AU PAIR IN AMERICA
FORMAL EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT

All au pairs are required to take 6 credits (or attend classes for a minimum of 72 hours) over the course of the year. As a general rule, 45 hours of class time is equivalent to one “3-credit” course. (Educare au pairs are required to earn 12 credits per year). The educational component of this program is a mandatory requirement of the U.S. Department of State for all au pair program participants. Host families must agree to facilitate the enrollment and attendance of au pairs in accredited post secondary institutions and to pay the cost of such academic coursework in an amount not to exceed $500 annually ($1,000 for EduCare participants).

Au Pairs must complete their educational requirements in order to be eligible for their return flight. Applications to extend for a second year cannot be processed without proof of completion of education. For that reason, it is a good idea for au pairs to start classes soon after arrival to their host family.

Extension program participants must satisfy an additional educational requirement, as follows: For a nine or 12-month extension, all au pair participants and host families shall have the same obligation of coursework and payment as is required during the initial period of program participation. For a six-month extension, au pairs must complete no less than three credits (or their equivalent) of academic course work, and host families must agree to facilitate the enrollment and attendance of au pairs and to pay the cost of such academic coursework in an amount not to exceed $250.

At certain colleges and universities, you may be allowed to “audit” classes in order to receive a lower tuition rate. When you audit a class, the college or university does not issue formal credit for the class. Audits are acceptable and do count as credit for au pair program educational requirements.

*It is important that you give proof of education documentation to your counselor at the completion of your class. Proof of education may be in the form of a certificate or grade report from the university, or a letter signed by the instructor and printed on college/university stationery. All proof of education must state your name, ID number, school attended, course title, dates attended and number of credits/hours. Your counselor must submit this information to Au Pair in America in order for you to receive your return flight or to process your extension paperwork.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RI (CCRI) CWCE DIVISION
(Center for Workforce and Community Education)
(Weekday evening or Saturday morning)
401-333-7074
CCRI offers ESL classes at its Providence and Lincoln campuses. The cost to enroll in a 15-session course is $175 plus a $5 registration fee. Each 15-session course is equivalent to 3 credits (45 hours). Classes are offered year round, with a new schedule published each Spring, Fall, and Summer. Placement tests are required for all students enrolling at in ESL classes for the first time. You can view the CCRI catalog at: http://www.ccri.edu/cwce/

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE – ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Providence, RI (Weekday Evening Classes)
Classes are offered during the Spring and Fall Semesters on Monday–Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm – 8:50 pm for 14 weeks. Tuition: $500.(Be sure to register for the non-credit option to receive the lowest tuition rate!)
(Total 90 hours – this fulfills the U.S. Department of State requirement for the entire year).
For more information contact: Shélynn Riel- Osorio by e-mail at sriel@ric.edu or by phone at (401) 402-0375; or www.RIC.edu/ESLWorkshops/

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE ESL OUTREACH PROGRAM
Providence, RI (Weekday Morning Classes)
Classes are held Monday – Thursday from 9 A.M – 12 noon. The duration of the course is 10 weeks and is offered year round. Tuition is $500 (total 120 hours – this well exceeds the U.S. Department of State requirement of 90 hours for the year). Evening classes are also available for specific levels – testing is required prior to registration. For more information, visit http://www.ricoutreach.org/program_caell.html
Or contact:
Rhode Island College Office of Outreach Programs
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, East Campus – Building 8
Providence, RI 02908
401-456-8698

BOSTON ACADEMY OF ENGLISH AU PAIR PROGRAM
59 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 617-338-6243
The Boston Academy of English has a special rate for au pairs registering for part-time evening or Saturday English classes.
http://www.bostonacademyofenglish.com/courses/aupair.htm

