The **J-1 Secondary School Student** category is an educational and cultural exchange program for foreign high school students who spend an academic semester or academic year studying at an accredited U.S. secondary school.
It is not a general high school student visa available simply because a student has received admission from an American school. Participation must be arranged through a **Designated Sponsor**, which selects participants, secures the school and accommodation, monitors the exchange, and issues Form DS-2019.
Students may attend qualifying public or private secondary schools and live with an approved American Host Family or reside at an accredited U.S. Boarding School.
## What is the J-1 Secondary School Student category?
Secondary School Student is an official category within the BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program.
Its purpose is to give foreign high school students an educational and cultural immersion experience in the United States rather than simply provide academic enrollment.
Students pursue a full course of study while experiencing everyday American school and community life.
They may also participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities subject to the applicable rules.
Participation must take place through a Department of State-designated exchange organization.
## Who can qualify?
The regulations establish specific participant-selection criteria.
Under the current rules, eligibility covers secondary school students in their home countries who have not completed more than **11 years of primary and secondary education, excluding kindergarten, or who are at least 15 years old but no more than 18 years and six months old on the program start date**.
Participants must also:
- Demonstrate maturity, good character, and scholastic aptitude.
- Complete the sponsor's selection requirements.
- Have sufficient English ability to participate successfully under the general Exchange Visitor requirements.
- Never have previously participated in a U.S. secondary school academic-semester or academic-year exchange program.
- Never have previously attended school in the United States in F-1 or J-1 status.
The category is therefore structured as a limited cultural exchange experience rather than a way to repeatedly attend U.S. high school.
## Where does the student study?
A J-1 Secondary School Student may attend an accredited:
- Public secondary school.
- Private secondary school.
Participants must enroll and participate in a **full course of study** and satisfy the attendance and course requirements of the state where the school is located.
Before the student travels to the United States, the sponsor must obtain written acceptance from the school principal or another authorized administrator.
Written arrangements concerning tuition payment or waiver, where applicable, must also be established.
A sponsor may not facilitate the student's entry into the United States without a confirmed school placement.
## The school is not necessarily the Sponsor
Admission to an American high school does not mean that the school is the organization sponsoring the J-1 program.
The roles should be separated:
**School:** Provides academic enrollment and education.
**Designated Sponsor:** Administers the exchange, secures placement, issues DS-2019, and monitors the student.
**U.S. Embassy or Consulate:** Decides the visa application.
Students should confirm which organization is officially listed as the sponsor on Form DS-2019.
## Where does the student live?
The regulations provide two main accommodation models.
### Host Family
A student may live with an American Host Family that has been screened and approved through the sponsor.
Exchange students **may not live with relatives** under this program.
### Boarding School
Students may instead reside at an **accredited U.S. Boarding School** when that arrangement is part of the approved exchange program.
Living with a Host Family is therefore not mandatory in every case, but participants cannot simply create their own independent accommodation arrangement outside the program structure.
## What does a Host Family do?
A Host Family is more than an accommodation provider. It is an important part of the cultural exchange.
Sponsors must carefully screen prospective Host Families.
The process includes:
- A detailed family and home profile.
- In-person interviews with household members.
- Personal references.
- Verification that the family has adequate financial resources.
- Criminal background checks for household members age 18 or older.
The Host Family must provide basic living needs including:
- An appropriate bed.
- Adequate storage for personal belongings.
- Reasonable bathroom access.
- Study space when otherwise unavailable.
- Three quality meals each day.
- Transportation to and from school activities as required by the program.
Sponsors are prohibited from making monetary payments or offering financial incentives to Host Families for hosting an exchange student.
## Can two exchange students live with one Host Family?
Yes, under specific safeguards.
A Host Family may generally host no more than **two foreign secondary school exchange students**.
The students may not be from the same country or share the same native language.
Certain double-placement arrangements also require advance written consent from the students, their natural parents, and the Host Family.
## What does the Designated Sponsor do?
The sponsor is the central organization responsible for the exchange.
Its duties include:
- Screening and selecting students.
- Evaluating maturity and academic suitability.
- Securing the school placement before travel.
- Screening and approving the Host Family where applicable.
- Issuing Form DS-2019.
- Providing pre-departure orientation.
- Assigning a Local Coordinator.
- Monitoring the student and Host Family.
- Responding to placement problems.
- Maintaining required SEVIS information.
- Protecting participant health, safety, and welfare.
The regulations also require continuing contact between local program representatives, students, and Host Families during the exchange.
