For Teachers
Teachers may work in a U.S. school for up to 3 years, with the possibility of a 1 or 2 year extension. They are expected to return to their home country upon completion of the program in order to share their exchange experiences.
LEARN MORE
For Schools
GEC has a global network and a dedicated team to find the best international teachers that bring cultural exchange to your classrooms.
LEARN MOREFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
J1 is the type of visa used for cultural exchange programs. ‘Teacher’ is one of the 14 categories of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. The Teach USA program allows qualified foreign nationals to teach full-time in accredited public and private U.S. primary and secondary schools (K–12) for up to 3 years. After this period, teachers may be eligible for a 12- 24-month program extension. Recipients of a J-1 visa can remain in the U.S. for the duration of their program, plus they may arrive 30 days prior and depart 30 days after the program ends.
Teachers MUST;
- Meet the qualifications for teaching in primary or secondary schools in their country of nationality or last legal residence;
- Be currently employed as a teacher in his or her home country, or country of legal residence OR; İf not currently employed as a teacher, have within the past 12 months completed an advanced degree beyond the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree in either general education or in the specific academic subject field in which they intend to teach.
- Have a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in either education or the academic subject field in which they intend to teach;
- Have a minimum of two years (24 months) of teaching experience at K-12 schools outside the USA.
- Satisfy the standards of the U.S. state in which they will teach;
- Possess sufficient proficiency in the English language.
- Be of good reputation and character;
- Be seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of full-time teaching as a teacher of record at a primary (including pre-kindergarten) or secondary accredited educational institution in the United States (pre-kindergarten teachers must teach full-time, and at the pre-kindergarten level, may teach only language immersion at an accredited host school)
No. You may apply to the Teach USA program as long as you are eligible.
GEC does not charge teachers a sponsorship (program) fee or a placement fee to participate in our program. However, there are some direct costs associated with the visa application process that you will be responsible for. Also, depending on the specific details of your individual program participation, there may be other costs involved.
To learn more, please see our FEES & COSTS page.
As a program regulation, all exchange visitor teachers are paid on the same salary scale as U.S. teachers. Depending on education, prior teaching experience, location, policies of the district, and kind of school to teach, the average annual salary of GEC teachers ranges between $40,000 and $ 60,000.
You can find a detailed breakdown of program costs and other expenses you may incur on our FEES & COSTS page.
GEC can sponsor teachers in public schools in a variety of states across the United States. If you have a job offer, you can begin your application with an eligibility verification form that will help you determine if you are eligible, and GEC can place teachers in the state where you want to teach. To start an application, please click any APPLY button at https://gecexchanges.com/teach-usa/for-teachers/
GEC will assist you in arranging temporary housing close to your host school until you are settled. For permanent housing, most teachers prefer renting or sharing an apartment. Teachers are responsible for housing costs for the duration of their time in the United States.