BRISTOL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
777 Elsbree Street, Fall River, MA 02720
Bristol Community College (BCC) offers ESL classes at their Fall River (daytime), Attleboro (daytime), and New Bedford (evening) campuses. You should ask to “audit” the class so that you will receive a reduced tuition rate. $600 for 1 class which meets 3 hours per week for 16 weeks. If you have any questions regarding ESL classes and to schedule your placement test, you may call 508-678-2811, extension 2476; http://www.bristolcc.edu/academics/englishasasecondlanguageesl/

EC BOSTON
1 Fanuel Hall Square, Boston, MA
EC Boston offers evening and Saturday General English Classes for Au Pairs. Price is approximately $360 for a 9 week session (equivalent to 3 credits). Contact Casey Sherman, Program Director: CaseySherman@ecenglish.com (617)247-3033
http://www.ecenglish.com/school-locations/learn-english-in-cambridge

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF RHODE ISLAND
8 Stimson Avenue (Brown University Campus), Providence, Rhode Island 02906
401-421-7181

The International House of RI has a good ESL program that is very reasonably priced – this is a great option for au pairs, but should be taken in addition to one of the college/university classes listed above which will provide the credits necessary for the au pair program. www.InternationalHouseofRI.org

TRADITIONAL CLASSES AT LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
(Liberal Arts, Business, Physical Fitness, and Sciences)

*Remember: Any class at a college or university can be “audited” or taken “non credit.” Taking classes in one of these ways is less expensive and will still fulfill your requirement for Au Pair in America.

BRISTOL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Locations in Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton and Attleboro, Massachusetts
Tuition: $230 per credit ($690 per 3-credit course)
*You may ask to “audit” classes at BCC – tuition rate will be one-half of the regular rate
http://www.bristol.mass.edu

BROWN UNIVERSITY VISITING STUDENT PROGRAM
If you already have an undergraduate degree then you are eligible to audit a class at Brown University through the Visiting Student Program.
Cost to Audit: $1,000 per course
visiting_students@brown.edu

BROWN UNIVERSITY FITNESS AND RECREATION CLASSES
Providence, Rhode Island
http://www.brown.edu/Athletics/Recsports/physed.html

COMMUNTIY COLLEGE OF RI (CCRI) CONTINUING EDUCATION DIVISION
CENTER FOR WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION (CWCE)
Locations in Warwick, Providence, Lincoln and Newport, Rhode Island
http://www.ccri.edu/cwce/

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY
Providence, Rhode Island
Tuition for Academic Classes: $188 per credit ($842 per 4.5 credit course)
Tuition for Baking/Culinary Classes: $374 per credit ($1,122 per 3 credit course)
http://www.jwu.edu/providence/

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE
Providence, Rhode Island (401-865-1000)
Tuition: $321 per credit ($963 per 3-credit cours)
*You may “audit” classes at P.C. for one-half of the standard tuition rate.
http://www.providence.edu/sce/Pages/default.aspx

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN (RISD) CONTINUING EDUCATION
Providence, Rhode Island
http://ce.risd.edu/

ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY
Main Campus: Bristol, Rhode Island; Satellite Campus: Providence, Rhode Island
You may “audit” courses at Roger Williams University for a lower tuition rate.
http://www.rwu.edu

SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY
Newport, RI
You may “audit” courses at Salve Regina for lower tuition rate.
http://www.salve.edu/

Important Note: Following are the websites for RI state universities; however, with the exception of the ESL programs and CCRI’s Continuing Education Division (CWCE Division ) listed above, these are not good choices for the au pair program because of the extremely high tuition rate for general undergraduate and continuing education courses. Au pairs are charged out-of-state tuition rates (very expensive – can range between $1,500 and $3,200 for one 3-credit course!) and these universities do not allow audits.