## How long can the program last?
The program must last at least:
**One academic semester, or quarter equivalent.**
It may not exceed:
**Two academic semesters, or quarter equivalent.**
In practical terms, the J-1 Secondary School Student program is designed for an academic semester or one academic year.
The exchange normally follows the U.S. academic calendar, with specific provisions for students from countries whose academic calendars operate on an opposite schedule.
This category should not be treated as a renewable route for repeatedly spending years in U.S. high school, particularly because previous participation in a U.S. secondary exchange program disqualifies a new participant.
The authorized program period on DS-2019 should also be distinguished from the validity of the visa stamp in the passport.
## Can a J-1 high school student work?
**Full-time and part-time employment are prohibited.**
J-1 Secondary School Student is not an employment program.
The regulations do, however, allow **sporadic or intermittent work**, with examples including:
- Babysitting.
- Yard work.
This limited exception should not be interpreted as permission to obtain a regular after-school or weekend job.
F-1 student employment rules and Summer Work Travel rules should not be applied to this category.
## Can students participate in sports and extracurricular activities?
Yes.
Exchange students may participate in school-sanctioned and school-sponsored extracurricular activities, including athletics.
For athletic participation, approval must come from:
- The local school district.
- The state authority responsible for athletic eligibility, where applicable.
Sponsors are prohibited from arranging a student's placement based on athletic ability.
The program therefore cannot be used as a mechanism to recruit a foreign athlete to a particular school primarily because of sports performance.
## How to apply
A typical process is:
- Identify an approved Secondary School Student exchange program.
- Apply through a Designated Sponsor.
- Complete participant screening and eligibility review.
- Secure a school placement.
- Arrange an approved Host Family or Boarding School placement.
- Receive Form DS-2019.
- Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee.
- Complete Form DS-160.
- Pay the J-1 visa application fee.
- Schedule a visa interview where required.
- Attend the interview and provide supporting documents.
- Wait for the consular decision.
Form DS-2019 confirms eligibility to participate in the exchange program but does not guarantee visa issuance.
## Fees and costs
### J-1 Visa Application Fee
The current standard J visa application processing fee is:
**US$185**
Certain qualifying official U.S.-government-sponsored exchange programs may be exempt, but that exemption should not be assumed for every high school exchange program.
### I-901 SEVIS Fee
Secondary School Student falls within the Student category for Form I-901 purposes.
The current fee is:
**US$220**
### Sponsor and Program Fees
Sponsors may charge separate fees for program administration and services.
### School Tuition
Tuition arrangements depend on the school and exchange program.
The regulations require tuition payment or waiver arrangements, where applicable, to be documented in writing before placement.
A sponsor may not charge a participant private-school tuition unless those arrangements were finalized in writing before Form DS-2019 was issued.
### Other Expenses
Other potential costs include:
- International travel.
- Required insurance.
- Personal spending.
- School activities.
- Other expenses not included in the exchange package.
Applicants should review the sponsor's detailed fee information rather than combining all costs into one universal amount.
## Can parents or siblings obtain J-2 visas?
**No.**
Secondary School Student is one of the J-1 categories that **does not permit J-2 dependents**.
In any event, J-2 dependent status normally applies to eligible spouses and unmarried children under age 21—not parents or siblings.
For Secondary School Students specifically, even a qualifying spouse or child cannot receive J-2 based on the student's participation in this category.
## J-1 Secondary School Student vs. F-1
Both classifications can involve high school study, but their purposes and structures are different.
| J-1 Secondary School Student | F-1 High School Student | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Educational and cultural exchange program | Academic student classification | | Uses a Designated Sponsor and DS-2019 | Uses an SEVP-certified school and Form I-20 | | May attend qualifying public or private secondary schools through the exchange | May attend qualifying public high school or an SEVP-certified private school | | Limited to one or two academic semesters | F-1 public high school attendance is limited to 12 months; private schools are not subject to the same federal time limit | | Host Family or accredited Boarding School arrangements form part of the program | Does not use the J-1 Host Family regulatory system | | Full- and part-time employment prohibited, with narrow intermittent-work exception | Governed by separate F-1 rules | | J-2 dependents not permitted | Uses a different dependent framework |
One important F-1 rule is that a foreign student attending a U.S. public secondary school in F-1 status must pay the **full, unsubsidized per-capita cost** of the education and may attend public high school for no more than 12 months.
That rule is specific to F-1 and should not simply be transferred to the J-1 exchange program.
## Can a student change schools?
A participant should not independently transfer to another school.
