Talinta Teacher Pathways
What it costs to teach in the U.S.
There are two separate costs: our service fee, and the program fees you pay your Sponsor and the government.
Fee 1: Paid to Talinta
$1,500–$2,350Depends on your tier. Nothing due to apply.
Fee 2: Paid to your Sponsor and the government
About $2,235–$4,915Paid directly to them. Talinta takes no commissions.
Fee 1: Paid to Talinta
Standard placement and support
For teachers starting from scratch
We recruit and screen you, match you with a U.S. school, coordinate your interviews, handle Sponsor coordination and visa facilitation, and support you through your first year after you arrive.
When you pay
Help with your Sponsor and visa application
For teachers who already have a U.S. position
You found the school yourself, so sourcing, matching and interview coordination are excluded. We review your eligibility and your host school, build your Sponsor-ready application package, and carry it through Sponsor coordination and visa facilitation.
Your Sponsor may offer a direct route for teachers who already hold an offer. We show you that option before you sign, so you can compare.
When you pay
Returning participant
For eligible former J-1 teachers coming back
The same full service as Tier 1, at a reduced fee. If you are returning and have already secured your own position, use Tier 2 instead.
Your outside costs may be lower if prior credential or license documents are still valid and reusable.
When you pay
Fee 2: Paid to your Sponsor and the government
These go directly to your Sponsor, to government agencies, or to independent providers. They are the same in all three tiers and are in addition to your Talinta service fee.
| Paid to your Sponsor | |
| Sponsor program fee — year one | $1,505–$3,760 |
| Paid to the U.S. government | |
| SEVIS fee | $220 |
| Visa application (MRV / DS-160) | $185 |
| Paid to other providers | |
| Credential evaluation See below | $150–$300 |
| State license or statement of eligibility | $75–$150 |
| Background check and fingerprinting | $100–$300 |
| Estimated Fee 2 total | $2,235–$4,915 |
On the credential evaluation line
A discounted evaluation — and the right one
TEC (formerly SpanTran) has built a custom application for Talinta Teacher Pathways. It routes you to the evaluation type your Sponsor and state board actually require — ordering the wrong report is the most common and most expensive mistake at this stage — and it applies a discounted rate.
Talinta receives no commission on this fee. You pay TEC directly.
Also required, varies by case
These apply to some participants and not others. We confirm which ones apply to you before you sign.
- Health insurance$0–$200 / mo
- Visa Integrity FeeContingent
- CFO registration / PDOSPhilippines
- J-2 dependents, transfers, extensionsIf applicable
Before your first salary
Not fees — the cost of arriving and settling in before your first paycheck lands.
- Airfare$500–$2,000
- Housing deposit and first month$500–$2,000
- Local transportation, first month$100–$300
- Groceries and household basics$300–$500
Every required third-party program cost is listed separately. Talinta does not receive commissions from visa sponsors, government agencies, credential evaluators, licensing authorities, insurers, or initial and final program-travel bookings. Optional leisure-travel services are separate from the J-1 program. Talinta may receive disclosed referral compensation from qualifying leisure bookings made through an independent travel partner. Every amount we charge is written down before you sign.
External amounts are set by others and may change. We confirm the current figures for your specific case before you sign anything or pay anyone.