Frequently Asked Questions

The story of the International Exchange Center began on June 27, 1989, when two recent graduates from the University of Latvia arrived in New York full of hope — and with only $8 between them. A little earlier, when they applied for their J-1 visas and mentioned they were planning to work at an American summer camp, the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow were so surprised, they took a three-hour break to “consult with Washington.”

When the two finally landed at JFK, their American host couldn’t believe they had actually come — or that they were who they said they were. He even thought they might be KGB agents. During their first two weeks at the camp, they didn’t understand a word of English — despite the fact that languages were their major!

Later that fall, one of them had a wild idea: “If we managed to do this, maybe others can too.” That idea grew into what is now the International Exchange Center — with offices and partners in eleven countries, and thousands of students taking part in over twenty different programs every year. The first students joined in 1990.

So feel free to explore our website, check out the programs, and maybe — just maybe — this will be the start of your own amazing story.

Actually, we just want to make sure you have enough English skills so you don’t get lost during the first few days. A conversational level is enough — about 5 to 6 on a 10-point scale.

Participants of the Work & Travel USA program work alongside American students in positions that do not require special training. These jobs are typically offered by stores, restaurants, hotels, and amusement parks in small tourist towns across the country. Students can either search for a job on their own or entrust us with the job placement.

The minimum wage in the USA is $7.25 per hour.
Upon arrival in the USA, it is recommended that participants have at least $1,000, as well as enough money to cover transportation to their workplace and initial living expenses.

It should be submitted at least three months before the desired travel date, approximately by March 1st. This deadline can be extended upon agreement with the program coordinator.

The vast majority of students in this program work in resort towns. The main streets of these towns are lined with endless shops, restaurants, and hotels. All you need to do is walk around and keep an eye out. Once you see a red sign saying “HELP WANTED,” that’s where you should go. Even if there’s no sign, it’s worth checking in anyway, because during the season these resort towns become nonstop tourist service machines — so they need lots of seasonal workers. Most of our participants work two jobs.

To get started, just give us a call or fill out the form at the bottom of the page.
After that, a program coordinator will walk you through the application steps and schedule a short interview to check your English level.

The DS-2019 is an official document issued electronically. It’s extremely important — you’ll need it to apply for your J-1 visa.
Only a small number of authorized organizations, called program sponsors, are allowed to issue this form.

The J-1 visa allows you to legally work in the U.S. during your summer break.

You’ll be traveling to your employer on your own. Most of you will arrive at JFK Airport in New York City.
After landing, go through passport control, collect your luggage, and pass through customs.
Your I-94 form (record of entry) will be attached to your international passport by the border officer.

Once you’re out of the airport, here are the main ways to get from JFK to the city:

By Subway
Take the AirTrain JFK to either Howard Beach or Jamaica Station — it costs $8.25.
Then transfer to the subway (regular fare is $2.90).
Total cost: about $11–12. Travel time: 1 to 1.5 hours.

By Taxi
Flat fare to Manhattan is $70, plus tips and possible tolls.
Expect to pay around $75–85 total. Travel time: 45–60 minutes, depending on traffic.

By Shuttle or Bus
Some private shuttle companies offer transportation for around $15–25.
Make sure to check availability in advance, as not all services run daily.

Once you reach the city, you may need to take another bus, train, or domestic flight depending on your final work location. Your employer or program coordinator will provide more detailed arrival instructions, so be sure to stay in touch with them.

Keep your money in the bank, on your personal account — and nowhere else.
There have been too many cases of theft when students kept cash at home. Don’t take the risk — a bank account is the safest option.

The easiest way is to use messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and others.
They let you call and chat for free as long as you have an internet connection.

The students won’t have to pay large amounts for medical care in the U.S., as they will be reliably covered by insurance. Of course, we hope that all participants will stay perfectly healthy and won’t need to use it at all. But just in case: the total coverage amount is $150,000.

Work hard, go easy on the soda (that’s what Americans call sweet fizzy drinks like Coke and Pepsi), try biking to work when you can, don’t go overboard with all the fast food, and treat yourself to a nice home-cooked meal every now and then.

International student exchange programs emerged in the late 1940s as a form of international cooperation. Their goal was to give young people from different countries a chance to get to know each other and to experience other cultures. To make the programs affordable for students, participants could work in the host country to cover part or all of their program costs, and travel after the program ended.

Age restrictions for participation are listed in the short description of each program. The minimum age is 18 years by the start of the program (for American programs — June 1 of the intended year of participation). Some programs (for example, Work and Travel, Work South Africa) accept only students.

