Work and Travel requirements: who can join in 2027?

The Work and Travel requirements come down to three questions. Are you a university student? Have you completed at least one semester? Can you communicate in English? If you can answer yes to all three, you're a strong candidate for the Work and Travel 2027 program.

On this page, we explain each requirement in plain language and walk through the situations students ask about most: age limits, GPA, the English prep year, final year and open education. If anything is still unclear, we'll check your situation together in a free eligibility consultation.

Work and Travel is a summer program designed for active university students. When you apply, you need to be enrolled full time at a higher education institution with classroom-based study, meaning your classes are taught in person. Public or private (foundation) university, it makes no difference; both bachelor's and associate degree students can apply.

At least one completed semester

If you've successfully finished your first semester at university, you meet this requirement. If you're a first-year student, you'll meet it as soon as you complete your first semester, and we'll time your application around your sponsor's rules. You show your student status with an English-language student certificate and transcript.

The program's general rules set no fixed minimum or maximum age. Age ranges are set by the sponsor organizations that run the program: most accept students aged 18 and over, and some also apply an upper limit (28, for example).

In short, if you're actively studying at university, your age is rarely an obstacle. We choose your sponsor together based on your age and situation, and recommend the option that fits you best.

You don't need to be fluent; what matters is being able to communicate. Sponsors want to see that you can keep up everyday conversations with customers and coworkers and understand what you read. This is usually confirmed in a short English interview, and sometimes with a language document. A certificate isn't required.

Not sure about your level? Don't worry. In your first consultation, we get a feel for your English through a short conversation, then prepare you with practice questions before your sponsor and employer interviews. And every day you spend in America takes your English one step further.

The program's general rules set no minimum GPA. What counts is that you're an active student who keeps up with your studies. Some sponsors may look at your transcript during their review, so it's important to show you're attending and progressing.

Your student status and your plan to return to school also come up at the visa interview. A steady academic record makes it easier to talk about your ties to Türkiye.

Break dates are the most overlooked of all the Work and Travel requirements. The program is planned around your university's official summer break. You can work for up to 4 months; if your break is shorter, your program is limited to your break. We set your start and end dates together, based on when your spring semester ends and your fall semester begins.

After your job ends, you can travel for up to 30 days and return to Türkiye before classes start. If you have make-up exams (bütünleme), summer school or a mandatory internship, let's talk about it when you enroll so we can build your timeline around it. For a month-by-month plan, see our Work and Travel 2027 application timeline.

If you meet the Work and Travel requirements, congratulations: you've already cleared the most important part. Next up are enrollment, documents and employer interviews. You'll find every step on our Work and Travel application process page, and all the cost items you need to plan your budget on our Work and Travel fees and costs page. For anything else on your mind, take a look at our frequently asked questions.