Educational & Cultural Exchange
Teacher & School Exchanges
Teaching in the U.S.
Certification and a valid work permit are required in order to work as a teacher in the United States. Each of the fifty states exercises considerable autonomy in establishing educational standards and procedures, as well as the conditions and requirements for the certification and employment of teachers. Certification usually includes a formal review of qualifications, teaching experience and references. Some states require American citizenship while others permit temporary certification of foreign teachers. Private schools often do not require state certification but decide themselves on required qualifications. For more information on the teaching profession in the United States, please consult the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Teaching in the United States (U.S. Network for Education Information)
• Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (Bundesverwaltungsamt, responsible for teaching outside Germany).
• State Education Departments and Boards
• State Education Agencies
• Certification Requirements of the 50 states
Information concerning job vacancies is available from a variety of sources, including -- depending on the state and the school board -- local school officials, state Departments of Education, state employment offices, state education associations, and/or commercial placement agencies.
• American Association of Teachers of German
• State Education Agencies
• State Employment Offices
• National Association of Teachers Agencies
• National Education Association
Teachers who apply directly for positions in both public and private schools require certification from the U.S. Department of Labor as well as a temporary work permit from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. Both can only be obtained through the future employer. In both cases, the employer must prove that there is no U.S. citizen that can fill the position for which a foreign candidate has applied. Supply and demand will vary greatly depending on the region and on special skills.
Most teachers will find it easier to participate in an exchange program.
Exchange Programs & Organizations
• German American Partnership Program Exchange programm for German and American schools
• Exchange for teachers from Eastern Germany [58 KB, pdf] (U.S. Embassy)
• Amity Institute, for those interested to work as Teaching Assistants in the U.S.
• Fulbright Teilstipendien für den Lehreinsatz an U.S. High Schools (Fulbright Commission)
• Internationaler Austausch von LehrerInnen only for teachers from Northrhine-Westfalia
• Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD), for those interested to work as Foreign Language Assistants at U.S. schools
• German Teacher Exchange Program (GTEP) (Checkpoint Charlie Stiftung, Berlin)
• Summer Classes 6 weeks, sponsered by the Fulbright foundation and the PAD (application deadline for 2004 has passed)
• Visiting International Faculty good chances for special education, math, science, and elementary teachers
Links to Schools
• Yahoo K-12 Schulen
• National Center for Education Statistics: Schools
• Association of German international schools
• Council of International Schools
• Schools offering the International Baccalaureate
Visa Information
Please make sure you are aware of all visa regulations concerning your exchange program.
• Visa for Exchange Visitors (U.S. Embassy)
• Information on the Sevis fee
Last modified: April 2006
