Moving to the US as an Exchange Student: Visas, Packing, and Settling In
Coming to the United States as an exchange student is a move that runs on paperwork first — your visa, your SEVIS record, and your forms all have to be right before you pack a single bag. Most high-school cultural exchanges run on a J-1 visa arranged through a vetted program; academic study more often uses an F-1. Once the documents are in order, the move itself is a couple of suitcases and a long flight into a country that varies more by region than most arriving students expect.
This guide covers both halves: getting the visa and paperwork right, then the practical move — what to pack for a US year, how to set up a phone and money, and what living with a host family and attending a US school is actually like. If you're going the other direction — a US student heading overseas — we wrote a companion guide on moving abroad as an exchange student.
A note from Bradford — and a real ask
My wife, Megan, spent two years in Germany as an exchange student, so the exchange experience runs deep in our house — and we hope to host exchange students in our own home one day, because we love that exchange of ideas and cultures. This guide is built from that lived experience and a good deal of research, written for the student arriving in the US rather than the one leaving.
If you've come to the US on an exchange — or hosted someone who has — and something here is wrong, missing, or could be sharper, I'd be grateful if you'd email me at hello@movedovetail.com. I read every reply, and the guide gets better every time someone takes the time to write.
What visa do exchange students need for the US?
Most high-school exchange students come on a J-1 exchange visitor visa; F-1 is the academic-student alternative. The J-1 is run by the US Department of State and arranged through a designated sponsor organization that vets host families and placements — its whole purpose is cultural exchange, it generally runs about a year, and the student usually pays the program rather than school tuition. The F-1 is a Department of Homeland Security academic visa, often issued directly by a school, where the student pays tuition and has more flexibility on length.
Which one you'll be on is set by the program you join, not chosen freely at the airport. For a high-school cultural year, that's almost always J-1 through a sponsor. Look for a program certified by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) (external — non-profit standards body for exchange programs) — its certification is the clearest signal that a program properly vets host families and placements, the way camp accreditation signals safety.
What paperwork has to be right before you fly?
Your certificate of eligibility, SEVIS fee, visa application, and embassy interview all have to be complete before you travel — in that order. The single document everything hangs on is your certificate of eligibility: a DS-2019 for J-1, or a Form I-20 for F-1, issued by your sponsor or school. With that in hand, you pay the SEVIS fee, complete the visa application, and interview at a US embassy or consulate in your home country.
The forms and fees, verified for 2026 (confirm current amounts — they change):
| Step | Form / fee | Cost (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of eligibility | DS-2019 (J-1) or I-20 (F-1) | Issued by your sponsor/school |
| SEVIS registration | I-901 SEVIS fee | $220 (J-1) · $350 (F-1) |
| Visa application | DS-160 (online) | $185 |
| Visa interview | At a US embassy/consulate | Included in DS-160 fee |
| At the US border | I-94 arrival record (automatic) | No fee |
Confirm every figure and step against the official sources: visa application through the US Department of State student-visa pages (external — primary gov), and SEVIS through Study in the States (external — DHS, primary gov). Keep multiple copies of your DS-2019 or I-20 — you'll be asked for it more than once.
What should you pack for a year in the US?
Pack for the region and seasons you're actually going to, because the US ranges from desert to deep snow and a single packing list can't cover it. Find out where your host family lives and what its winters and summers are like before you pack a thing — a student landing in Minnesota and one landing in Florida pack almost opposite bags. Bring documents and a few things from home; buy the bulk of what you need once you arrive, where it's often cheaper and definitely lighter than a second suitcase.
| Category | Bring | Leave |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Passport, visa, DS-2019/I-20, program papers, and copies of all of it — in your carry-on | Originals in checked luggage, ever |
| Clothing | Layers for your host region's actual climate, one nice outfit, comfortable shoes | A full year's wardrobe — you'll shop here |
| Tech | Unlocked phone, laptop, chargers, and a plug adapter for US outlets (120V) | Devices that aren't dual-voltage and can't adapt |
| Host gifts | A few small, meaningful items from your country | Anything heavy or breakable |
| Comfort | Photos, one familiar item, a favorite snack or two from home | Most of home — the point is to be here |
| Health | Prescriptions in original packaging with a doctor's note | A full medicine cabinet |
US household electricity is 120 volts with its own plug shape, so check that your devices are dual-voltage rather than assuming an adapter alone will do. The packing method itself is the same one in our packing guide, scaled to what one person needs for a year as a guest.
How do you set up a phone and money in the US?
Get a US phone number and a way to handle cash in the first few days — both are easier with your host family's help. For the phone, an unlocked handset plus a US prepaid SIM or eSIM is the simplest path, and a local number makes everything from school to making plans far easier than roaming on your home plan. For money, bring a no-foreign-fee card and some US dollars in cash for arrival, and ask your host family about opening a local bank account; many exchange students do, sometimes with a parent's help from home.
You generally won't need a US Social Security number unless you're authorized to work, which most exchange visas don't permit — so don't let anyone tell you a bank account or phone requires one without checking. Tell your home bank your travel dates so your card isn't frozen the first time you use it in a new country.
