Au pairs are required to complete 6 credits or 7.2 CEUs or 72 or more hours.
Credit and non-credit classes are both acceptable as long as they are through an accredited U.S.-based college or university. Review the Resource: Education email received the week you arrived for accredited schools in our cluster area. If you want to take a class at a school not listed here on the blog, please check with your Community Counselor first to make sure it is accredited. Otherwise, it would not count toward your education requirement.
Your host family will pay an education allowance to assist you in completing your education requirement.
- Au Pairs education allowance – $500
- EduCare education allowance – $1000
There are ways to get your credits for just your education allowance, but it will not give you a lot of choices. Normally au pairs will contribute some of their own money ($200+) towards their education.
Au pairs should finish their classes 6-7 weeks before their visa ends, in order to apply for a visa extension.
A certificate, letter, or transcript from the school is required as proof of completion.
Online classes: All classes must be in-person or hybrid (a combination of in-person and online) to count for the education requirement. The APIA Advantage UCLA Course is the only State Dept. approved class with an online component. No other online classes will be accepted without advance approval for unusual circumstances.
Photo: CollegeDegrees360