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Purpose

The J-1 Teacher Exchange Visitor Program was established by the United States Department of State to increase understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. This important exchange program assists the Department of State in furthering the foreign policy objectives of the United States.

Our program offers the opportunity for qualified teachers from around the world to participate in a three-year cultural exchange program in the United States. Selected teachers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an English-speaking environment and learn about the culture of the United States through working and interacting on a daily basis with the people of the United States.

Host schools in the United States will benefit from hosting an IAG teacher in many ways – by sharing the rich culture that the teacher brings from his or her home country and by exposing teachers from the United States to different ideas and professional techniques that the exchange teacher offers.

AS A REMINDER:

IAG DOES NOT PARTNER with ANY third-party recruitment or placement agencies in the administration of its J-1 Exchange Teacher program. Accordingly, we encourage you to work directly with IAG and not pay any fees to a third-party recruitment or placement agency located in Participant's home country or in the U.S. If you have already registered with a recruitment or placement agent, it is important that you disclose the agent fees paid and provide IAG with a copy of the agreement signed between you and the agency.

Cultural Goals and Components

Participating teachers are required to complete at least two cross-cultural activities per year. The activities must include at least one of each of the following:

• An activity for the classroom, host school or district, or the host community to give an overview of the teacher’s culture of his or her home country (this can include, but is not limited to history, traditions, heritage, economy, and educational system). Teachers placed at international schools must conduct at least one cross-cultural activity per academic year in nearby schools or communities.
• An activity that involves dialogue between U.S. students and students in another country, preferably the teacher’s home school.

More information on the cross-cultural activity requirement can be found here: Cross Cultural Competencies PDF

Teacher Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Possess a valid passport from your home country
If expiration date is within three years, renewal will be necessary.
• Be licensed/credentialed to teach in your home country
Evidence of official certification/documentation from the home country’s department of education is required.
• An education degree earned at an accredited school equivalent to a four-year degree in the U.S.
An approved foreign credential evaluation (FCE) must be completed. (*See below.)
• A current resume/CV in English
This should include credential areas, teaching experience, skills/work experience relevant to teaching, and any previous work/travel abroad.
• Approximately two or more years of related professional experience
Applicants must provide a signed and dated letter verifying a current, full-time teaching job from a school administrator written in English on official letterhead.
• Excellent command of the English language, both spoken and written
Valid results on a approved/standardized English proficiency test administered within two years of application data are required. Accepted tests include:
• CBEST (official), TOEFL, ACTFL
• EF SET + ITEP conversation test (must complete -both)
• EF SET + English Language Level Test - International House (free and online, links below)
  Ihworld
  Efset

*FCE (Foreign Credential Evaluation) is required to be an applicant with us. If you do not have one currently, you must apply for one now and wait for it to be completed to submit your application. FCE's are good for 5 years so it is worth this initial investment. Be sure to submit transcripts for all degrees earned for evaluation (bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D. etc.).

For teaching jobs in Arizona and Texas: go to https://iceinaz.com and select Application for Teacher Certification as your purpose and then select Course-by-Course.

For other states, we recommend SpanTran.

If you have questions about the requirements, please contact: recruitment@iagusa.org.

Financial Considerations

IAG program fees are covered by cooperating host school districts' program fees. These fees will cover IAG administrative costs for screening, orientation, and supervising participants, as well as the participant’s supplementary medical insurance (from departure from home country to when you transfer to your school’s medical insurance coverage, plus repatriation and evacuation coverage throughout your program).

Beyond the program fees paid by the host school, IAG will not charge participants program fees, other than collecting and paying direct costs of the program on behalf of the applicant.

Exact cost of living may vary by location of teaching assignment; more specific information for each area is provided in the FAQ section https://iagusa.org/faq and in the IAG Handbook provided to all program participants upon acceptance.

Costs that participants will likely incur while in the United States include:

• U.S. Government fees:
• Visa application fee ($160)
• SEVIS fee ($220)
• Foreign credential evaluation fee ($250, estimated) – recommend utilizing AZICE for the required transcript evaluation if seeking employment in Arizona or Texas
• Travel to host school – airfare/bus to the U.S. host school (varies by participant*)
• Housing* – rent, housing deposits, utilities (varies by location and participant*)
• Transportation* (varies by location and participant*)
• Teaching requirements – Background check, teaching certificate, fingerprinting, etc. ($200, estimated)
• Personal expenses – mobile phone, travel, savings, entertainment
• Medical insurance premiums or out-of-pocket expenses not covered by medical insurance policy (Insurance is included in the IAG program.)
• Taxes (estimated 15-20% of your paycheck)
• Food* (varies by location and participant*)
• J-2 spouse/dependent visa fees ($500 for one J-2 Visa and $250 for any subsequent J-2 Visa; J-1 will be responsible for J-2 insurance enrollment and costs)

*See budget exercise for estimates/ranges for these costs: Sample Budget Exercise

Are there foreign or domestic third party or partner fees?
IAG partners, including universities and foreign departments of education, have committed to not charging applicants fees for their referral services. If any third-party attempts to charge you additional fees for the IAG program, please contact an IAG team member for support.
IAG does not partner with any third-party recruitment or placement agencies in the administration of its J-1 Exchange Teacher program. Accordingly, we encourage participants to work directly with IAG and not pay any fees to a third-party recruitment or placement agency located in Participant's home country or in the U.S. If you have already registered with a recruitment or placement agent, it is important that you disclose the agent fees paid and provide IAG with a copy of the agreement signed between you and the agency.