Au Pair Education Options

Finding the right school for the right cost is confusing. Hopefully this page will help you sort through the information to make the right decisions for your education requirement.

First, its important to understand that your visa was processed with the understanding that you will complete the education requirement sited by the US government. Education can only be obtained through accredited schools and colleges. Au pairs are required to complete 6 credit units per year (approximately 72-80 hours) for Standard and Extraordinaire au pairs. Educare au pairs are required to attend 12 credits. All au pairs have the same education requirement regardless of the company they work through as it is a visa requirement. Your host family is required to cover upto $500. US dollars of your education expenses which includes tuition, registration fees, books, materials, lab fees etc. Any fees beyond the 500 is soley the au pairs responsibility.

With that said, in Marin there are a few options for education. First our local college, College of Marin is accredited and offers three types of English as a Second Language programs: IEP, ESL non credit, ESL for credit.

Intensive English Program (IEP): IEP is a fast paced immersion program for intermediate English speakers. Students have the option of choosing how many hours per week they desire to study. Typically, au pairs can manage the 5 hour option which costs $375 USD for non F-1 visa holders (Session A). The 5 hours per week option meets over an 8 week course of time resulting in 40 hours towards the au pair’s education requirement. The au pair can then opt for Session B that follows for an additional 5hours/week for 8 weeks for another 40 hours. The website has an error here-  Session A: 5hours/8weeks= 40 hours for $375.00 + Session B: 5 hours/8weeks= another 40 hours for an additional $375.00. Au Pairs are encouraged to pay twice- once for Session A and then again 8 weeks later for Session B. Otherwise the combined price if paid in one payment prior to starting classes is $775.00. The au pair will save $25.00 if paying for only the session she is taking at the time. Please follow the link to the right to find placement test dates, course dates and registration information. This program is held at the Indian Valley Campus in Novato, CA.

College of Marin Credit or Non Credit ESL Program: Tuition costs for most schools in the US are calculated based on credits. One course is typically 3 credits.  Students have the option of taking classes for ‘non credit’  (or audit) to lower their costs considerably yet still get a certificate of completion. A non-credit class will not transfer to other colleges if you plan to continue your education once you arrive back home. It will only provide you the education and the completion requirement for your visa. Also, even though the course is ‘non credit’ or “no fee per credit”, there can be registration fees, student fees, book cost etc. College of Marin offers ESL as non credit/free classes only to beginner-low level intermediate English speakers. All other higher levels must enroll in ‘credit’ classes =$. To detemine your eligibility you must take a placement exam. Many au pairs have ‘fudged’ their placement exam hoping to test lower than their true ability to get into the free classes. However even after ‘fudging’ they still tested at a high level. Students must test below level 40 to qualify for the free classes. Otherwise, students with test scores above level 40 will automatically be placed in ESL for credit.

San Francisco City College: Another popular option is to commute a bit further into San Francisco and enroll in free non credit courses at San Francisco City College. Benefits for City College is low cost, diverse populations of students, many campuses to choose from, diverse courses to choose from, and taking classes in a progressive city environment. Drawbacks for taking classes in San Francisco- commuting to and from gets expensive, night classes may not be safe depending on campus location, parking fees/or bus fees, courses of interest not offered for non credit.

UCLA: This option for education is a UCLA (University of California Los Angeles campus) course designed specifically for au pairs, costs exactly $500.,  is offered online, and includes a community involvement component to have exposure to other students. Feedback from au pairs who have taken this course is positive for those in their second year and in need of an easy option for their second year education requirement. First year au pairs tend to have less interest in this online course as they would like to interact face to face with fellow students on a regular basis and begin meeting friends in their area.

All these options have links located on the right side of column of the blog under Education Options. Feel free to explore the programs at your leisure. Post comments/ feedback on courses taken, correction of information, or questions below.