Host an International Teacher in the US
Learn how your school can benefit from hosting a BridgeUSA teacher on a J-1 visa.
Host an International Teacher at Your School
Add international expertise to your school, as well as a love for learning about the world. Join other top-rated, accredited US primary and secondary school districts hiring international teachers on Spirit Cultural Exchange’s BridgeUSA Teacher program.
Spirit Cultural Exchange’s international teachers come from all over the world to share their international expertise and culture with your students and staff, while at the same time learning American customs and gaining teaching experience in the United States.
Teacher Program details
Program Details
Spirit Cultural Exchange is designated by the United States Department of State as a BridgeUSA J-1 Visa Teacher Program sponsor. Spirit helps accredited K-12 schools in the United States bring the world to their classrooms by hosting international teachers from around the world. International teachers are typically available with credentials in the following concentrations:
- Spanish Bilingual Education (English/Spanish)
- General Education (primary grades)
- Foreign Languages (Spanish, German, French & Mandarin)
- STEM
- Special Education
All international teachers commit to sharing their culture with their students and host community in a meaningful way. Community presentations and international nights, as well as virtual classroom exchanges between students at your school and schoolchildren in the teacher’s home country are just a few examples of the impact this program will have on the lives of your students and community.
Host School Requirements
Host School Requirements
All Host Schools must meet the following requirements:
- Be a publicly or privately-operated primary or secondary institution for educating children in the United States that offers mainly academic programs and is duly accredited by the appropriate academic accrediting authority of the jurisdiction in which the institution is located.
- Have sufficient resources, equipment and trained personnel available to provide continuous on-site supervision and mentoring by experienced and knowledgeable staff
- Assign an experienced and knowledgeable Host School Supervisor, who will be responsible for providing continuous on-site supervision, mentoring and assistance in arranging or identifying quarterly professional development opportunities for the teacher for the duration of the program.
- Assign a Host School Mentor, who will assist the participant with settling into the community and in identifying personal cultural activities in the area the teacher can take part in monthly.
- Ensure that participants will have opportunity to participate alongside, share ideas and interact regularly with US citizens during their teaching experience.
Teacher-School Matching option
School Matching Option
Need assistance with J-1 visa Teacher recruitment?
Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Premium Placement option offers a full-service option to accredited K-12 schools in the US interested in hiring an international teacher but aren’t sure how to begin. Select the Premium Placement option and Spirit Cultural Exchange will access its international network of candidates to identify a qualified teacher that matches well with your school’s requirements.
Find your own Teacher Option
Find Your Own Teacher
Do you already have an international teacher in mind?
Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Independent Placement option is available to Host Schools that have already identified a candidate abroad who qualifies as a BridgeUSA Teacher. In this case, Spirit Cultural Exchange ensures J-1 visa regulations are followed, provides visa support documentation, medical insurance and 24/7 support to participants and cooperating Host Schools during the program.
Cultural Activities on the Program
Cultural Activities
International exchange teachers act as citizen diplomats. They foster public diplomacy by sharing their home culture with US classrooms and communities via virtual classroom exchanges, presentations to civic organizations, community international festivals and more.
Exchange teachers experience American culture both in and outside the classroom by sharing US holidays with new friends, attending community events, and visiting historical sites during their free time. Cooperating Host Schools support and contribute to these efforts to foster international understanding on a local level.
Program Costs
Program Fees
The following program fees are due only after a participant signs onto our program terms and accepts an offer from a Host School. Program fees are due in full prior to the release of the DS-2019 form in support of the J-1 visa application. Many Host Schools cover some or all the program and placement fees as part of their teacher compensation package.
Current fees are as follows but are subject to change:
| Program Fee | Annual Administrative Fee | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Program Fee | $1990 | $840 |
|
Annual Renewal Application Fee Due annually with program renewal paperwork. Maximum of two annual renewals plus a 1 or 2 year additional extension possible with Department of State approval. Renewal and extension applications subject to acceptance by Spirit Cultural Exchange. |
$1490 | $840 |
|
Optional Premium Placement Fee One-time fee for Host School Placement. Fee is waived for participants who identify their own Host School without Spirit Cultural Exchange assistance. |
$1500 | Not Applicable |
Included in Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Premium Placement Option
(First Year Program Fees + Premium Placement Fee + Renewal fees billed annually years 2-5):
Placement as a temporary exchange teacher at a qualified Host School in the United States teaching a minimum of 32 hours a week during the academic school year for up to 3 years. Optional 1-2 year extension possible only upon approval from Spirit Cultural Exchange and the Department of State.
