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BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program for J-1 Teachers - Sample Budget
*The following sample budget is an estimate only
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Fees Paid Directly to Teachers Council
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*Teachers Council does not work with 3rd party recruiters and therefore there are no additional 3rd party fees associated with our Program
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Program Application Fee
We charge an initial application fee of $1,750 if we have previously worked with your host school/school district.
Includes: full eligibility and compliance screening of teacher and host school; document collection and review; providing program information and the Terms of Appointment; issuing the Form DS-2019; guidance booking and attending embassy appointment; pre-arrival and orientation information and general support throughout the entire process to arrive in the U.S.		$1,750one time fee
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*If this is the first time we are working with the host school/school district, we may charge $2,250 to cover the additional work involved with onboarding a new partner school/school district.
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Placement Support on a Case by Case Basis
If an opportunity arises for us to connect a teacher with a host school, which leads to an interview and job offer, there will be no additional fee. 		$0
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J-1 Sponsorship by Teachers Council
Includes: program sponsorship, monitoring, and reporting to the U.S. Department of State; 24/7 emergency support; pre-departure preparation; guidance and support settling into life in the U.S.; and general support and resources throughout the participant's entire time in the U.S. The first year must be paid immediately upon visa approval and prior to arrival in the U.S.		$1,200
per year, due by May 1 for each subsequent school year
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Teachers Council J-1 Emergency Health Insurance (required)
The first year must be paid immediately upon visa approval and prior to arrival in the U.S. Subject to annual increases. ***Must be age 64 or younger to enroll.		$815
per year, subject to annual increases, due by May 1 for each subsequent school year
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(If applicable) J-2 Dependent Application Fee (if family members are joining you)
$750
one time fee that covers an unlimted # of family members
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(If applicable) Teachers Council J-2 Dependent Emergency Health Insurance (required if family members are joining you)
The first year must be paid immediately upon J-2 visa approval and prior to arrival in the U.S. Subject to annual increases. ***Must be age 64 or younger to enroll.		$815
per year, per person, and subject to annual increases
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Note: All payments for Annual Sponsorship Fees (Program Year 2-5), J-1 & J-2 Emergency Health Insurance Fees are due by a specific date. Failure to communicate with Teachers Council and submit payments in full by the due date may result in a $100 late fee per week that payment goes past due.
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Visa Fees Paid to the US Government:
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SEVIS I-901 Fee
SEVIS is a web-based system for maintaining information on international nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States. J-2 Dependents are automatically linked to the J-1 in SEVIS and therefore do not need to make a separate payment of the I-901.		$220one time fee
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DS-160 Fee for Embassy Interview
The DS-160 enables each J-1 visitor and accompanying J-2 dependents to make an appointment at their home country’s U.S. embassy. Unlike with the SEVIS I-901 Fee, each J-2 applicant must fill out and make payment on separate DS-160 applications (waived for Canadians). For example, if you have two family members joining you, it will cost you $555 ($185 x 3 ppl) to book your embassy interviews.		$185
one time fee per person
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***While extremely uncommon, some US Embassies may charge a reciprocity fee. Please check the website of the US Embassy in your home country to see if this fee is applicable to you.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country.html
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Other Pre-Program FeesRanges From
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Credential Evaluation/Degree Equivalency Report
(If your univeristy transcripts are not in English, you may have to pay extra to obtain a certified English translation from a third party official translation service before they can be evaluated by an American company)		$150-$400
one time fee, will vary depending on number of degrees and whether or not translation services are required
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Travel to U.S. Embassy in your Home Country
Will vary depending on where you live and where the embassy is located - please research and be ready to travel as needed: https://www.usembassy.gov/
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Flight to the U.S.$500-$1500
varies greatly based on departing city
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Average Teaching SalariesLow Cost of Living CityMedium Cost of Living CityHigh Cost of Living City
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$38,000 - $42,000per year$42,000 - $59,000per year$60,000 - $85,000per year
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Deductions from PaycheckRanges From
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Federal Income Tax: J-1 teachers are subject to federal taxes on income earned from their U.S. employer. Rates will vary depending on your income bracket. 12%-24% of your paycheck
Click on either link to estimate your payroll deductions based on your location, salary, and exemptions:
https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator or https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator
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State Income Tax: Depending on the U.S. state where you live and work, J-1 teachers may be subject to a state tax on income earned from their U.S. employer. Rates will vary from state to state and may depend on your income bracket. Only 9 US states do not have have a state income tax. 0%-9.3% of your paycheck
Click on either link to estimate your payroll deductions based on your location, salary, and exemptions:
https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator or https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator
