STEP USA
Short Term Enrichment Program. Live with a host family and volunteer in the USA for 4, 8 or 12 weeks, on a tourist visa or ESTA.
Who can apply
- Aged 18 or over
- No degree or work experience needed
- Lower intermediate English or better
- Eligible for ESTA or a US tourist visa
- EU, EEA, UK or Swiss citizen
What you get
- 4, 8 or 12 weeks in the USA
- Live with an American host family
- Volunteer at a local non-profit
- Reference letter and Certificate of Completion
- No J-1 visa needed
Visa: Tourist visa / ESTA
What the program is
STEP stands for Short Term Enrichment Program. You spend 4, 8 or 12 weeks in the USA, living with an American host family and volunteering at a local non-profit during the day.
It's a short, low-pressure way to see how Americans live and work, and how much they give back to their communities. Participants come from all over the world.
You travel on a B1/B2 visa or ESTA, so there's no J-1 paperwork. That also leaves you free to explore the country and join events run by local service organizations.
What you get out of it
A few weeks, a lot to take home.
Better English
You speak English all day, at your placement and at home with your host family.
How US organizations work
You see American business methods and structures up close, from the inside.
Time to travel
Your free time is yours. Explore nearby cities, national parks and historic sites.
A local guide
Your host family shows you their neighborhood and community, the parts tourists never see.
Reference letter and certificate
You go home with an international reference letter and a Certificate of Completion.
A global network
You meet other STEP participants from more than 40 countries.
Fields
Where you can volunteer:
- General administration
- Social services
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Business: marketing, IT, sales, logistics and more
Host organizations
- Non-profit organizations
- Senior centers
- Early education centers
- Museums
- Libraries
- Community centers
- Businesses
Eligibility
The bar is low on purpose. You need:
- No degree or work experience needed
- English at lower intermediate level or above, which we check in your interview
- A valid passport
- A B1/B2 visitor visa, or ESTA if you're from a visa waiver country
Stays usually last 1 to 3 months, and extensions are possible.
Compensation
STEP is a volunteering program, so positions are unpaid. What you get in return is the experience, the reference letter and a few weeks of real American life.
Fees
A transparent overview of the costs involved.
Program consultation
We check your eligibility and help you pick the right program
Free
Program fee
Depends on the length of your stay. A discount applies if you book 8 or 12 weeks.
$1,700 to $1,900
Host family stay
Your food is included
$1,400 / 4 weeks
Insurance
$70/month
You'll receive the exact program costs during your free consultation.
Application process
From first contact to your first day in the USA.
Apply and talk to us
Register free on our website. We get in touch personally and set up a video call to check your eligibility and walk you through your options.
Get your documents ready
Once you accept the program terms, we send you a detailed program description plus CV and cover letter templates. Then we put your file together.
Find your placement
We pick the relevant open positions from our database, send your CV to the organizations and keep you updated. When there's a match, we prep you for the interview and schedule it.
Fly to the USA
Once you get an offer, we give you a pre-departure orientation. Then you book your flight and go.