J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

Thank you for your interest in participating in our J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

Please see below the J-1 categories that we offer our international scholars and confirm that the requirements are met. If so, please proceed to the application process.

J-1 Scholar Categories

Research Scholars/Professors
This category supports research, teaching, lecturing, and consulting tied to a research project. Program duration is 3 weeks to 5 years.

  • 12-Month Bar: Ineligible if present in any J status in the 12 months prior, unless transferring or previously in Short-Term Scholar category.
  • 24-Month Bar: Must wait 24 months before starting a new Research Scholar or Professor program after completing one.

Short-Term Scholar
For activities like lecturing, observing, consulting, and attending academic events. Program duration is 1 day to 6 months, with no extensions allowed.

Student Intern
Designed for current or recent foreign students to gain practical experience in their academic field through structured internships. Duration is up to 12 months, no extensions allowed.

The Department of State has established specific requirements that scholars must follow, specifically in regards to:

At SDSU, the minimum degree requirement for a Research Scholar, Professor, and Short-Term Scholar is a Bachelor's degree or higher. Student Interns may be in a Bachelor's program at the time of their internship. For more information see the J-1 Scholar Categories section above.

Step 1: To begin the process, the inviting faculty member must complete the J-1 Sponsor agreement. This document includes details about the potential scholar’s program and outlines the responsibilities the faculty member will assume when inviting the scholar to SDSU. After the agreement is submitted, a copy will be forwarded to the faculty member’s dean for awareness and will be added to their Personnel Action File.

As specified in the form, a copy of both the J-1 Sponsorship agreement and an invitation letter must be sent to the potential scholar to proceed with the next step. The invitation letter can include the confirmation of English Proficiency that is required. 

Step 2:  After the documents have been provided to the potential scholar, they will need to complete the J-1 Scholar Application. It is recommended that before the application is started the following items are at hand as the application can not be saved. 

ONE PDF should be submitted for this request.

  • A copy of  J-1 Sponsor Agreement.
  • A copy of  invitation / offer letter (provided by Faculty Sponsor)
  • A copy of  C.V.
  • A copy of  passport biographical page
  • A copy of the passport biographical page for each of your J-2 dependents (if applicable)
  • One document verifying each funding source and amount (may include official letters, bank statements, etc.) With exchange rate conversion if applicable. If funding by SDSURF, no documentation needed.
  • Copy of document verifying English language proficiency (copy of passport from Australia, Belize, Canada [except Quebec], Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, UK, Zimbabwe; OR; copy of degree or signed letter confirming completion of degree at accredited US university; OR prior J-1 stay DS 2019; OR copy of qualifying TOEFL score of 80 (iBT) / 550 (PBT) / 6.5 IELTS; OR Faculty Sponsor attest to your English Proficiency in the invitation letter requested.

Once submitted, Faculty Advancement will review the application for approval. If any required information is missing, the application will be denied and must be resubmitted. If approved, Faculty Advancement will issue the DS-2019 form within 4 weeks, along with additional information.

If you have any additional questions, please contact your Immigration Representative.

After the DS-2019 is issued, please ensure that both the Faculty Mentor/PI and the Immigration Representative are updated on the status of the J-1 visa. Below are some helpful resources for new incoming J-1 scholars:

J-1 Pre-Arrival Information Packet

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers

Below are resources for new J-1 scholars who have just arrived to the U.S. to begin their program:

Examples of Immigration Documents

I-94 Admissions Record Online Retrieval

As part of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, all scholars must view J-1 orientation. 

Once completed, please submit the J-1 Scholar Registration form. Have the following items at hand before starting and upload everything as 1 PDF:

  • Copy of your and your dependent(s) DS-2019 with consular stamp;
  • Copy of your and your dependent(s) I-94 record(s) available here;
  • Copy of your and your dependent(s) J-2 visa(s); and
  • Copy of your and your dependent(s) entry stamp in your passport (if stamped).

Please allow 10 days following your U.S. arrival and 5 days after completing your registration with Faculty Advancement & Student Success to apply for a Social Security Number.

Applying for a Social Security Number (SSN) as a J-1 Scholar (Non-Student Intern)

Here's a breakdown of the documents you'll need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) as a J-1 scholar, specifically if you're not in the Student Intern category:

Required Documents:

  • Completed Social Security Form (SS-5): You can download this form from the Social Security Administration (SSA) website: https://www.ssa.gov/number-card/request-number-first-time
  • Passport
  • Form I-94: Print a copy of your arrival/departure record from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) website, or show the admission entry stamp in your passport
  • DS-2019 Form

Important Note for Non-Student Interns:

  • Employment Letter Not Required: Unlike J-1 Student Interns, scholars in the Research Scholar, Short-Term Scholar, and Professor categories do not need an employment letter to apply for a SSN.
  • Section 4 of DS-2019 Shows Your Category: This section clearly identifies your specific J-1 scholar category.
  • Be Prepared to Explain: The SSA office might mistakenly ask for an employment letter. If this happens, politely explain that your category (listed in Section 4 of your DS-2019) doesn't require one.

Additional Resource:

Social Security Program Operations Manual System (POMS): This website provides official SSA guidelines.

  • Specifically, Section RM 10211.345A confirms that J-1 scholars in certain categories (including Research Scholar, Short-Term Scholar, and Professor) are exempt from needing an employer letter.
  • Link: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211345 (Note: This is a secure website, but access may be limited.)

