EXCHANGE TEACHER INFORMATION

Click on the links below to learn more about each topic.

Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Interview/Placement Process
Assignment Information
Family
Exchange Teacher Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility Requirements (back to top)

1. BA/BS degree in the subject you will teach and/or 30 university level credits in that subject

Exchange Teachers must have a BA/BS equivalent degree in the subject they will teach. Their degree must be subject specific. For example, a teacher with a BA in Education whose major is English is not qualified to teach Spanish in the US, UNLESS he/she has at least 30 university level credits in the Spanish language or teaching Spanish as a second or foreign language. A degree as a translator is not sufficient to qualify as a Spanish teacher. These are critical qualifications and without the 30 university credits there is little chance of placement.

2. Teaching License in Native Country

In addition to their BA/BS degree, teachers should hold a teaching license from their home country. This is often different than the BA/BS degree. US public schools require that teachers have a teaching license/certification from their home country. This license /certification should be in the subject they want to teach and the appropriate grade level. So if a teacher wants to teach Spanish in the US, his/her license must be in Foreign Languages, Modern Languages, Spanish as a Foreign Language, and/or Languages English - Spanish. They will not qualify if their license/certification is not in the subject they will teach, UNLESS they have at least 30 university level credits in that subject.

3. Three Years Teaching Experience

All Exchange Teacher applicants must have at least three academic years of classroom teaching experience. This is a visa requirement.

4. English Fluency

All Exchange Teacher candidates must have a high level of English fluency in order to function at a US school. The teachers must be able to pass a rigorous phone interview with a US school. If hired, they also must be able to manage student disciplinary problems and communicate with parents, staff and administrators.

Application Process (back to top)

• Read the Amity Exchange Teacher Bulletin and Frequently Asked Questions.
• Complete an initial information form.
• Interview with an Amity Screening Officer or Amity representative.
• Complete Amity application, submit to Amity for review and document evaluation.

Interview/Placement Process (back to top)

After you have been accepted to the program, your dossier will be activated in our applicant pool. Amity submits dossiers to schools requesting an international teacher. The school reviews the dossier and decides whether or not they will interview the candidate. The school contacts the applicant directly to set up a phone interview. The candidate interviews with the US school.

After the interview process, the school contacts the candidate with its decision. If hired, they ask the teacher to sign a contract which they fax or mail to him/her. Contracts are legally binding documents. It is important to read and understand the entire contract.

An Amity Program Counselor will be assigned to you. The Program Counselor provides information, guidance, support, encouragement and assistance with any issues or challenges from the beginning until the end of the assignment. Program Counselors are available via email or phone to assist you with any questions or concerns.

Your Program Counselor will send you an Assignment package including visa sponsorship documents, insurance information and other important documents concerning the Amity program.

Assignment Information (back to top)

Arrival - A representative from the school will meet you at the airport and take you to your temporary housing.

Housing - The Exchange Teacher and school work together to coordinate suitable housing. Many times, Exchange Teachers stay temporarily with a Host Faculty Roommate for the first few weeks after arrival. Host Faculty Roommates offer room and board in exchange for a small stipend. The Exchange Teacher is responsible for paying for his/her own housing.

Transportation - Exchange Teachers work together with schools to arrange for transportation to and from school. Exchange Teachers can apply for their US driver’s license, and are encouraged to become familiar with the public transportation options in their new community. Transportation options should be discussed during the school interview process.

Change of Assignment – Any request for change of assignment must have valid and urgent reasons. A change of assignment can only be made if all mediation and intervention options have been exhausted. As the legal visa sponsor, Amity must approve any employment changes or assignment transfers. Amity has the right to deny any request for change of assignment.

Length of Assignment – Amity Exchange Teachers can spend up to three years as visiting faculty at a school in the US. An Amity Teacher needs to be employed full time at the school. Assignments can not exceed three years.

End of Assignment – Exchange Teachers are sponsored on J-1 visas from one to three school years. At the end of the assignment, the Exchange Teacher and his/her dependents must return home to share their newfound knowledge and experience with those in their home country. Exchange Teachers can not apply for or change status to any other visa while they are with the Amity program.

Family (back to top)

An Exchange Teachers spouse and dependent children under 21 can join them in the US, after one employment year. Once the Exchange Teacher has received confirmation that the school will hire him/her for another year, Amity may sponsor a spouse and dependent children under 21 years of age. Amity requests that Exchange Teachers enter the US independently to acclimate themselves to their jobs and communities. After the probationary period, the Exchange Teacher may request sponsorship for his/her dependents.

Exchange Teacher Frequently Asked Questions