- Development or review of Teacher Program Offer in cooperation with the Host School ensuring that it meets with program regulations
- DS-2019 to support the application for a J-1 Teacher visa
- Regulatory compliant Medical and Accident Insurance
- 24-hour support from Spirit Cultural Exchange’s experienced staff
- Program application processing, screening, and vetting to ensure regulatory compliance
- Skype interviews to screen applicant for qualifications
- Orientation materials on a variety of important topics
- Assistance in identifying and arranging cultural activities
- Monthly Check-Ins with Spirit Cultural Exchange to ensure successful program
- Mentor assigned at Host School who will provide guidance on settling in, community, professional development support and cultural activities
- Supervisor assigned at Host School who will provide general on-site monitoring
- Travel validation after arrival for DS-2019 form
Included in Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Independent Placement Option
(First Year Program Fees + Renewal fees billed annually years 2-5):
Includes all of the above EXCEPT Host School placement. The Host School offer provided to Spirit Cultural Exchange will be reviewed to ensure regulatory compliance.
Not included in either program option:
- SEVIS or visa application fees, airport transfers, international airfare, domestic transportation in the US, daily public transportation to and from the Host School, housing fees & deposits, spending money and emergency funds.
Other fees may apply. If participants choose to work with a domestic placement agency or Spirit Cultural Exchange international recruiting partner, they should confirm directly about their additional fees, and what services each fee covers.
Frequently asked questions
Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Teacher Program is a J-1 visa cultural exchange program monitored by the U.S. Department of State to foster peace and diplomacy across nations. Exchange teachers gain professional education experience by teaching in the US as part of a 1-3 year cross-cultural exchange. As lead teachers in K-12 classrooms across the US, international teachers offer a unique resource for global learning to American students and schools.
Spirit Cultural Exchange sponsors international teachers on a J-1 visa in the following US states:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New York
- Oregon
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
All Host Schools must meet the following requirements:
- Be a publicly or privately-operated primary or secondary institution for educating children in the United States that offers mainly academic programs and is duly accredited by the appropriate academic accrediting authority of the jurisdiction in which the institution is located.
- Have sufficient resources, equipment and trained personnel available to provide continuous on-site supervision and mentoring by experienced and knowledgeable staff
- Assign an experienced and knowledgeable Host School Supervisor, who will be responsible for providing continuous on-site supervision, mentoring and assistance in arranging or identifying quarterly professional development opportunities for the teacher for the duration of the program.
- Assign a Host School Mentor, who will assist the participant with settling into the community and in identifying personal cultural activities in the area the teacher can take part in monthly.
- Ensure that participants will have opportunity to participate alongside, share ideas and interact regularly with US citizens during their teaching experience.
International teachers can participate in Spirit Cultural Exchange’s Teacher Program in the US anywhere from 1-3 years. After 3 years, teachers can apply for an additional 1 or 2-year extension from the Department of State for a total of 5 years. Extension applications are not guaranteed.
Participants teach as lead teachers in K-12 classrooms in subjects including General Elementary, Science, Math, Special Education, World Language and Spanish Bilingual Education. At the pre-kindergarten level, participants are only able to teach in a language immersion program.
The first step in becoming certified to teach in the US is for teachers to complete a foreign credential evaluation proving their level of education in their home country and the US equivalent. This step is required for international teachers prior to interviewing at a Host School. Spirit Cultural Exchange works with Host Schools to provide guidance to participants to ensure that teachers receive proper certification before school begins.
What Host Schools Say
What's Happening With Spirit Teachers
Join Americans for Cultural Exchange
At Spirit, we believe in the power of international cultural exchange to foster mutual understanding, build global partnerships, and enhance […]
...
2023 Cross-Cultural Activity Highlights!
Spirit’s BridgeUSA Teacher Program provides the opportunity for international educators to share their culture with American schoolchildren by teaching in […]
...
Spirit Celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Day!
Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day in the US! We appreciate our Exchange Teachers and their contributions to their schools […]
...
Brothers from Kenya Share Culture on BridgeUSA Teacher Program
Two of Spirit’s Exchange Teachers on the BridgeUSA Teacher Program, brothers Robert and Brian from Kenya, explain how they have […]
...
Spirit Visits Exchange Teachers in Arizona 2022
This October, Spirit staff member Suzanne was able to visit some of our Host Schools and BridgeUSA Exchange Teachers in […]
...
Virtual Exchanges 2022: Spirit’s Teacher Program in Action
Spirit’s Teacher Program provides the opportunity for international educators to share their culture with American schoolchildren by teaching in the […]
...