Am I Eligible?

AHA training programs consist of two categories—Internship USA and Professional Career Training USA. Qualified applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for at least one of these programs.


  • Are you at least 18 years old?
  • Can you demonstrate that you have sufficient English skills to function in a U.S. internship?
  • Are you looking to train in a field related to your academic or professional background?
  • Do you have a desire to meet and learn about people from other cultures?

AHA is designated by the US Department of State as a J-1 Visa sponsor. International participant’s visa documents and sponsorship are included in their AHA program. Three different categories of J-1 visas are made available to program participants depending on their qualifications.


J-1 Summer Work Travel (4 month Maximum Visa)


  • Applicant must be a current full time college student at the time of application.
  • Must be on their summer break from school or graduating.
  • All participants must return to school prior to the start of school in the fall, unless they have recently graduated.

J-1 Internship (6 to 12 months)


  • Applicant must be currently enrolled in a post secondary degree or certificate granting institution or have graduated less than 12 months ago from the program start date.
  • Subject of study must be directly related to hotel/restaurant management, culinary arts, tourism or leisure management.

J-1 Career Training (6 to 12 months)


  • Applicant must have a degree or a certificate from a post-secondary academic institution, plus one year of recent experience in a related field gained outside of the US.
  • If the candidate does not meet the educational requirement they may qualify based on 5 years of verifiable related experience gained outside of the US.