California Driver's License Requirements for J-1 Scholars:

International Driver's Licenses: The California DMV does not accept international driver's licenses.

Valid Foreign Licenses: While your valid national driver's license can be used temporarily, it's highly recommended to obtain a California driver's license as soon as possible. This will help avoid potential traffic violations and ensure you have the correct insurance coverage.

Insurance: Auto insurance is mandatory in California. Most insurance companies require a valid California driver's license.

Getting a California License:

  • Written Test: No appointment is needed.
  • Road Test: Requires an appointment and a vehicle.

Social Security Number: J-1 scholars need a social security number to apply for a license. 

Temporary Permits: Temporary permits can be renewed until you receive your official California driver's license.

Tax review the following procedures for J-1 scholars.

  • The Payroll team will send a Sprintax Calculus activation email to your SDSU or personal email.
  • Complete your tax forms and upload necessary immigration documents before your start date.
  • Notify the Payroll team after completing the forms.
  • The Payroll team will evaluate your tax residency status and submit it to the State Controller's Office.

Any further questions, please contact [email protected].

Extensions, Address Change, Travel Notification

Please provide the scholar with an extension letter detailing the new dates and funding source. The scholar will need to upload that in the J-1 extension request along with any additional funding documentation e.g. bank statements.

Please submit the request here.

While in the U.S. J-1 scholars must abide by J-1 Exchange Visitor Program requirements, which includes notifying Faculty Advancement of any chances to local U.S. address, telephone number, or email address.

Please submit the request here. 

Additionally, J-1 scholars must report any international travel to Faculty Advancement at least two (2) weeks prior to travel. An appointment with Faculty Advancement is required in order to obtain the necessary travel authorization signature on the DS-2019 form. 

Please submit the request here. 

J-1 scholars sponsored by SDSU are only permitted to participate in activities (teach, conduct research, etc.) with SDSU. If a J-1 scholar is invited to be a guest lecturer or consult at a U.S. institution outside of SDSU, they may be able to do so as long as the following requirements are met for the proposed activity:

  • Must not be a reoccurring event, in that it is a single event rather than an ongoing activity;
  • Must be directly related to the objectives of the scholar's J-1 Exchange Visitor Program;
  • Must be incidental to the scholar's primary program activities; and
  • Must not delay the completion of the scholar's J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

If the J-1 scholar's activity meets the above requirements, please complete J-1 Occasional Lectures or Consultations Request Form provide an invitation letter from the inviting institution. The letter should include the terms and conditions of the activity; duration and number of hours; site of activity; type and amount of compensation (if applicable); and a brief description of the activity. 

J-1 Occasional Lectures or Consultations Request Form

 

Transfer-Ins
If the scholar is currently in the US as a J-1 scholar at a different institution, the scholar may be allowed to transfer to SDSU. The J-1 Initial Request process should be followed. In addition, the J-1 scholar must work with their current US institution to complete the following form:

J-1 Scholar Transfer-In Request Form

Transfer-Outs

If the J-1 scholar wishes to transfer to another U.S. institution, please have the scholar's new institution contact Faculty Advancement to arrange for the SEVIS record to be transferred.

Transferring from SDSU to SDSURF or vice versa 

If a J-1 scholar is transferring within SDSU or SDSURF, please complete the J-1 Update Form and upload an offer letter that includes the transfer dates and details of financial support.

A J-1 scholar's program is considered completed once the end date is reached on the DS-2019 form. However, there may be instances where the J-1 scholar completes their program objectives earlier than expected. If this is the case, the scholar is expected to end their J-1 status by returning to their home country.

There is a grace period for J-1 scholars and their dependents. The J visa status allows for a 30 day grace period from the end of the J-1 program. Note that this 30 day grace period only allows for tourist activities within the U.S. and for preparations for returning to the J-1's home country. J-1 scholars are not allowed to continue working or be paid by SDSU during this grace period. 

SEVIS Codes

Language Proficiency Form

Frequently Asked Questions

Due to our internal process and the time it takes for visa appointments/interviews at the U.S. embassy/consulate, it is highly recommended that the J-1 Initial Application form be submitted to faculty advancement at least 3 months ahead of the scholar’s proposed start date. The earliest that the request may be submitted is 6 months in advance. Requests submitted less than 3 months in advance may result in a delay in the prospective scholar’s start date.

No. All fees associated with the J-1 program are paid for by the scholar. These fees include the SEVIS fee, visa application fee, and the cost of health insurance. Faculty Advancement does not charge any fees for processing J-1 requests.

Yes, the scholar may provide their own funding. Funding may include personal funds, funding from their employer, or scholarship funds from third party organizations. The J-1 scholar will need to provide evidence of their financial support documentation when they request the J-1 from Faculty Advancement.

No, as a J-1 scholar you are not allowed to enroll in classes while conducting research at SDSU. If you wish to enroll in classes, please refer to the SDSU International Student Center website for information on how to come to SDSU as a student.

If it is a significant delay, more than 2 weeks, the DS-2019 should be updated. Contact Faculty Advancement to request for the DS-2019 to be amended. Note that the amended DS-2019 does not need to be sent to the scholar, as they may use their initial DS-2019 to enter the US. Once the J-1 scholar has arrived to the U.S., you will need to provide them with the amended form.

It depends. If you do not plan to travel internationally during that time, you do not need to renew your visa. If you do plan to travel internationally during your program, you will need to renew your visa with a U.S. consulate or embassy. 

Please check in with your immigration representative.