Academic Training

Academic training is the name the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program uses for employment, training or practical experience related to your field of study. It is fairly flexible and offers a variety of paid and unpaid, full-time or part-time, training or employment situations, with one or more employers, to supplement your academic program in the U.S.

Academic training is available at any stage of your academic program, either while you are enrolled in school or after you complete your academic program, as long as you maintain valid J-1 status, follow the appropriate application and approval procedures, and stay within the stated time limits.

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for academic training if all of the following criteria are met:

• You are in the U.S. primarily for study in a full-time academic program
• You are in good academic standing
• You have a valid DS-2019 that enables you to remain in the U.S. in J-1 status. You must apply for extensions of your DS029 as needed and in a timely manner.
• You must apply for academic training before your DS-2019 program end date
• You are participating in academic training that is directly related to your major field of study
• You receive an authorization letter, in advance, for the duration and type of academic training, from the Responsible Officer in International Student & Scholar Services. This authorization must be processed before the the DS-2019 program end date or before the official date of the degree program completion, whichever comes first.
• Your employment/training must take place with the specific employer or employers who are noted on the academic training authorization letter

Two-Year Home Residency Requirement or 212(e)

J-1 students who are considering applying (or have applied) for a waiver of the two-year home residency requirement or 212(e), please be aware that once the Dept of State Waiver Review Division has approved your waiver request, the ISSS office is unable to extend your program beyond the current end date on your DS-2019, including for academic training. 

State Department Foreign Affairs Manual: "Once a waiver has been recommended and forwarded to Dept of Homeland Security, an exchange visitor is no longer eligible for an extension of program beyond the end date shown on the current Form DS-2019 even though they may not have completed the maximum duration of participation permitted for the category.  If a waiver request is denied, however, and the exchange visitor is still within the maximum duration of participation established by the regulations, an extension may be issued by the sponsor up to the maximum duration of time permitted for that category."

Time Limitations

J-1 students are allowed to participate in academic training for the length of time necessary to complete the goals and objectives of the training, provided that the amount of time for academic training:

• The total employment/training period may not exceed the amount of time spent in full course of study.
   
  • For undergraduate and graduate (masters and pre-doctoral) students, academic training cannot exceed 18 months, inclusive of any prior academic training in the U.S., or the period of full course of study in the U.S., whichever is less; except that additional time for academic training is allowed to the extent necessary to satisfy the mandatory requirements of your degree program.
     
  • For post-doctoral students, academic training cannot exceed a total of 36 months (18 months pre-doctoral + 18 months post-doctoral), inclusive of any prior academic training in the U.S., or the period of full course of study in the U.S., whichever is less.
     
• Completing more than one degree program at the same time does not increase your academic training period.
   
• Any pre-completion or previous academic training, including any approved under another educational level or at another institution, is deducted from your total allowable academic training period when calculating post-completion academic training. For example, if you did 12 months academic training under a bachelor's degree and are now completing a master's degree, you only have 6 months academic training remaining.
   
• If you are enrolled in a non-degree program your stay in the U.S., including academic training, is limited to a total of 24 months. The term of your academic training would then be the time period remaining after you complete your non-degree program.
   
• Any part-time academic training will count as full-time academic training and will be deducted from the 18 or 36 months of post completion academic training.

Health Insurance Requirement

During J-1 Academic Training you, and any J-2 dependent family members, are required to maintain comprehensive medical insurance that meets US Department of State insurance requirements as outlined at 22 CFR 62.14. Insurance coverage must meet the following minimum benefits:

• Medical benefits of at least $100,000 for each accident or illness (a higher benefit is better)
• Medical evacuation in the amount of $50,000, should you need to be sent home on the advice of a doctor
• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000, should you die while in the U.S.
• Coverage must include the entire duration of your J program
• Minimum 75% coverage for each accident or illness
• Maximum deductible of $500 per condition per plan year
• A pre-existing “wait period” limitation of no more than six months
• The policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of home country government (for those covered by their home country's national insurance plan), or the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by the U.S. government (an A.M. Best rating of "A-" or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-i" or above, a Standard & Pool's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above). Policy must be in English
• All exchange visitors and any accompanying dependents may also be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act
• Policy must be in English

NOTE: J-1 students applying for post-completion academic training are required to obtain insurance that meets the above coverage requirements. You may be asked to provide insurance documentation to International Student & Scholar Services or the US Department of State upon request. Failure to comply with the insurance requirement may lead to termination of your J-1 status.

How to Apply for Academic Training Authorization

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your academic training authorization must be processed by ISSS before the program end date on your DS-2019. Post-completion academic training/employment must begin within the first 30 days after the program end date on your DS-2019 or completion of program, whichever is earlier.

Step 1: Find an Academic Training opportunity

This could be a job, internship, cooperative education position, volunteer position, etc. It must be related to your major field of study. The training position must start either pre-completion or no later than 30 days after your DS-2019 program end date or completion of program, whichever is earlier.

Step 2: Submit the Documents to ISSS before the program end date on your DS-2019

• Log into iconnect.uoregon.edu. Open J-1 Student Services menu on the left-hand side and submit the J-1 Academic Training Request eform.
• ISSS will review your application and, if approved, will issue a new DS-2019 notated with your Academic Training authorization. Allow 3 business days for ISSS processing.
   

Authorization to Work

A Social Security Number

To put you on the payroll, an employer must have your Social Security number, which you can obtain by applying for a Social Security card. If you do not already have a Social Security Number, take your passport (if you are Canadian, you may use another form of photo-bearing identification), your I-94 Arrival Record, the DS-2019, and the J-1 Responsible Officer's written work authorization to an office of the Social Security Administration. Your Social Security card may be stamped "Valid Employment only with DHS approval." In the case of J-1 "Academic Training," this stamp means that the Social Security card is valid for working only if accompanied by a properly completed DS-2019 and a valid I-94 Arrival Record.

Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification

When you begin work, you and your employer must complete Form I-9 which requires you to document your identity and work authorization according to directions on the back of the form. Of the various items acceptable as documentation, you may find that the most convenient combination is your passport, I-94 Arrival Record, the DS-2019, and the J-1 Responsible Officer's written work authorization. Your employer, who keeps the Form I-9 on file, may make copies of the documents you submit and should return your original documents to you. 

Social Security and other Taxes

Social Security Taxes

In general, as a J-1 student, you will be exempt from Social Security (F.I.C.A.) taxes for your first five (5) years in the United States, as long as you continue to declare non-resident status for tax purposes (see Internal Revenue Service Publication 519, "U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.")

Federal, State, and Local Income Taxes

Unless you qualify under a tax treaty between the United States and your home government, your earnings as a J-1 student will be subject to applicable federal, state and local income taxes, and employers are required by law to withhold those taxes from your paychecks. By April 15 of each year, you must file a federal income tax return and a "Required Statement" covering the prior calendar year to determine whether you owe more taxes or if you have a refund coming.

Note of Caution!

J-1 students are eligible for a variety of work opportunities in the United States, but employment without proper authorization is a serious violation of status. Remember that before starting any kind of employment, you first must consult your J-1 Responsible Officer, whose written approval is necessary in advance. This information is adapted from material produced by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Rights and Protections

If you encounter any problems at your workplace, know that you have rights and can get help. The website below informs you of your rights as a nonimmigrant visa holder in certain employment- and education-based categories. The U.S. government created this pamphlet at the prompting of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (Public Law 110-457), which reaffirms and strengthens the U.S. government’s commitment to fight human trafficking and labor abuses. Visit the U.S Department of State's Rights and Protections page for details in your own language.