What's living with a host family like?
It's living in someone's home as part of the family, not staying in a hotel — the rhythms, chores, and house rules are part of the experience. The students who settle best treat it as joining a household: they ask about expectations early, pitch in without being asked, and communicate when something's confusing rather than going quiet. Culture shows up in small daily things — meals, schedules, how directly people speak — and a little curiosity goes a long way.
On J-1 programs, a rule worth knowing: students can't be placed with their own relatives — placements are with vetted host families, with no exceptions. If you have family in the US you hope to see, that's a visit, not a placement. Your program's local coordinator is your point of contact if anything about the home isn't working, and they expect to hear from you.
What should you know about US high school?
US high school is a bigger part of the cultural exchange than most arriving students expect — sports, clubs, school spirit, and a social life built around the building itself. Many systems abroad keep school strictly academic; in the US, the teams, clubs, performances, and events are where friendships form and where the "American high school" experience actually lives. Joining things early is the fastest way in.
Grades work on a running GPA across the year rather than a few big exams, so steady work matters more than a final sprint. Ask your host family and the school's counselor how attendance, grading, and clubs work in the first week — every school is a little different, and nobody expects you to arrive knowing.
How does arrival day at a US airport work?
You'll clear US Customs and Border Protection at your first US airport, where an officer checks your passport, visa, and DS-2019 or I-20 before admitting you. Have all of it in your hand luggage, not your checked bag — you cannot reach a checked bag at the border. After you're admitted, an electronic I-94 arrival record is created automatically; you can look it up online later if a school or job ever needs proof of your status.
Build in time, especially if you have a connecting flight, because immigration and baggage at the port of entry can be slow. Know who is meeting you on the other side and how to reach your host family and program coordinator if a flight slips.
How much does coming to the US cost?
Beyond the program fee, the visa and move run several hundred to a couple thousand dollars. Program fees vary widely and sit outside this list; the move-and-paperwork costs around them, with 2026 figures:
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SEVIS I-901 fee | $220 (J-1) · $350 (F-1) | Verify current amount before paying |
| DS-160 visa application fee | $185 | Nonrefundable; valid one year to interview |
| Passport (from your country) | Varies | Must be valid well beyond your stay |
| Flights | $500–$2,000+ | One-way or round-trip, by region |
| Plug adapter, US SIM, first cash | $50–$150 | The practical landing kit |
Confirm all US government fees against the official sources above before you pay — the amounts are updated periodically.
Bringing a gift for your host family
Bring a few small gifts from your home country — it's one of the warmest things you can pack. Your host family is opening their home for a year, and something local and personal, given on arrival, says more than anything expensive could. Regional food that travels well, a book of photos from your hometown, or a small craft from where you're from all land beautifully. Keep it light and unbreakable so it survives the flight.
Frequently asked questions
Do exchange students need a US Social Security number?
Usually not, unless you're authorized to work — and most exchange visas don't permit employment. A bank account and a phone plan generally don't require an SSN for exchange students, despite occasional confusion, so check before assuming you need one. If your program does authorize work, it will tell you how to apply for an SSN as part of that process.
Can J-1 exchange students work in the US?
Generally no — the J-1 secondary-school exchange is built around cultural experience and study, not employment, and working without authorization can jeopardize your status. Babysitting or small informal tasks are sometimes treated differently, but a regular job is off the table unless your program specifically authorizes it. Ask your sponsor before doing anything that looks like paid work.
Will your phone from home work in the US?
If it's unlocked and supports US network bands, yes — pair it with a US prepaid SIM or eSIM. Locked phones tied to a home carrier often won't take a US SIM, so check that it's unlocked before you fly. A US number, rather than international roaming, makes daily life far simpler and cheaper.
How much spending money should you bring for arrival?
Enough US cash to cover your first few days — a few hundred dollars is a common cushion — plus a card with no foreign transaction fees. You'll want cash before you've set up any local banking, for small things on day one. Don't carry large amounts; once you have a card working and a local account, cash matters less.
How do you handle homesickness and the time difference with home?
Homesickness is normal early on and eases as the place and people become familiar; the time-zone gap is the practical hurdle, so set a standing call time with home rather than messaging around the clock. Staying engaged — joining things, leaning on your host family and coordinator — helps far more than retreating to a screen. Your program has a local coordinator for exactly this; reach out early rather than waiting until it's heavy.
What's the most common packing mistake arriving students make?
Packing for the wrong climate, and packing too much. Students often pack for a generic idea of "America" instead of the specific region they're going to, and bring a full year's wardrobe they could buy more cheaply here. Find out where you'll actually live, pack for its seasons, and leave room in the suitcase for the year you're about to have.
Is a household move part of the picture?
If a family move sits alongside the exchange — a host family relocating, or your own family moving while you're away — Dovetail's planner handles the household logistics around the dates. Most plans are generic; we dovetail yours to fit the situation. Start your plan — it's free, and there's no account to create. Heading the other way, from the US to overseas? See our companion guide on moving abroad as an exchange student.