A one-time program fee at the beginning of an exchange visitor’s term is paid by the sponsoring school or the German government.
The following initial fees are paid directly by the teacher to the appropriate U.S. government agency as part of the visa application process:
- $180 - SEVIS Fee (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). This is a one-time only fee paid only by the J-1 visa applicant
- $160 - Visa Processing Fee paid to the US Embassy. This fee applies to all J-1 and J-2 visa applicants
Depending on your status, the ZfA or your host school may reimburse you for these costs.
Teachers in our program can only directly apply through the ZfA or the individual partner school, GAPP does not work with third party recruitment or placement organizations.
It's important that you fully understand the financial components involved with your participation in the Exchange Visitor Program before you accept a position and arrive in the U.S.
All GAPP Exchange Visitors are required to act in a financially responsible manner while in the U.S. which includes understanding any and all fees, costs, taxes, insurance, payroll deductions and living expenses etc. they may incur. This includes any additional expenses involved with family members who may join you in the U.S. under J-2 dependent visa status.
Prior to accepting a position with one of the five schools above you will receive a letter from the ZfA and/or your host school with information about your annual salary.
We encourage you to use the information provided here to prepare and plan your finances accordingly prior to your arrival in the U.S. Many teachers will bring money with them to help with the initial expenses associated with their relocation.
You should also use the information provided here to estimate your net or “take home” pay so that you can make informed budgeting decisions when it comes to allocating your resources to decide how much you can afford for housing, transport and other everyday cost of living expenses.
