What the Program Price Includes

Know the price before you sign: one total for the program you choose, what it includes, what you pay separately, and the milestones that move things forward.

5 min read. Updated 2026-10-09. Published by ARCO.

The first honest question about J-1 Work & Travel is almost never about destinations. It is about money: what it costs, what is included, what you pay separately, and what happens if the process changes.

A number alone does not answer those questions. Before you sign, ARCO gives you the total price for your contracted program, its payment milestones, and a list of expenses you will pay separately.

One program price, not two disconnected fees

The program price includes ARCO’s services, the Designated Sponsor’s ordinary fee and the cost of program insurance. Before signing, you know the total and which expenses you cover separately.

The sponsor fee does not appear later as a surprise charge, nor does it make ARCO an intermediary paid only to refer the participant. ARCO contracts and operates the participant's experience; the Designated Sponsor retains its regulatory authority.

There is no single published price that applies to everyone. You receive the exact amount in writing before signing, and it is set out in your proposal and Annex A.

What ARCO's operation includes

Depending on the contracted pathway, ARCO's operational component covers:

• participant assessment and selection;
• opening and maintaining the file;
• profile development;
• professional and interview preparation;
• development, outreach, and evaluation of employer opportunities;
• obtaining and checking work, housing, and transportation conditions;
• file coordination and formal approval coordination with the Designated Sponsor;
• administrative consular preparation;
• departure preparation;
• communication and operational management of incidents during the season; and
• closeout and support on return.

Annex A breaks that work into stages, deliverables, and evidence of completion. It is more than a one-off call or a generic checklist.

What the Designated Sponsor fee includes

The Designated Sponsor formally authorizes participation. It evaluates and approves the participant and placement, issues the DS-2019, administers the program within BridgeUSA, monitors participation, and ensures the required coverage is in place.

The sponsor’s ordinary fee and the insurance cost are included in the price. Internal sponsor and insurance costs are not deducted from your refund. Before departure, you receive coverage dates, conditions, exclusions and instructions for requesting care.

Which expenses are separate

The program price does not include:

• SEVIS;
• visa application and other applicable consular or government fees;
• flights;
• housing;
• food;
• personal transportation; or
• everyday or living expenses in the United States.

These expenses are disclosed before you sign, so you can work out what it will actually cost to travel and live in the United States for the season.

Government fees

These charges are paid separately from the program price.

35 USD

I-901 SEVIS. The fee for Summer Work Travel. View the SEVIS fee.

185 USD

J-1 visa application. Standard non-refundable fee. Check the Department of State fee.

Amounts in U.S. dollars, checked on October 9, 2026. Before paying, confirm the fees and any additional charges that apply through the official portal.

Housing being outside the price does not mean housing is ignored. ARCO obtains and reviews the arrangements, cost, conditions and transportation to work before you accept an offer. If material information needed to assess viability is missing, the offer is not yet complete. The participant covers the expense unless their Annex A expressly states otherwise.

Why there is no one-size-fits-all price

The amount depends on the program and cycle you contract. Publishing a price without the specific program, schedule, and exclusions could set a misleading expectation.

Before signing, ARCO provides:

• the total program price;
• its components;
• expenses outside it;
• the amount and due date of each milestone; and
• the rules that apply if the process pauses, changes, or ends.

A call, message, or automated response does not replace those documents.

How milestone payments work

The schedule has four payment stages. Each notice explains what was delivered, what comes next and when to pay; you have at least five full business days to review and make each payment.

• Getting started: signing and opening your file. Signing does not eliminate the applicable statutory withdrawal period.
• Profile ready: preparation deliverables, sponsor information and conditions needed to activate the search and Guarantee.
• Offer accepted: you decide on a written offer with the known material conditions. Acceptance does not yet equal sponsor approval.
• Consular preparation: Verified Assignment, DS-2019 available and a written consular preparation plan. Payment is settled before the interview, unless a documented adjustment applies.

Booking a consular appointment does not by itself trigger the final payment. A late delivery by ARCO does not make you overdue, and full payment does not end subsequent support.

Your case’s deliverables, amounts and due dates are recorded in your contracting documents. You can review the four payment stages (Spanish).

If the process changes

The response depends on the cause. Within the applicable statutory withdrawal period, you can end the agreement without penalty. Afterward, a voluntary cancellation only permits deductions for ARCO’s own work actually completed and documented, within the agreed caps. Internal sponsor and insurance costs are not deducted.

If ARCO breaches the Verified Assignment Guarantee, a full refund of the amount paid under the contracted price is due, plus applicable statutory compensation. You may voluntarily choose a transfer to another cycle through a written agreement.

Consular Support separately addresses covered cases after the Verified Assignment: it preserves a minimum refund of 80% of the amount paid to ARCO. Any possible deduction remains limited to documented work performed by ARCO and the applicable caps. A retry is voluntary; a 221(g) review requires its own assessment and is not automatically treated as a final denial.

Dates, conditions and complaint channels are available in Guarantee and Consular Support (Spanish) and in the Payments and Refunds Policy (Spanish).

Transparency does not end with the number

Understanding the cost means knowing what the price includes, what is separate, which event activates each payment, and what evidence is used if the plan changes.

That is the standard: the full financial picture, explained before you sign. An appealing initial fee should not turn into a string of unexpected charges after you have committed.

To get the exact price for your program and review its payment schedule, begin your initial assessment.