This depends on the program you want to join. After you choose a program, you’ll have an interview with an IEC representative. The strictest requirements — and therefore the most detailed interviews — apply to work with children (as counselors in summer camps and with host families), and to internship programs (Internship programs). For camp service staff, Work and Travel, and agricultural programs, you need conversational-level language skills — the ability to express yourself clearly and understand others. Don’t stop studying the language after the interview: the more you improve your speaking before departure, the more you’ll be able to make the most of the program — for example, earn more and travel more.

The registration fee to join the International Exchange Center is paid after an interview with IEC representatives.

These functions are carried out by our partner organizations in the country you’re going to — they provide phone numbers you can always call for prompt assistance or advice.

Yes. All programs give you a chance to recoup the program fee to some extent.

It depends on the program. Usually that’s only possible in Self-Arranged programs.

At the government level, student exchange programs were created to give international students the opportunity to experience life in other countries.

As for individual employers, they readily hire students from other countries for summer seasonal work because:

• Students have a reputation for being reliable, hardworking, and quick learners;
• Their breaks coincide with the peak of the tourist season;
• International students bring part of their culture with them, which can sometimes even help attract more customers to a particular employer.

Yes. All participants receive the necessary documents (in the USA that’s the J-1 visa; in South Africa and France it’s a work permit, etc.) and are legally allowed to work.

Typically, the minimum program duration is 2 months and the maximum is 18 months (see program descriptions).

For some programs, yes — medical insurance must be purchased separately (see program descriptions).

It depends on the program you choose.

If you didn’t find an answer to your question, email info@iec.lv or contact the IEC representative in your region.

Actually, we’d just like to make sure your English is good enough so you won’t be completely lost during the first few days. A conversational level is enough — about 5–6 out of 10.

The first step is an interview at IEC. They say “the first step is the hardest,” you know that saying? Well — that’s not about our interview. Yes, we know you might be nervous; we were in your shoes a few years ago, so we’ll do our best to keep things as relaxed as possible so you can be yourself without feeling nervous. It’s a simple chat about general things: where you study, how you spend your free time, and why you want to go to the USA. Nothing complicated — don’t worry.

Find your representative’s address on the site’s homepage in the contact information section.

After your interview at IEC, a registration fee of $300 + $35 (SEVIS fee) is due within one week. The second part of the program fee is due within one week after you receive the DS-2019 form or a job offer (usually in February–April).

You’ll get plenty of materials from us to help you learn more about the country, its laws, and everything else! You can always reach out to our partners in the USA if you run into any problems.

This is an incredibly important form you use to apply for a J-1 visa. Although it looks like a simple A4 sheet, only a very small number of organizations can issue it. They’re called program sponsors. In our case, it’s InterExchange.

This visa lets you legally work in the USA during your summer break.

Resume template (CV) (DOC, 24.5 KB)

Job offer template (offer letter) (PDF, 116.4 KB)

Under the participation agreement, to take part in the Work and Travel program a participant must obtain an international passport no later than February 1 of the year of participation. The passport must be valid at least until October 15 of that year. IMPORTANT: despite rumors, current-style passports (i.e., those without biometric data) are valid — the U.S. embassy accepts them and will continue to accept them until those passports expire.

You no longer have to worry about paying huge medical bills in the USA — you’re reliably covered by insurance. That said, let’s hope you’re in great health and never need it. The total coverage is $50,000.

Don’t be afraid if it sounds a bit daunting — most students do it, so you can too. Besides, we’ll always give you guidance and explain in detail how to find an employer in the USA. It’s not as daunting as it seems.

According to the participation agreement, it’s 3 months before your desired travel date — i.e., around March 1.

The vast majority of students on this program work in resort towns. The ground floors there are an endless row of shops, restaurants, and hotels. Just walk down the street and keep an eye out — when you see a red HELP WANTED sign, go in. Actually, even if there’s no red sign, head inside anyway: in season these resort towns turn into conveyor belts for serving tourists — people need to be fed, entertained, and settled for the night, so there’s a huge demand for seasonal workers. Most of our participants work two jobs.

Of course — that option exists, and it costs only about $200 more (the Plus option or the Full Service option).

No problem. On the application you’ll just need to enter the first and last name of the person you’re traveling with.

Many people manage to work two or three jobs, putting in as much as 70–80 hours a week. Whether that’s for you is your call.

