J-1 Exchange Visitor Program
Getting Started
To start the Exchange Visitor Process, connect with your faculty sponsor and confirm your visit plan. Your faculty sponsor has access to the application form and will complete it with your assistance.
Overview
The purpose of the Exchange Visitor Program is to provide foreign nationals with opportunities to participate in educational and cultural programs in the United States and return home to share their experiences, and to encourage Americans to participate in educational and cultural programs in other countries.
More than 300,000 participants from almost every country in the world come to the United States on J-1 visas each year. According to the Exchange Visitor Program, the primary goals are to allow participants the opportunity to engage broadly with Americans, share their culture, strengthen their English language abilities and learn new skills, or build skills that will help them in future careers.
Preparing for the Application
Categories
Northeastern separates J-1 visitors into three categories: Visiting Student, Visiting Scholar, and Visiting Faculty.
| Visitor Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Visiting Student | A visitor who is an undergraduate, Master’s or PhD student who will not be acquiring a doctoral degree prior to their visit. |
| Visiting Scholar | A visitor who has obtained at least a bachelor’s degree and is not a current student. |
| Visiting Faculty | A visitor who is a faculty member at a non-US institution. |
Eligibility
You must currently not be subject to the 12 or 24-month bar or the 212(e) Two Year Home Residency requirement.
The 212(e) Two Year Home Residency requirement makes certain J-1 scholars ineligible to apply for or change status to certain visa types such as H, K, L and green card. This will be determined during your visa application if it is your first time applying through the program.
If you are subject to Section 212(e), your J-2 dependent(s) are automatically subject as well.
Although the international office has no authority over the 212 (e) determination, contact OGS at OGS_Scholars@northeastern.edu if you have questions.
J-1 Visiting Students: PLEASE NOTE – if your program length is 6 months or more, you become subject to the 12-month bar. For visiting PhD students who may be planning to eventually do a postdoctoral fellowship or other non-student research experience in the U.S., you should plan accordingly. This means after finishing your J-1 visiting student program that is longer than 6 months, you will not be able to immediately move into a postdoctoral position through the J-1 program, and would need to wait 12 months to return to the U.S. in the J-1 Research Scholar category.
Please refer to OGS’s website for more information about the categories and eligibility.
Required Documentation
In order to submit your application for Northeastern’s J-1 program, please send the following to your faculty sponsor or their executive assistant:
- Current CV
- English Language Test Results (Students & Scholars Only)
- Funding Documentation meeting the requirements outlined by OGS
- Institutional support letter stating that you will remain affiliated with your home institution during your visit
Your faculty sponsor will be responsible for complete the application paperwork and submitting to our office for processing. All supporting documentation must be on official letterhead.
Language Test Requirement
We accept TOEFL, IELTS, or the Accuplacer Assessment only for language test results. Your test results must be valid and not expired. If you do not have TOEFL or IELTS, we can schedule you for the Accuplacer Assessment through our affiliated provider.
Please see below for minimum scores:
| Test Name | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL | 79 |
| IELTS | 6.5 |
| Accuplacer Assessment | 70 |
Visiting Faculty do not need to provide English Language test results if your faculty sponsor attests that you meet the minimum language requirement.
Accuplacer Assessment Information
The Accuplacer Assessment is based on three categories:
- ESL Language Use
- ESL Reading Skills
- ESL Listening
The Accuplacer Assessment is online, proctored exam, and typically takes about an hour. The lowest possible score is 20, and the highest is 120, taken as an average of all three tests.
There are free practice tests available on the College Board website.
Application Process & Information
Timeline
The Exchange Visitor Program process takes approximately 5-7 months, starting when your application is submitted to us including all supporting documentation and ending when you arrive at Northeastern to begin your program. The first 2-3 months of this is administrative, while the remaining 2-4 months are allocated for receiving your visa. Please note that this is only an estimate and your visa processing time will depend on your local Consulate/Embassy and your individual application. However, if there are any delays, please reach out to us and we will move your start date to accommodate.