The sponsor is responsible for the school placement and must report cases involving a student attending more than one school.
If a transfer becomes necessary, the sponsor should first determine whether the new placement complies with the exchange program and update the required program records.
## What if there is a problem with the Host Family?
The student's first program contact should normally be the:
**Local Coordinator or Designated Sponsor.**
The student should not independently move to another household, relative, or friend's home without coordination.
When circumstances require a Host Family change, the sponsor must document the reasons and arrange the new placement according to program rules.
Serious health, safety, abuse, or exploitation concerns can also be reported through the Department of State's official channels.
## What happens when the program ends?
The student's authorized exchange study ends on the program completion date listed on DS-2019.
Following normal completion of a J-1 program, there is generally a:
**30-day travel period**
to settle affairs and prepare to depart the United States.
This is not an additional academic semester and does not authorize continued exchange study or employment.
Students also cannot simply participate in another Secondary School Student academic-semester or academic-year exchange, because prior participation is specifically restricted by the eligibility rules.
## Common mistakes to avoid
### Treating J-1 and F-1 high school study as the same program
They have different purposes, documents, sponsors, and regulatory structures.
### Finding only a school and ignoring the Sponsor
The exchange requires a Designated Sponsor, not just school admission.
### Assuming employment is allowed
Full- and part-time employment are prohibited.
### Arranging a Host Family independently
Host placements must be screened and supervised through the exchange program.
### Assuming the student can live with relatives
Secondary School Student participants may not reside with relatives under the program.
### Treating DS-2019 as guaranteed visa approval
Visa issuance remains a separate consular decision.
### Assuming the student can remain for another school year
The exchange is limited to one or two academic semesters, and prior secondary exchange participation is restricted.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is the age requirement for J-1 Secondary School Student?
The current rules include eligibility for students between age 15 and 18 years and six months as of the program start date, or under the separate secondary-school-study criterion established in the regulations, subject to all other eligibility requirements.
### How long can the program last?
At least one academic semester or equivalent and no more than two academic semesters—typically one semester or one academic year.
### Can the student attend a private high school?
Yes. Participants may attend qualifying accredited public or private secondary schools.
### Can a J-1 high school student work?
Regular full-time or part-time employment is prohibited. Only limited sporadic or intermittent work, such as babysitting or yard work, is permitted.
### Must the student live with a Host Family?
Not always. Students may live with an approved American Host Family or reside at an accredited U.S. Boarding School.
### Can the Host Family or school be changed?
Changes may be possible when necessary, but they must be handled through the Designated Sponsor and official program procedures.
### What is the main difference between J-1 and F-1 for high school?
J-1 is a structured cultural exchange program administered by a Designated Sponsor using DS-2019. F-1 is an academic student route administered through an SEVP-certified school using Form I-20, with different rules for duration, public-school tuition, and program structure.
## Conclusion
The J-1 Secondary School Student category is a **structured educational and cultural exchange program**, not a general visa for any foreign student who wants to attend high school in the United States.
Eligibility depends on the student's age or qualifying educational background, previous U.S. school and exchange history, and selection by an approved sponsor.
The school and accommodation must also be arranged through the program before travel, whether the student lives with an approved Host Family or at a Boarding School. Regular employment is prohibited, and this category does not allow J-2 dependents.
The correct starting point is therefore a **Designated Sponsor and qualifying exchange program**, not school admission alone.
## Official Sources Used for This Article
**U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Secondary School Student** Used to verify age and education criteria, previous participation restrictions, Host Family and Boarding School accommodation, employment rules, and athletic participation.
**22 CFR §62.25 – Secondary School Students** Used to verify participant eligibility, program duration, school placement, Host Family requirements, employment, athletics, school changes, and sponsor responsibilities.
**U.S. Department of State – Secondary School Student Program Sponsor Resource Page** Used to verify that the category covers an academic semester or academic year at an accredited public or private secondary school while living with a Host Family or at a Boarding School.
**U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – About the J-2 Visa** Used to verify that Secondary School Student does not permit J-2 dependents.
**U.S. Department of State – Exchange Visitor Visa / Fees for Visa Services** Used to verify the current US$185 J visa application fee and qualifying government-sponsored exemptions.
**U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Form I-901 / SEVIS** Used to verify the current US$220 I-901 fee for J-1 Students.
**U.S. Department of State – Foreign Students in Public Schools** Used to verify F-1 public high school rules, including the 12-month attendance maximum and full unsubsidized tuition requirement.
