Teachers

Grow Your Teaching Career With Us

Take your personal and professional development to the next level by teaching in the United States. Through the International Alliance Group (IAG) you can teach at an accredited school and learn more about life in the U.S. We support our teachers from the moment you start your application through to the end of your exchange program with us.

General Program Information

Purpose

The J-1 Teacher Exchange Visitor Program was established by the United States Department of State to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. This program plays an essential role in advancing the foreign policy objectives of the United States.

Our program offers qualified teachers from around the world the opportunity to participate in a three-year cultural exchange program in the United States. Selected teachers will immerse themselves in an English-speaking environment and gain a deeper understanding of U.S. culture by working and interacting daily with its people.

Host schools in the United States benefit greatly from hosting IAG teachers. They gain access to the rich cultural heritage brought by these teachers while exposing U.S. educators to new ideas and professional techniques shared by the exchange participants.

IAG Partners with Universities and Ministries of Education:

Government
- Ministry of Education in Guatemala
- Secretaría de Educación y Cultura (SEC) in Sonora, Mexico
- Instituto de Educación in Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Secretary of Education in Nuevo León, Mexico
- Secretary of Education in Baja California, Mexico
- Secretary of Education and Sports in Chihuahua, Mexico
Universities:
- UABC Baja California, Mexico
- IPN in El Salvador
- University of Sonora, Mexico
- Código Azul, Colima, Mexico

We strongly encourage you to work directly with IAG and refrain from paying fees to any third-party recruitment or placement agency in your home country or in the United States. If you are already registered with such an agency, it is important to disclose the 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. These activities must include one from each of the following categories:

Classroom, Host School, or Community Activity:
An activity designed to provide an overview of the teacher’s culture from their home country. This may include, but is not limited to, topics such as history, traditions, heritage, economy, and the educational system. Teachers placed in international schools must conduct at least one cross-cultural activity per academic year in nearby schools or communities.
Dialogue Activity:
An activity that fosters dialogue between U.S. students and students in another country, preferably from the teacher’s home school.

For more information on the cross-cultural activity requirements, refer to the [Cross Cultural Competencies PDF].

Financial Considerations

IAG program fees cover administrative costs for screening, orientation, and supervision of participants, as well as the participant’s supplementary medical insurance (from departure from the home country until transfer to the school’s medical insurance coverage, including repatriation and evacuation coverage throughout the program).

The exact cost of living may vary depending on the location of the teaching assignment. More specific information for each area is available in the FAQ section and in the IAG Handbook, provided to all program participants upon acceptance.

Costs that participants may incur while in the United States include:

U.S. Government fees:
Visa application fee: $185
SEVIS fee: $220
Union fees: Typically range from $100 to $500 per year, depending on the location and membership status. Participation in the union is optional.
Retirement benefits: $50–$100 (options vary by individual). Participants may choose how much they wish to contribute to their private retirement plan.
Childcare expenses: $150–$250 per week for full-time care (varies by state and participant).
Licensure exams: $100–$300, depending on location and participant.
Foreign credential evaluation fees:
TEC The Evaluation Company (formerly known as SpanTran): $150 (plus translations and verification if requested).

AZICE: $150 (plus translations and verification if requested).
Travel to host school: Airfare or bus transportation to the U.S. host school (varies by participant).
Housing: Rent, housing deposits, and utilities (varies by location and participant).
Transportation: (Varies by location and participant.)
Personal expenses: Mobile phone, travel, savings, and entertainment.
IAG Visa Sponsor Fees: $2,600 sponsor fee + $200 application fee. These fees cover your visa sponsorship and application processing, and are required to participate in the program.
Partner Sponsor Fees: Total program fees range from $2,200 to $4,000, depending on which visa sponsor is assigned to your placement. You’ll know the exact amount once you receive your Letter of Intent from a school district. No payment is required until then.

Medical insurance premiums or out-of-pocket expenses not covered by the medical insurance policy (supplementary insurance is included in the IAG program). See the FAQ on insurance for details.

Taxes: Estimated at 10% for federal taxes, 3–4.4% for state taxes (varies by state), and 7.65% for FICA.
Food: (Varies by location and participant.)
J-2 spouse/dependent visa fees: $500 for one J-2 visa and $250 for each additional J-2 visa. The J-1 participant is responsible for J-2 insurance enrollment and associated costs.

See Budget Exercise for estimates and ranges for these costs: Sample Budget Exercise.

Teacher Elegibility

Possess a valid passport from your home country
If your passport expires within three years, renewal will be necessary.
Hold a valid teaching license or credentials from your home country
Official certification or documentation from your home country’s Department of Education is required.
Have an education degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. degree
A degree earned at an accredited institution is required, and an approved Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) must be completed (*see details below).
Provide a current resume/CV in English
This document should detail your credential areas, teaching experience, relevant skills/work experience, and any previous international work or travel experience.
Demonstrate at least two years of professional teaching experience
Applicants must provide a signed and dated letter from a school administrator, written in English on official letterhead, verifying their current full-time teaching position.
Exhibit excellent proficiency in spoken and written English
Applicants must submit valid results from an approved standardized English proficiency test taken within the past two years. Accepted tests include:
- CBEST (official)
- TOEFL
- ACTFL
- EF SET + ITEP Conversation Test (both tests required)
- EF SET + English Language Level Test (administered by International House, free and online – links below):
  IH English Language Level Test
  EF SET

Complete a Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE)
A Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) is a report that explains how your international education compares to the U.S. education system.
For IAG teacher applicants, the FCE is used to:
- confirm eligibility for the program
- determine U.S. degree equivalency
- support state teacher certification
- provide documentation for the visa process
Applicants must provide a course-by-course evaluation prepared in English by an evaluation company that is a member of AICE or NACES member. Please note that IAG does not issue or charge for this evaluation.
Our Recommended Partner
IAG recommends completing your evaluation with its trusted partner: Alianza Academic Evaluations (AICE Endorsed Member)

Alianza is an AICE Endorsed member and offers IAG applicants a discounted preferred partner rate of $150 (normally $225) on the Course-by-Course evaluation.

Use the link and password below to apply and receive the discount.

Link: https://alianzaeval.com/iag-applicants/
Password: IAGEducators
For more information about obtaining and FCE, FCE evaluation requirements, and accepted AICE and NACES providers visit our help guide at: Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) – IAG