Work and Travel: The American Dream for Your Next Student Experience

About the programme

As a University student, enrolled full time in post-secondary accredited academic institutions outside the United States (such as the Faculty of Economic Sciences – ULBS), you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in US life. You can share the US culture through temporary employment opportunities during your summer holiday with Work and Travel.

Along with this, you will interact with Americans at the host employer and participate in other social activities.

How do you apply for Work and Travel?

First of all, you need to team up with an agency to support you during the application process. The most well known agencies from Sibiu are American Experience and Student Travel.

Their representatives will ask about your expectations and will match you with the best alternative.

After finding a job and housing for you, they will assign you to a Programme Sponsor organisation, like ASSE Aspire who will issue a DS form, a.k.a. “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status”. This form enables you to seek an interview at the U.S. embassy (consulate) from Bucharest, in order to obtain a J1 visa and enter the United States.

What is a sponsor?

Programme sponsors are responsible for selecting participants for the Exchange Visitor Programme, as well as monitoring them during their entire stay.

That’s why you’ll have to keep in touch with your sponsor and complete a monthly cultural Check-in (usually a picture of you to show that you are getting familiar with the American culture).

You have a lot of opportunities. You can find a job by yourself or with Student Travel help. However, the job should be verified by the programme’s Sponsor.

Before searching and applying for the job, you will have to prepare your CV and include everything related to your work experience. Everything matters! By doing this, you will increase your chances of being hired.

Types of jobs

To give you an idea about your future Work & Travel US experience, here are just a few examples of jobs:

• In resorts: waiter, dishwasher, housekeeper;
• For hotels: chambermaid, receptionist, bellboy, maintenance, banquet server in the hotel;
• In different store departments: cashier, sales assistant;
• For amusement parks: help in maintaining the park, retail clerk, ride operator, lifeguard;
• In national parks: all over the park and in specially arranged shelters.

Options for applying for Student Travel

You have 2 options depending on the sum of money you want to spend:

• Independent: you already have a job offer from an employer from USA;
• Placement: you can apply for placement regardless of the option you have chosen.

Conditions of student participation in Work and Travel

Here are the conditions that have to be met in order for you to take part in this student experience of the American Dream:

• Be under 30 years old before applying;
• Be a full-time student at an accredited or temporarily authorized state university, or a private one;
• Have good grades and few backlogs;
• Have an American visa.

6 reasons for going

To give you an idea about the future Work & Travel US student experience, here are just few examples of reasons for being a part of this programme:

1. Improve your English skills;
2. Hundreds of well paid jobs almost anywhere in the U.S.;
3. Understand the American way of life and its culture thorough frequent participation in cultural activities;
4. You could also receive a reference from your USA Host Employer, to include in your CV.;
5. If you go with a friend, one of you will receive a discount for the plane ticket;
6. You will learn to be independent, you will gain experience and make new friends. All of these aspects will broaden your horizons and will help you in your future career.

Testimonials from Work and Travel Students

Adelina Bonta is one of the many cases that had this wonderful experience and she wants to share with as many people as she can. Adelina is a
3rd year student at our faculty, studying Business Administration and here is how she saw this experience:

“I’ve spent three months in the United States last year (2018) and I can honestly say it was the best summer of my life. The whole experience had so many benefits I can’t even name all of them. I learned how to manage my own money and time, improved my language skills and discovered my own
self while travelling. On the other side of the planet I’ve found people like me, from all around the world, who I befriended and who made me forget I was homesick. It was a hectic season that passed in a blink of an eye and it was totally worth it.”