The Teacher Program
The Teacher category of the BridgeUSA Program
offers foreign teachers the possibility to teach fulltime in accredited public and private primary andsecondary schools in the United States. Exchangeteachers may also teach at the pre-kindergarten
level in language immersion programs.
The goal of the program is to promote cultural
exchange between foreign teachers, their students
abroad, and the U.S. school community. Teachers
will return home after their exchange and share
their knowledge of U.S. culture and educational
practices in their home countries.
For an overview of eligibility requirements forinterested teachers, please visit the U.S.
Department of State Teacher Program website:
https://j1visa.state.gov/programs/teacher.

Teaching Positions
U.S. host schools or school districts must provide afull-time position as a teacher of record, with aminimum of 32 hours per week of teaching orteaching-related administrative activities.
Teachers must be employees of either their U.S.
host school, host school district, or their homeschool during the exchange. Positions aretemporary, do not lead to tenure, and arecommensurate in responsibility and compensation
to those of similarly situated U.S. teachers in thehost school or school district.

IIE Program Fees
Fees to be paid to IIE by the host school:••••••

Initial application fee and sponsorship for up
to 12 months = $1,750
Extension of sponsorship, per year = $750
Extension Beyond Maximum Duration
Application = $750 (includes $367 fee toDepartment of State)
Expedited processing service (optional) =$1,000
Enrollment in IIE group insurance (optional) =Approx. $190, inquire directly for rates
New host school fee = $300

Fees to be paid to IIE by either the host school or
the teacher:••J-2 sponsorship fee, per dependent for
duration of program = $500
DS-2019 re-issuance fee = $50

If not electing enrollment in IIE group insurance,
host or teacher may pay for insurance meeting
minimum J-visa requirements = varies from $75 $200 per month

Other Fees
These fees are not included in IIE’s services but
must be paid during the J-1 Visa application:••$220 SEVIS Fee$185 nonimmigrant visa application fee

Note: Teachers who work with a placement agency areadvised to inquire directly about the fees and what each fee
covers. Check with your host school to see if you areresponsible for any initial visa costs or fees, or if you will be
responsible for covering the cost of any state teaching
licensure requirements. Fees disclosed to IIE during theapplication process are summarized in the teacher’s Termsof Appointment.

Duration and Repeat Participation
The standard maximum duration for programs in the Teacher category is three (3) years. Teachers may be
eligible for an extension beyond maximum duration of up to two (2) additional years, at the discretion of theU.S. Department of State. At the end of the program teachers must depart the U.S. to put their experience touse in their home country. Past participants are eligible to apply for another Teacher category program throughBridgeUSA after a period of at least two (2) years residency outside of the U.S.

Initial Funds
IIE requires that the U.S. host school system cover the cost of our sponsorship fees (see Fee Chart above).
Teachers should budget for fees associated with preparing for the application, such as credential review andtranslation services, and for fees associated with the J-1 visa application process. Teachers must obtain acertified translation for any document that was not originally issued in English, such as their academic degrees,transcripts, and professional licenses. A full list of required documents is provided by IIE within our online
application.
Credential evaluation ranges in cost from approximately $100 to $300. A list of member organizations in theNational Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can be found here:
https://www.naces.org/members
Certified translation can cost between $20 to $150 per document. IIE does not provide translation services orrefer to providers.
Within the application to IIE, each teacher must demonstrate $3,000 available in advance of their program tocover the international flight and initial expenses such as rent and transportation prior to receiving the firstpaycheck. Please note that some school systems may require that the teacher has a Social Security Number(SSN) before they can receive a paycheck, and the SSN can only be applied for after arrival in the U.S. and may
take 4-6 weeks to process. IIE will provide detailed information on this process if you are approved forsponsorship. Teachers must have funds available to cover their expenses prior to receiving the first paycheck.

Third Party or Partner Fees
IIE does not partner with third-party recruiters or staffing agencies that charge any fees to the individual
teacher. U.S. host school systems working with a third-party recruiter must disclose their arrangements to IIE
during the application process. It is IIE’s strong preference that U.S. host schools cover all recruiting andplacement fees. Teachers who have independently worked with a third-party to find their teaching position
must disclose any associated fees and contracts in their application to IIE. IIE will assess our ability to provide
sponsorship on a case-by-case basis. IIE does not provide sponsorship to programs where the teacher isdetermined to be responsible for unreasonable fees.
IIE requires that the U.S host school system cover the cost of our sponsorship fees. Please carefully review theinformation on fees above.

At time of application to IIE U.S. host schools and teacher applicants must disclose if they have worked with any
third-party placement organizations and any fees associated with the placement, sponsorship, or visa
application process that have been paid, will be paid, or will be reimbursed by the teacher. A summary of any
fees that the teacher is responsible for will be included in the IIE Terms of Appointment.

Cost of Living
During the program, IIE recommends that each teacher have a minimum of $2,500 per month available, either
through wages or combination of wages and personal funds. Additional funding must be shown for J-2
dependents (legally married spouse or children under 21). Please be aware that wages and/or stipends from ahost school, host school district, home school or home government might not cover all living expenses in theU.S. and teachers are advised to have access to additional personal funds.
The cost of living can vary greatly depending on where the host school or school district is located. Prior toaccepting a position, teachers should research online to budget accordingly. Housing in a large city can cost
approximately $2000 per month, while housing in a smaller town might cost closer to $500 per month. Utilities
may include electric or gas ($50 - $100 per month, depending on the size of the housing), cable and internet($50 - $200 depending on plan). In a single-family home, the tenant may also be responsible for water and trashcollection, about $150 - $200 annually. Cost of food may range from $200 - $500 per month, depending on
location and preference to cook or eat out regularly. After initial application review, IIE provides teachers with abudgeting workbook tool to plan their finances.

Transit
Most urban areas have public transit, such as subways, buses, and trains and this is a great environmentallyfriendly option. Price of a monthly public transit ticket may range from $25 - $135 for local service, or higher forregional service. Owning a car in the U.S. can be expensive, with gas prices between $2 - $4 per gallon. Drivers
need to make sure they have or obtain the proper license (through the Department of Motor Vehicles for thestate) and vehicle insurance.

Work-Related Fees and Deductions
If the teacher is being compensated by the host school or school district, taxes will be deducted from eachpaycheck. J-1 exchange visitors are subject to federal, state, and local income taxes but are exempt from FICAand FUTA.
During the application process, the U.S. host school will provide information to IIE on the teacher’s salary,estimated deductions, union fees and costs for certification or background checks (if applicable), and any nonmonetary compensation. Work-related deductions may include health insurance costs, retirement benefits, andtaxes. The amounts for each deduction or fee will be summarized in the teacher’s Terms of Appointment withIIE.

For general guidance on expected federal tax deductions from an exchange teacher’s salary, please review more
information from the IRS on marginal tax rates for tax year 2023, by income- level:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-provides-tax-inflation-adjustments-for-tax-year-2023
Tax rate
35%
32%
24%
22%
12%
10%

Income level for single taxpayers
over $231,250
over $182,100
over $95,375
over $44,725
over $11,000$11,000 or less

Income level for married, filing jointly
over $462,500
over $364,200
over $190,750
over $89,450
over $22,000$22,000 or less

Teachers are responsible for being aware of all personal tax filing requirements. Specific questions should bedirected to a tax professional with experience in nonimmigrant filing.

Questions?
Please call us at 212-984-5313 or email jvisasponsorship@iie.org with any questions.

Information from this Fact Sheet references from https://j1visa.state.gov/ and eCFR Part 62