COMMUNTIY COLLEGE OF RI (CCRI) http://www.ccri.edu/ (401) 455-6113
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND (URI) Kingston Campus http://www.uri.edu/ (401-874-1000)
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND (URI) Providence Campus http://www.uri.edu/prov/ (401-277-5000)
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE (RIC) – Providence, RI http://www.ric.edu (401-456-8000)

UCLA Extension – American Studies OnLine
(This is the only on-line course that is acceptable to fulfill your au pair education requirement)

APIA Advantage: A Partnership with University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Au Pair in America has developed this program to help you fulfill your education requirement without having to travel great distances and spend lots of money. It also gives you the flexibility to work around your childcare responsibilities. This is a 19-week program designed to help au pairs learn more about U.S. culture. Topics include U.S. History, Arts in the U.S., U.S. Literature, Career Counseling and optional English language study and TOEFL preparation. Not only does APIA Advantage make it possibly to complete your education requirement (6 credits) for $500, it will also broaden your educational and cultural experience in the United States. The course work involves online participation along with volunteer activities in your local community. Participants who successfully complete the program earn a certificate of completion from UCLA Extension. For more information about the program and how to enroll, visit. www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs

Newborn Care Specialist (in Foxboro, MA)
4 weekend modules, each module is 4.5 hours. 3 credits
To register and additional information please contact:
Leeann Keady, lskeady@hotmail.com, (508) 277-3772

If you have cared for babies under 3 months in the past 2 years or have a true love for babies this program will teach you all the necessary skills and practices to support new families and their little ones.
A Newborn Care Specialist is someone who specializes in newborn care. Newborn Care Specialists assist parents in their home the first few weeks or months of baby’s life with parent education, feeding/breastfeeding, basic baby care, and light baby-related housekeeping. It is important to note that a Newborn Care Specialist is not a Nanny and not a Doula and requires special training and education specific to the profession.  The NCS program will cover a wide range of topics including Bathing, Sleep Practices, Feeding, Swaddling, Siblings developmental milestones and so much more.  You will also learn about client relations, what your role is as a Newborn Care Specialist, what it takes to be a team player and how to get a job.
If you already have newborn care experience or are an experienced nanny this program offers you an opportunity to learn what it takes ot become a Certified Newborn Care Specialist.  Job opportunites for Child Care workers are growing very fast in our area and this is a great opportunity to expand your services and marketability.  If you love the childcare field and infants in particular this may be just the thing for you.

 

WEEKENDS AWAY

Au pairs should only take one weekend course for their education requirement. Using only weekend courses to meet your education requirement could result in the denial of your extension application (should you decide to extend).  There are extreme cases where approval of 2 weekend courses will be granted.  This approval will have to be given by AuPair in America.
MASSBAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE  Journey Through North America is an example of a weekend course.  An au pair can use this option to earn 3 credits (half of her annual education requirement) but would need to take a traditional class to earn the remaining credits required,

MASSBAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Journey through North America
19 Flagg Drive
Framingham MA 01702

East Coast EdVentures has partnered with MassBay Community College in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. MassBay offers a very popular class, “Journey through North America” during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. The course includes both classroom lectures ( held at the Massbay campus on 3 Saturdays) and a guided weekend tour to an historic city to visit landmarks and museums . Upon completing both components, you will earn 3 continuing education non-credit units and be issued a certificate of completion.
Contact – Sharon Jordon 508-270-4103 or sjordan@massbay.edu
http://eastcoastedventures.com/edcreds

BUNKER HILL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Au Pair Weekend Program
250 New Rutherford Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02129

No lodging available but website refers to local hotels.  Average cost of $345 is based on up to 4 credits.

LIU Post Au Pair Program
LIU Post CEP & Au pair Program Office
720 Northern Boulevard
Greenvale, New York 11548

This program offers weekend classes at LIU Post campus in Greenvale, New York. LIU Post CEP & Au Pair Program is offered 15 weekends per year. Each course is 3 credits including all assignments. Classes run from Friday evening at 5 p.m. through Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The fee for our courses is $285.00. If you need lodging there is an additional $74.00 which includes Friday and Saturday night as well as breakfast.

For information: Program Director Anne Schubeck or the Associate Director Victoria Pizziatolla
at 516-299-2359 post-aupair@liu.edu. http://www.liu.edu/CWPost/About/Offices/Au-Pair