting team thinks you’d be a good fit for the show, the next step is to interview you and learn more about your personality and dating history. The team might interview you over the phone, video chat with you, or ask you to meet in person. There are typically several rounds, including talking with the casting team, interviewing with other applicants, and finally meeting with the producers of the show.

   • According to previous applicants and Islanders, the interviews are usually conversational and easygoing. So, don’t sweat them too much!
   • The casting team and producers typically ask you questions about yourself, why you want to be on the show, how you handle social situations, and if you’re looking for love on the show. They might also ask to hear funny stories and want to learn more about your dating experiences.
3. 
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   Complete a background check and health evaluation. If the interviews go well, the casting team will next want to know if you’re fit to be on the show. They will do a background check on you to ensure you don’t have a criminal record. Then, they’ll ask you to complete a physical and mental health evaluation—these are usually done in person or over video chat.

   • Love Island contestants participate in physical challenges and can be exposed to emotional situations, so the casting team wants to ensure that you’re in good physical and mental health.
4. 
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   Wait to be notified if you’re shortlisted for the show. It may take the casting team and producers several weeks to evaluate your interviews to ensure you’ll be an entertaining Islander and assess how well you’ll get along with the other potential contestants. If the producers think you’ve got a shot at finding love in the sun, they’ll contact you to let you know you’re shortlisted for the show!

   • According to past Islanders, you usually don’t know your role on the show until a few weeks before filming starts.
   • If you’re chosen as an original Islander (OG), you’ll be asked to film press videos and your introduction for the first episode. However, some early bombshells film these things as well, as the producers might change their minds on the OG casting right before the show starts.
   • If you’re chosen as a bombshell or casa amor contestant, you might be flown out to the villa and put up in a hotel until it’s your time to go on the show. Or, the producers might ask you to stay home and only fly you out a few days before you head into the villa.
   • If you’re not chosen as an OG, there’s a chance you won’t be on the show even if you’re shortlisted. The producers select Islanders to enter the villa based on who’s single, who they’d be compatible with, and what couples they want to shake up.
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Section 3 of 6:

Love Island Eligibility Requirements

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1. 
   You must be at least 18, have citizenship, and have a valid passport. Both Love Island USA and UK require that you be 18 years old by May 1. You must also be a citizen or resident in the respective country (i.e., a US citizen to be on LI USA) or have a valid visa. Both LI USA and UK usually film in different countries (Fiji and Spain, respectively), so you also need a valid passport that doesn’t expire during filming. Some other eligibility requirements include:

   • Relationship status: Because Love Island is a dating reality show, you need to be single and open to finding love.
   • Availability: You must also be available during the filming dates of the show. Both shows usually film for 6 to 10 weeks in the summer, from June to July.
   • Conflicting contracts: Both LI USA and UK also require that you aren’t a part of any contracts that prevent you from being on the show.
   • Background checks: You must pass the criminal background check and health evaluations to be on the show.

Section 4 of 6:

Ways to Make Yourself Stand Out

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1. 
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   Be genuine and authentic to yourself. Answer the application questions honestly and as yourself—don’t pretend to be someone you think the casting team is looking for. Write in your own voice and infuse your words with your feelings. In your application video, be real about who you are while still showing off your vibrant personality—you’re competing against thousands of people, so you want to be memorable, too!

   • For instance, if you’re a singer, write a song introducing yourself. If you’re really into fitness, film your video while doing squats and deadlifts.
   • Consider including a few clips of yourself in your daily life, like laughing with friends, dancing on a night out, or flaunting a unique talent, so the casting team gets a real sense of who you are.
2. 
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   Highlight funny stories and interesting facts about yourself. According to past Islanders, one of the best ways to stand out is to have specific stories ready to share about your dating history and life experiences. Did your mom interrupt a first date and embarrass you? Or have you matched with a celebrity online only to stand them up? The casting team wants to know! These stories tell them that you’re interesting, entertaining, and have a unique personality—all of which make you more memorable and a good fit for the show.

   • If you’ve seen previous seasons of Love Island USA or UK, think about the stories the Islanders share in their introduction videos. These are the types of things you want to include in your application and talk about in interviews!
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   Build up your social media presence. Many past Islanders didn’t apply for the show and were actually scouted by production on Instagram and TikTok. So, having an active social media presence showing yourself looking hot and living your fun life is a great way to stand out! To help grow your following, make your accounts public, post a few times per week, follow similar accounts, add tags, and vary your content (photos, videos, stories, etc).

   • Insider tip: Follow Love Island casting team members and producers and DM them once you’ve applied to the show. USA Season 5 and 6 contestant, Kassy Castillo, says she did this when she applied for the show!
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   Check out what worked for previous Islanders. Lots of past USA and UK Islanders have videos talking about the Love Island application process and sharing how they got on the show. While it’s important to be yourself, checking out what they’ve done can give you some tips for success or help you brainstorm ways to stand out.

   • USA Islander videos: Kay Kay Kalore (Season 5), GiNiele Reitzell (Season 2), Elizabeth Weber (Season 1)
   • UK Islander videos: Molly Marsh (Season 10), Samie Elishi (Season 9), Millie Court (Season 7), Chloe Burrows (Season 7)
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   Be confident. Take pride in who you are and don’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments, dating successes, and what sets you apart from other applicants. While you want to be true to who you are, it’s also important to put your best foot forward. When filming your video or doing interviews, wear clothes that make you feel good and highlight your favorite features.

   • Both Love Island USA and UK are watched by millions of people, so the casting team wants to see that you love who you are and aren’t afraid to be yourself.
   • If it makes you feel good, pamper yourself to prepare for the application and interviews. For instance, get a facial or get your hair done.
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   Stay positive and upbeat. Love Island is all about opening yourself up to love while having fun in the sun. So, the casting team and producers like to see contestants who have a positive attitude and don’t take themselves too seriously. Lead all of your interviews with a smile on your face and focus on sharing funny stories and positive aspects of your life.
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Section 5 of 6:

What do you get if you win Love Island?

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1. 
   The winner gets $100,000, which they can split with their partner. On Love Island USA, the winning couple each receives an envelope: one that contains the prize money ($100,000) and one that contains no money. Whoever gets the envelope with the prize money can decide to keep it for themselves or split the winnings in half with the other person in their couple ($50,000 each).

   • On Love Island UK, the winning couple automatically wins £25,000 each. The show used to have a similar process as USA, but they ended it starting with Season 8.
   • Of course, as the winner, you also win love! Many winners (as well as regular Islanders) also leverage their fame and become successful social media influencers.

Section 6 of 6:

Do you get paid to go on Love Island?

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1. 
   Yes, Love Island contestants earn a couple hundred dollars per week. Previous Islanders onLove Island USA and UK have reported that they earned around $250 (£250) per week while filming the show. So, if you’re an OG and make it to the end of the show, you might make around $2,000 (£2,000).
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