The earliest possible departure date is May 5.

Yes, like anyone legally working in the United States.

You can! Even if not the full amount, up to 15% of what you paid.

Yes, we help with tax refunds. You’ll need to submit the following:

• RTTax registration form;
• W-2 forms and/or the most recent pay stubs from each employer (originals);
• copy of your Social Security card;
• copy of your passport;
• copy of your visa;
• copy of your DS-2019 form.

This may seem confusing now, but by the time you return from the USA, you’ll be a pro at handling all of these documents.

There are two options: with tickets or without. You choose.

Yes. If you decide to stay a couple of weeks longer or fly home earlier, just contact the airline. Usually you’ll have to pay a fee (from $50 to $200) to change your flight date.

One rule to remember: housing follows a simple principle — the more remote the location, the cheaper it is. So all resort towns, packed with tourists and students alike, still charge for student housing. On average, expect $60–$90 per person per week.

It’s also important to remember that resort towns offer housing not only for tourists but for students as well. The price and quality differ accordingly.

What to expect? A house or part of a house (for example, a floor) or an apartment with a living room and kitchen, and bathroom(s) depending on the number of bedrooms — 1, 2, 3, 4+. Each unit usually accommodates 2–3 people. Typically you’ll find white walls, gray carpeting throughout, a TV, a sofa, chairs, kitchenware, a microwave in almost every case, beds in the rooms, pillows (bedding costs next to nothing).

It’s not hard to find. First, ask everyone around you — coworkers, fellow students you know, even strangers you happen to chat with — basically, everyone. You might not find something in a single day. That’s fine. Go to the cheapest motel and, if possible, rent a room for several people not just for a night but for a week (that’s always cheaper than booking seven single nights).

The next morning you can calmly walk around, look for “for rent” signs on houses, and visit real estate agencies. But that’s not the best method, because you’ll mostly find tourist rentals this way — and they’re expensive. And if it is student housing, it’s usually whole apartments and they’ll ask for the money for the whole summer up front — like 3,000–5,000. Of course you can split that between 7–8 people and live really cheaply until October, but you’ll need to gather not only all those people but the cash up front — even if it’s only part of the total.

It’s always better to move into a place where students already live and rent is paid weekly. Usually, when people try to save money they start cramming in, and it can get ridiculous — way too many people just to pay 40 instead of 60. But it’s really up to how much you want to squeeze in “for the money.”

Also keep in mind that when you move in you may be asked for a furniture/security deposit, and often it turns out they don’t want to return it — something always happens over the summer and one of your housemates will break something, and everyone usually ends up liable. But that’s usually only $100–$200. If nobody breaks anything, they’ll typically offer to apply your deposit toward the rent for the last weeks before you leave.

Self-Arranged. Almost all of you arrive at JFK Airport in New York. Go through passport control, collect your luggage, and clear customs. They’ll attach the I-94 form to your passport. From JFK you can get into the city by bus — it costs about $13 and goes to New York’s Port Authority bus terminal (Port Authority), or by subway — $2 (take the AirTrain — $5 — from the airport to the Howard Beach JFK station, then catch the A train, marked by a blue circle). A taxi will cost about $40. If you arrive in the evening, you can spend the night in one of the hostels. After that, head to the bus or train station. It’s best to plan your travel around the US in advance using the sites www.greyhound.com and www.amtrak.com.

In the bank. In my account. Nowhere else. There are too many cases of theft when money is kept at home.

Work a lot, drink less ‘soda’ (that’s what Americans call sweet carbonated drinks like Coke and Pepsi), bike to and from work, don’t overindulge in the free food at work, and don’t be too lazy to cook yourself a proper meal at home sometimes.

The maximum stay in the USA under the program is up to 5 months. Of that time, participants may work for no more than 4 months, and the remaining 30 days are meant for travel — the so-called grace period, during which you can’t work. Each country has its own official program time window that defines the dates when participants can enter the USA, start and end work. So the exact dates depend on the participant’s citizenship and the program year.

The main rule stays the same: you can work for a maximum of 4 months, after which you can spend up to 30 days in the USA as a tourist.

It really depends on whether you work in food service. If you do, you’ll spend next to nothing on food — about $15-20 per week; if not, your food costs can be around $50-60 per week.

In every small town there’s a library with a few internet-connected computers. The service is either free or only costs a token amount — like $1 for half an hour. There’s also Wi-Fi almost everywhere, so if you bring your laptop you can get online for free, even from your bed.