GAPP, Inc. is designated by the U.S. Department of State as an authorized sponsor organization of the “Exchange Visitor Program” for:
- Teachers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland working for one of the five official German Schools Abroad in the U.S.
- J1-visa for German Language Advisors (Fachberater – FB) as determined by the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA)
- German International School Boston
- German International School New York
- German International School of Silicon Valley
- German International School Portland
- German International School Washington
Visa Information: Exchange Visitor Program
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
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.
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.
Important Information
Download your GAPP prearrival manual for teachers with information, emergency contacts, deadlines and links, and more important information, as well as the Welcome Brochure from the U.S. Department of State:Email us, if you have any questions atgapp@goethe.de.
German American Partnership Program is administered by the Goethe-Institut and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and the U.S. Department of State. In Germany, GAPP is administered by our partner, the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD).
