Education Options

Education Basics

All classes ideally should be in-person or hybrid (a combination of in-person and online) to count for your education requirement. In-person classes at locally accredited colleges are highly encouraged and will enhance your program experience. Should you be unable to find in-person classes that interest you for part of your education requirement, please see the details below regarding when online classes will be accepted.

  • Au pairs will complete 6 credits, 7.2 CEUs, or 72 hours for their education requirement.
  • Classes must be taken through US-based, accredited post-secondary schools (normally colleges and universities).
  • Au pairs must provide a certificate, letter, or transcript confirming the completion of the class.
  • Education should be completed at least 6 weeks prior to the end of your visa in order to be eligible to apply for an extension.
  • If you choose a school that is not listed below, check here to be sure it is accredited and will be approved BEFORE you register for the class.
  • Non-participation of the education component is a violation of program requirements and DOS regulations. Under those regulations, such violation will be grounds for denial of opportunity to apply for any extension of stay or receipt of program certificate.

Au pairs may register for a wide variety of class types including:

  • Courses for credit (full participation, grades awarded).
  • Non-credit courses (full participation, no final grades).
  • Audit courses (no grades given, class participation may be limited).
  • Weekend courses offered at an accredited post-secondary institution where au pairs may have the opportunity to earn 3 or more credits in one weekend.

If you are looking for English classes, these are the best local options:

  • International Language Institute offers English classes for adult learners starting almost every week.  Au Pairs take a placement exam before being assigned to a class.  Classes are held and weekday mornings, evenings and weekends.
  • Georgetown English Language Center has very challenging English classes that run on a semester-basis.  New classes start in September, January and June. Georgetown also offers Business English. The Evening & Weekend English courses typically run 8 or 9 weeks.
  • LADO is a language school for adult learners.  They start new classes almost every week. Au Pairs will take a placement exam to find out which class is best for them. LADO also offers classes in other languages. Classes are held weekday mornings, nights and weekends. Currently classes can ONLY be taken at the Arlington, VA location which is near the Rosslyn Metro station.
  • Zoni Language Centers offer a variety of online English classes for students.
  • Bridge Educational Group has a wide variety of online English courses, and provides 12 CEU’S plus the TEFL certificate for less than $500.
  • Columbia College – online English classes through this Virginia college.
  • Inlingua English Center – Morning or evening English classes 15 hours per week.
  • Mentora College–  Comprehensive TOEFL preparation classes at their DC campus.
  • International Center for Language Studies- Our Intensive English Program extends beyond the classroom. Students can participate in weekly trips to local sites of interest, such as museums, monuments, national parks, and seasonal events, giving students a chance to make friends and practice their English.
  • For Au Pairs who have ALREADY completed their education requirements, DC offers several free English classes which DO NOT give credit for the Au Pair program.  Carlos Rosario, Next Step Public Charter School,  Washington English Center and ESLIM all have free or low cost English classes which DO NOT give credit.

Au Pairs who DO NOT want English classes often take a WEEKEND class:

  • Au Pair Weekend. Interesting courses offered in cities all across the US.
  • Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). A variety of weekend travel classes. (Several here in DC if you want to avoid the extra costs of airfare and hotel.)
  • Classroom AuPair. Two types of courses, Explore a Career or Experience a Destination, allow you to explore different careers options and get you thinking on which direction in life you might want to take once your au pair year ends.
  • Hudson County Community College (HCCC). They offer a wide variety of courses so you may pursue educational interests, meet new people, and experience important aspects of American culture.  Each program provides 36 hours of credits.
  • Learning Across America offers au pairs courses focused on Miami, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.  Each of these courses is designed with au pairs in mind and combines classroom learning with in-person, expertly guided “out and about” experiences in some of America’s most amazing cities.

Other Educational Options

Is an ONLINE class appropriate for me?  Please check with your counselor first. Here are some justifiable reasons: 

  • If in-person classes are not available for au pairs in the host family community or are too far away for an au pair to travel.
  • If in-person classes other than ESL are not available for au pairs in the host family community and/or the au pair doesn’t need an ESL class.
  • If in-person classes in their field of study or that interest them are not available in the host family community.
  • If in-person classes are too expensive, making completing the requirement within the education stipend impossible.
  • Or if an au pair was in a rematch and didn’t have the opportunity to register for in-person classes.

Which types of online classes are allowed and when can I take my classes?

  • All courses MUST be taken from an American college or university. You may confirm the approved US-based colleges and universities here.
  • You may take one online class per semester, but all online classes must be completed during the SINGLE semester in which you’ve registered. 
  • When submitting your proof of completion for an online class, your counselor will need the university’s name, the course start and end dates, the number of credit hours earned, and the certificate of completion.
  • You can check Coursera , edX or UPenn for a wide variety on online courses.  Please confirm that the college or university from where you will complete your online course is an approved US-based institution. The program accepts only these US programs.
  • Host families may not persuade au pairs to take online or hybrid courses, the decision should be made by the au pair and with a justifiable reason.

My career focus is Childhood Education / Pedagogy and I want classes in this field of study. (course selections may vary by semester.)

  • Trinity University DC offers post graduate Early Childhood continuing education classes both online and evening/weekends. If you already have your bachelors degree there are several courses available at the approximate cost of $500 for 30 credits.
  • Prince Georges Community College (Maryland) has affordable childcare classes (90 hours for about $575) both online and in-person at their Largo, MD campus.  DC residents will pay additional tuition as they do not live in Maryland. You can find more information here.
  • Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland) offers training consisting of two noncredit courses. “Study the aspects of growth and development of children from birth through adolescence. Explore the principles of learning, learning environments and activities. Successful completion requires 75% or better on all assessments.” Cost is a little more than $800 for 90 hours of instruction. (DC residents pay out-of-state tuition costs.)
  • Montgomery College (Maryland) offers Early Childhood Education classes through their Workforce Development curriculum. There are in-person and online classes in both English and Spanish at a cost of about $510 for 45 credit hours. (This includes the out of state tuition fees).
  • Long Island University (New York) Child Development: An In-Depth Look at Diverse Learners, Child Development: Physical, Cognitive and Psychosocial, Special Needs Child.
  • Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC Au Pair) Ever changing classes which might include -Introduction to Special Education: Supporting Exceptional Children, or Childhood Literacy and Behavioral Development.
  • Harvard University (through EdEx) offers an online course called Early Childhood Development: Global strategies for Implementation. Examine best practices in child and family policies, advocacy, financing, and pathways to scale—learning how to generate innovative, scalable intervention strategies that supports early childhood development. Together, Harvard University and UNICEF bring global experience from communities to policy makers, evidence and experts from around the world.

    We understand this information is confusing!  If you have additional questions, please contact your community counselor before registering for a course.