Apply to J1 BridgeUSA Summer Work and Travel Program
Application Steps
Register your application with the form below.
We will review your application submission. If you meet the eligibility criteria, we’ll send you a payment link for your initial €99 deposit.
Once you’ve paid your deposit, you’ll receive an email inviting you to start your application in our ‘Beacon’ system. Please see our ‘how to’ guide for the steps you need to complete in your Beacon Application.
We will set up a short phone interview as required by the US Department of State. The interview consists of a few questions to get a sense of what you hope to gain from your summer in the US.
Upon completion of your interview, you’ll receive a payment link to pay for the €200 instalment of your J1 booking.
J1 Work & Travel Program Options
Choose from two different options:
Option 1 – €699
The J1 BridgeUSA All-In Package, where we do all the hard work and sort out your pre-arranged jobs! We provide you with a access to hundreds of ‘Premium’ J1 jobs via our jobs database / CIEE Direct . All the jobs available will have been pre-vetted, and we’ll set up the interview. We literally do all the heavy lifting!
When your 2nd payment is made, you will be given access to CIEE’s job database where you can select the job you wish to apply for.
Once you’ve selected your job, we’ll arrange the interview for you. If you’re hired, your application moves to the next stage. If for some reason you are not successful in securing the job, you can go back to the jobs database and select another option and we’ll go through the steps again to help you secure the next position.
Option 2 – €499
The J1 BridgeUSA DIY Package, where you find your own job and once you have your offer, you submit it to us for vetting and approval. And don’t forget, if you’re struggling to source a job, we won’t see you stuck! You can always upgrade to the All-In Package at a later date!
When your 2nd payment is made, you will then be required to submit your Placement Agreement Form (found on your Beacon Account) with the details from your US employer for vetting and approval.
If the job is approved and you’re hired, your application moves to the next stage. If for some reason you are not successful in securing the job, you can go back to searching for a more suitable job and, when you’ve secured a new offer of employment, we’ll go through the steps again to help you secure the next position.
Once You Are ‘Hired’
We will send you a payment link to pay the Balance of your J1 booking.
Upon payment of your balance, we will issue your DS-2019 form which is your Legal Work Authorization Document. You can download it from your Beacon account as soon as it is issued.
You will then need to book your mandatory interview with the US Embassy in Dublin, or if you’re studying in Northern Ireland, the US Consulate in Belfast. Don’t worry, we’ll provide you with a guide explaining how to do this! Please note, your passport will be held at the US Embassy or Consulate for up to 10 business days.
Once your visa has been approved by the US Embassy, they will return your passport to you via DPD courier service. You can either collect it as the DPD location you choose when making your interview appointment, or you can select to have it delivered to your door!
Your CIEE J1 Orientation will be emailed to you and it is a requirement that you complete this. It’s to ensure you’re fully prepared for your J1 Summer in the US and is mandatory. Don’t worry, it only takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
Then it’s time to Travel!