The Au Pair program is one of the cheapest, most structured ways for young Africans to live legally in America for 1-2 years. You live with an American family, help with their kids, and in return you get free flights, free housing, free meals, a weekly stipend, health insurance, and money toward college classes. This guide covers everything from start to finish. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ First: Check if your country is eligible A December 2025 travel ban blocked nationals from 28 African countries from getting J-1 visas. Before you do anything else, check this list. Fully blocked (all visas suspended): Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan J-1 visas specifically suspended: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe Still fully eligible (examples): South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, eSwatini, Rwanda, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar If you hold dual nationality with a non-banned country, you may still be eligible. Talk to an immigration attorney. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ What you need to qualify: - Age 18-26 - Completed secondary school (matric or equivalent) - Conversational English - At least 200 hours of childcare experience outside your own family - For infant care (kids under 2): 200 additional hours with infants - Valid driver's license (not technically required, but almost impossible to match without one) - No criminal record - Medically fit - Single with no dependents _________________________________________ _________________________________________ What you get: - Round-trip flights (home country to USA and back) - Private bedroom in host family's home - Three meals a day - Weekly stipend of $195.75 minimum (some agencies pay $215+) - Up to $500 toward college classes - Health insurance for 12 months - 1.5 days off per week + one full weekend off per month - 2 weeks paid vacation per year - 30-day travel period after program ends - Option to extend for 6, 9, or 12 more months - Car access for childcare duties

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Remember that colleges and universities are used interchangeably in America. The main difference is that a college mainly offers undergraduate degrees and focuses on teaching, while a university offers both undergraduate and graduate programs and emphasizes research. 1. Barnard College 2. Vassar College 3. Hamilton College 4. Haverford College 5. Grinnell College 6. Carleton College 7. Davidson College 8. Bates College 9. Colby College 10. Trinity College

Remember that colleges and universities are used interchangeably in America. The main difference is that a college mainly offers undergraduate degrees and focuses on teaching, while a university offers both undergraduate and graduate programs and emphasizes research. 1. Bryn Mawr College 2. Reed College 3. Whitman College 4. Colorado College 5. Claremont McKenna College