DS-2019 Information
For students only: All DS-2019 related information will be sent to you via your Northeastern email. You will receive access to this after your application has been approved and your registration is completed. The Registrar will send you an email with instructions on claiming your account; this will grant you NU email access.
DS-2019s will be sent electronically for all visitors.
Scheduling the Visa Interview
Schedule the J-1 Visa interview:
You will need to schedule your visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. It is important that you schedule your visa interview early because of possible wait times.
You will need to bring the following documents to their visa interview:
- A valid passport
- Form DS-160 – The nonimmigrant visa application
- The visa application fee payment receipt
- I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Confirmation
- A passport photo
- Form DS-2019
- Proof of funding (matching what is on the DS-2019)
- Proof of intent to return home after your program is complete
Please refer to OGS’s website for information about fees and the visa process.
Administrative Processing
If your visa application requires additional screening, you may be put into what is commonly referred to as Administrative Processing. Please contact OGS if you have been put into administrative processing.
Arrival & Onboarding
Arrival
Please see below for information on arrival times.
| Visitor Type | Paid/Unpaid Status | Arrival Time |
|---|---|---|
| All Visitors | Unpaid | 3 days prior to start date |
| All Visitors | Paid | 10 days prior to start date |
Health Insurance
Please refer to OGS’s website for more information on health insurance requirements.
Onboarding Information
- Confirmation of Arrival eForm: A few days prior to your arrival, OGS will send you an email with a link to their virtual orientation and a “Confirmation of Arrival eForm” for you to complete. Please complete this eForm as soon as you arrive in the United States.
- It will take several days for your confirmation of arrival to be processed, and an additional 2-3 days for your registration to be activated if you are a student. You will not be able to use your Husky card or access campus until these steps have been completed.
- If you are a paid visitor, Follow the instructions on the OGS website in the “How do I apply for Social Security Numbers” section to submit your SSN pre-application online, then go to the Social Security Administration in-person for your SSN appointment.
- After your arrival and registration have been activated, you will be able to pick up your Husky card from Husky Card Services. Please bring a government-issued ID, such as your passport. Husky Card Services on the Boston campus is located at the lower level of 4 Speare Commons on campus. If you are at the Roux Institute in Portland, please go to the Husky Card Office. Your department administrator will be able to assist with granting you lab access.
Speare Commons (SP) is located in C1 on the Boston campus map.
- If you are a paid visitor, please complete your I-9 after completing the first three steps, and then reach out to your department administrator to complete your hire. Your I-9 must be completed within 3 days of your start date.
Form I-9 Information
You are required to complete the Form I-9 if you are being paid by Northeastern during your visit.
For students:
You will be able to complete Section 1 of your I-9 by yourself. For Section 2, please make an Appointment with the Student Employment Office. This must be completed prior to your start date.
Please bring the following documents with you to your appointment:
- Employment Authorization Letter from OGS
- Passport
- DS-2019
- SSN Receipt
- Most recent I-94
For scholars and faculty:
You will be able to complete Section 1 of your I-9 by yourself. Please complete Section 2 with OGS. This must be completed prior to your start date.
- EV calls OGS at (617) 373-2310 to make an I-9 Section 2 appointment ONLY once they’ve received the confirmation of arrival e-form approval email AND completed Section 1.
- EV has an in-person or virtual I-9 Section 2 appointment with an OGS staff member who then completes their I-9 Section 2.
Extensions
In order to apply for an extension, please reach out to your department administrator at least 3 months prior to your program end date. You will be provided paperwork for your faculty sponsor to complete to request an extension. All extensions must be approved by the Provost’s Office. After approval, you will be sent an eForm in myOGS, and your HR contact will submit the request for processing.
Contacts
Please reach out to the College of Engineering’s J-1 email at COE-J1Visitors@northeastern.edu for any application-related questions or concerns. Questions about your DS-2019 or the visa process can be sent to OGS’s J-1 email at OGS_Scholars@northeastern.edu.