Pricing & Eligibility
Transparent, fast, and affordable way for you to obtain the J-1 Visa for your teaching position in the USA.
Teacher Exchange Program Qualifications
To qualify for the J-1 Teacher program, teachers must:
Qualifications
Meet the qualifications for teaching at the primary, including pre-kindergarten, or secondary school levels in your home country.
Degree
Degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in education or academic subject field you intend to teach.
Experience
Have at least two years of full-time teaching or related professional experience.
Active
Be working as a teacher at time of application, or have advanced degree and experience within past eight years.
- Meet the qualifications for teaching at the primary, including pre-kindergarten, or secondary school levels in your home country;
- Have at least two years of full-time teaching experience and have a bachelor’s degree in education or subject field you intend to teach;
- Be working as a teacher in your home country at the time of application;
- OR if not working as a teacher at the time of application, otherwise meet the qualifications for teaching at the primary, including pre-kindergarten, or secondary school levels in your home country AND (a) within 12 months of your application, have completed an advanced degree (beyond a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree) in education or academic subject matter that you intend to teach or that is related to your teaching subject field and (b) have at least two years of full-time teaching experience within the past eight years.
- Satisfy the teaching eligibility standards of the U.S. state in which you will teach (e.g., meet minimum educational requirements, pass teacher training coursework at a sufficiently proficient level, have provided an evaluation of foreign teaching preparation coursework, have demonstrated the requisite prior teaching experience, etc.);
- Provide any required criminal background or other checks;
- Are of good reputation and character;
- Agree to come to the U.S. temporarily as a full-time teacher of record in an accredited primary or secondary school, understanding and agreeing that exchange teachers may teach a variety of subjects and levels at their host school or schools, if qualified, but at the pre-kindergarten level, may teach only in language immersion programs;
- Receive from a qualified U.S. host school a written and signed “teaching job offer” (offer of employment/job offer letter).
Do not qualify as a J-1 Teacher?
Learn about our Teaching Intern Program.
2024-2025 Program Fees
J-2 Dependent Fee (each additional): $250
Protection for the unexpected
J-1 Teachers must have insurance in effect for their program's duration per the dates on your DS-2019. Insurance must cover any sickness or accidents during the time you are on program in the U.S. Spouses and dependents are also required to be covered for the duration of the J-1 program. Minimum coverage must provide the following.
Medical benefits
Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
Repatriation
Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
Evacuation
Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of exchange visitors to home country in the amount of $50,000
Deductibles
Deductibles not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
Estimated living expenses while in the USA
The cost of living can vary depending on where you will be living in the U.S. Please conduct research to get the best estimate for what your living expenses will be for the city where you will be residing.
Cost of living calculator allows you to compare the cost of living between two cities.
Below are averages for a single person and may or may not apply to your planned living situation in the US.
- Housing: $1,500 - $3,000
- Local transportation: $500 - $800
- Food: $600 - $1,000
- Utilities: $150 - $300
- Cell phone: $50 - $100
- Clothing: $100 - $500
- Travel and Entertainment: $250 - $500
- Medical including insurance deductibles: $300 - $600
- Cable and Internet: $50 - $300
- Childcare: $600 - $1,500 (per child)
Download a Sample Budget Planning Sheet.
Potential Paycheck Deductions
These deductions will vary depending upon salary and school district and would be reflected in your current employment agreement.
We recommend that Exchange Teachers consult qualified school personnel and accounting professionals for tax advice. Actual payroll tax deductions will depend on your taxable income, tax filing status, and the state where you will reside.
- Federal income tax withholding (there are currently seven federal income tax rates and brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%): Taxable income and filing status determine which federal tax rates apply to your situation and how much in taxes you will owe. See Tax Withholding Estimator.
- State income tax withholding (different than federal income taxes; varies state to state; 0% to 13.3%): See State Tax Data for state-specific rates.
- Social Security and Medicare (FICA) (7.65% of gross pay): J-1 program teachers may be responsible for these taxes depending on their length of stay in the U.S.
- Union dues (variable): $50 - $100
- Pension plans (variable): $50 - $100
- Insurance (See above for J-1 program insurance requirements. Please review all plan documents carefully to understand your benefits.): $100 - $300
Teacher certification related expenses
There are services available to help boost your application.
- Credential evaluations, translations, or other document services: $170 - $500
- Teacher certification, licensing costs: $100 - $300 (some states may charge additional exam fees up to $150 - $200; please check with your state department of education for specific fee information)
- Background check, fingerprint services: $50 - $150
SpanTran is our recommended international transcript evaluation service. They have created a custom application for Intrax Teacher Exchange which will ensure sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application here.
SpanTran’s Course Analysis evaluation fees are:
- $170 for standard service (10 Business days)
- $270 (5 Business days)
- $370 (2 Business days)
Other recommended credential evaluation services:
Partner Agencies
Intrax partners with select third-party agencies who assist some teachers with finding teaching positions. These third-party agencies may also provide additional and optional services including school placement, background checks, assisting with obtaining a state license, and assistance with finding housing.
There are services available to help support your application. Below is a list of third-party agencies that are approved to partner with Intrax. Partner fees for teachers, and links to available partner websites are included.
- Fiides ($1,125)
- Global Exchange International ($3,125)
- Grace International Exchange ($1,495)
- The Au Pair Company ($4,000)
- Bepauche International ($3,000-$3,500)
- Mialakai Group USA ($4,000)
- Teach Quest (7% of first year salary)
- Trunord ($1,800)
- Consolidated Partners ($500)
- The iRise USA ($3,500)
- Calculation Bureau (6% of first year salary) (Africa, Asia, Americas)
- Institute for Education, Research, and Scholarship (IFERS) ($495 initial, $250 annual) (Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East)
- International Alliance Group (no program fee for teachers) (Africa, Americas, Asia)
- Teach-USA ($2,743) For non-Filipino applicants (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe)
- USEH ($1,500-$1,525) (Asia, Europe)
Should you choose to contract with an agency, Intrax strongly recommends that you carefully review the terms of the contract before signing and consult with an attorney or other professional to ensure that you fully understand and agree to the contract terms. Intrax cannot provide legal advice, but if you have questions regarding any of the third-party agencies, please contact us.
Expense Scenarios
Your exact fees and expenses will vary depending on many variables and factors including where you will be residing in the U.S. and if you are working with a third-party agency to secure a teaching position. Below are some examples for different scenarios of J-1 visa processing fees for a 1st year J-1 teacher. Actual costs will depend on your specific situation.
Intrax U.S. sponsorship fee $2,325
SEVIS fee $220
Embassy fee $185
TOTAL $2,730
Intrax U.S. sponsorship fee $2,325
J-2 dependent fee (1) $400
J-2 dependent fee (2) $250
SEVIS fee $220
Embassy fee $185
TOTAL $3,380
Intrax U.S. sponsorship fee $2,325
Intrax Placement Fee $1,500
SEVIS fee $220
Embassy fee $185
TOTAL $4,230
Intrax U.S. sponsorship fee $2,325
SEVIS fee $220
Embassy fee $185
Agency fee $5,000
TOTAL $7,730
Next steps
Teach in the USA
Application
FAQ
Teach abroad in the USA
Bringing teachers from around the world to K-12 schools in the USA to foster cultural understanding and connection.
