Au Pair Educational Course Requirements Frequently Asked Questions

This post was originally published in April 2019 and revised in September 2024 by other contributors.

Not sure what the au pair education requirement is? Au Pair USA is here to help!

As part of the U.S. Department of State’s Au Pair Program regulations, au pairs are required to complete at least six semester hours of credit at an accredited post-secondary institution during their program year. This educational requirement provides a fantastic way for you to pursue your educational interests, meet new people, and experience an important aspect of American culture. Host families are required to give au pairs up to$500 towards these educational classes per program year.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the au pair education requirement. This information is also in the Au Pair USA Au Pair Handbook. Your Local Coordinator will have advice about eligible classes in your area.

How many credits are required for the au pair educational requirement?

Six credits over the course of the au pair program year are required. A typical college-level class earns 3 credits and lasts several months, so it is important to get started finding a class right away.

What if the class I want to take does not earn credits?

If the class you want to take is at an accredited post-secondary institute but it doesn’t offer credit, you may be able to count the number of hours of class time toward your requirement.. Each 30-hour class is equal to 3 credits, so you’ll likely need to take two classes to complete your au pair educational requirement. As with any other classes, be sure to submit a Class Pre-Approval Form before enrolling.

Where can au pairs take classes?

Classes must be on the campus of and/or be associated with an accredited post-secondary institution, which is generally a college or university. Keep in mind that library, community center, and church-based classes typically are not accepted unless they are affiliated with an accredited, post-secondary institution. Sometimes classes can be taken virtually as well. Always check that the course you plan to take is through an accredited, post-secondary institution.

How can au pairs know their class will count towards the educational requirements?

You should always submit a Class Pre-Approval Form to Au Pair USA before enrolling or paying for a class. Au Pair USA reviews the forms  and will let you know if the course will be approved and how many credits you will receive.

When should au pairs start their education requirements?

Sooner is better! Au Pair USA recommends researching the types of classes you are interested in taking as soon as you’ve matched with a host family. This will give you enough time to discuss the schedule with your host family and get the Pre-Approval process started. Keep in mind that most academic terms have specific start dates (often in August and January), so be sure you have enough time to enroll before the start date.

What type of classes should au pairs take?

Most classes that earn academic credit at an accredited post-secondary institution are accepted. Classes that earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) rather than academic credits (typically part of a university Continuing Education Program or Adult Education Program)) should have an academic focus such as language, marketing, history, science, psychology, English as a Second language, and so on. Make sure you get Pre-Approval for all classes.

What about yoga, fitness, martial arts or sports classes?

In general, these classes are not acceptable unless they have a strong academic component and earn credits (not CEUs) at an accredited university.

What about art classes such as photography, music, painting, drawing or sculpture?

In general, if these classes are held at an accredited academic university, they will be approved.

What classes do not count towards the au pair education requirement?

• Physical activity classes such as yoga, swimming, aerobics, martial arts at a gym or yoga studio
• Vocational courses such as cosmetology, modeling, bartending, etc.

How can au pairs make sure the classes they want to take are acceptable for the au pair education requirement?

The most important thing to do is submit a Class Pre-Approval Form. Your Local Coordinator can also help you find appropriate course options and answer your questions. Check your Au Pair USA Passport profile as some pre-approved classes may be listed there as well. Your host family may also be able to help you with local options, especially if they have hosted au pairs before.

Can au pairs take a three credit weekend-long au pair course?

Weekend au pair courses which earn three credits from an accredited university provide you with an opportunity to earn credit quickly. This is especially useful if you are not able to complete a longer course due to time constraints. However, there are many different class operators and you will still need to make sure that the class you want to take is acceptable to Au Pair USA and affiliated with an accredited university. These classes are generally more expensive than local options because the au pair must pay for travel, food, and lodging in addition to the class’s tuition cost. Remember that au pairs have a $500 educational allowance provided by their host family for their 12-month program to complete the 6 credit hours.

Can au pairs take a weekend-long course that earns 6 credits?

Au Pair USA does not accept courses that earn 6 credits in one weekend unless they involve 60 hours of classroom time. Some courses advertise that they will fulfill 60 hours worth of educational hours. However, when looking at the class schedule, only 30 hours are with an instructor learning in an educational environment, and the other 30 hours are assignments before and after. In this case, Au Pair USA would only be able to count the 30 hours of class time.

What is the deadline for completing the educational requirement?

If you are going home after the 12-month program is over, your education must be completed before your program end date. If you plan to extend your program, you have to complete the educational requirement before you can submit the extension application, which is no later than 45 days before your scheduled program end date. Au Pair USA recommends planning early! We cannot submit your extension request to the U.S. Department of State without your completed education component.

How do au pairs prove they completed the education requirement?

When the course is finished, au pairs must obtain a school document as proof that they completed the class. This might be a letter, certificate, or transcript from the school. Au pairs then upload those documents to the “End of Year” tab in Passport. You must complete and upload these documents in order to successfully conclude the program.

How do host parents support au pairs in completing the education requirement?

Host parents support au pairs in three ways:

• Supply up to $500 to pay for appropriate classes
• Assist their au pair in finding a class in the community that will fit the family schedule
• Provide their au pair with transportation to the class, whether it’s borrowing a car, paying for public transport or rideshare service, or driving the au pair to class

If an au pair extends, do they have to take more classes?

Yes. If you decide to extend your au pair program, you must fulfill new education requirements, and host parents must help pay.

• 6-month extension: 3 credits (30 hours), up tp $250 paid by the host family
• 9-month extension: 6 credits (60 hours), up to $500 paid by the host family
• 12-month extension: 6 credits (60 hours), up to $500 paid by the host family

Au Pair USA hopes these answers provide clear guidance about the educational requirement for au pairs! Remember, your Local Coordinator or Au Pair Handbook are wonderful sources of information if you have further questions about the au pair  educational requirement.