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Local Income Tax: Depending on the U.S. city where you live and work, J-1 teachers may be subject to a local tax on income earned from their U.S. employer. Rates will vary from state to state and may depend on your income bracket. 0%-4% of your paycheck
Click on either link to estimate your payroll deductions based on your location, salary, and exemptions:
https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator or https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator
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Medicare Taxes: J-1 teachers are exempt from these taxes for their first two tax calendar years in the U.S. This will be deducted from your paycheck starting January 1st, after you have been in the U.S. for two tax calendar years. 1.45% of your paycheck, after the first 2 tax years
Click on either link to estimate your payroll deductions based on your location, salary, and exemptions:
https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator or https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator
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Social Security Taxes: J-1 teachers are exempt from these taxes for their first two tax calendar years in the U.S. This will be deducted from your paycheck starting January 1st, after you have been in the U.S. for two tax calendar years. 6.2% of your paycheck, after the first 2 tax years
Click on either link to estimate your payroll deductions based on your location, salary, and exemptions:
https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator or https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator
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Teacher Retirement System: Many schools require teachers to pay into a statewide retirement system. The amount will vary from state to state. Please carefully review your employment contract or contact your host school for more information. Once your J-1 program is over and you have left the U.S., you can often take steps to reclaim a percentage, if not all, of this money. Some retirement systems, such as Ohio's, may refund all the money contributed, plus interest earned. 0%-14% of your paycheck
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Teacher Union Membership Dues: Some schools may require teachers to pay union dues. Please carefully review your employment contract or contact your host school for more information. You may also have the option to opt out of paying these dues$0-$2,000 per year deducted from paycheck
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Click HERE to view a real Payroll Deduction Example in the state of Maryland
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Teacher Employment Onboarding and LicensureAverage Range
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Background Checks & Fingerprinting: If required by host school - varies from school to school and state to state. Please carefully review your employment contract, Host School Program Application, or contact Teachers Council or your host school for more information.$50-$150
one time fee at start of employment
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Application for State Teaching License/Certification: If required by host school - varies from school to school and state to state. Please carefully review your employment contract, Host School Program Application, or contact Teachers Council or your host school for more information.$50-$300
one time fee, unless application renewal required after 3 years @ similar rate
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State Licensure Exam: If required by host school - varies from school to school and state to state. Please carefully review your employment contract, Host School Program Application, or contact Teachers Council or your host school for more information.$120-$300
one time fee at start of employment
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Estimated Living Expenses in the US
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For a single J-1 teacher arriving alone, it is recommended you arrive with access to approximately $4,000 (depending on the cost of living in your city) to cover your costs of living before your first paycheck from your new employer. If you are bringing a spouse or child with you on the J-2 visa, this amount will increase greatly depending on your specific situation.
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Low Cost of Living CityMedium Cost of Living CityHigh Cost of Living City
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Accommodations/Rent$600-$1,000per month$1,000 - $1,500per month$1,500 - $2,500per month
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Housing Security Deposit Paid Upfront1 or 2 X the monthly rentone time fee1 or 2 X the monthly rentone time fee1 or 2 X the monthly rentone time fee
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Utilities (internet, cell phone, cable, water, electric, gas)$300per month$400per month$500per month
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Transportation: Varies greatly depending on public transportation available, carpooling options, buying/leasing/renting a car, etc. Please contact your host school for more information on available transportation options in your city and estimated costs. $200-$400per month$300-$500per month$400-$600per month
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Car Insurance (if you decide to purchase or lease a car)$800-$1,000per year$800-$1,000per year$800-$1,000per year
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Food$300per month$400per month$500per month
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Childcare$500-$800per month$900-$1,200per month$1,300-$1,600per month
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Health Insurance Policy Monthly Premium offered by Host School (we urge you to enroll)$0-$300per month$0-$300per month$0-$300per month
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Miscellaneous$100-$200per month$150-$250per month$250-$300per month
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*The above numbers are meant to reflect costs for one person living in the US. If your family is joining you, these costs will increase and depend on your specific situation.
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**Please click on the following link for more information on the cost of living, cost of housing, cost of transportation, cost of food, etc. for your specific location: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
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***If your annual salary does not cover all of your living expenses, especially if you have family members coming with you, you should have personal funds saved up and available to use.
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****Please click on the following link to calculate your salary requirements to support you and any family members: https://livingwage.mit.edu/
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