J-1 Student Interns
Students enrolled in degree programs in higher education programs abroad may be eligible for J-1 exchange visitor sponsorship for 12 months through the Student– Intern program. This category requires documentation that the internship work they are completing at UGA and in the United States fulfills degree requirements abroad.
Sponsorship Process
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Not Hired by UGA
The Office of Research and the Office of Global Engagement (OGE) have implemented VRS hosting procedures for Visiting Researchers unpaid by UGA. Complete a VRS questionnaire. Procedures can be found on the Office of Research website and questions about hosting a VRS can be directed to vrs@uga.edu.
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Hired by UGA
All incoming J-1 Scholars hired by the University of Georgia will be processed through UGA Jobs. After someone’s hiring proposal has been approved, departments will use ID Manager and search by the scholar’s name to get his/her UGA ID number.
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File an online request for J-1 visa sponsorship
Complete J-1 Student Intern Sponsorship form in Compass. You will find step-by-step instructions in our Compass Department User Guide
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Documents Created by Immigration Office
After you submit the form, the student intern will be emailed a similar form automatically. Once both forms have been submitted, the following documents will be created by our office (Immigration Services):
- DS-7002: Internship Plan. You will be sent a .pdf copy to print, sign and return to our office.
- DS-2019: Immigration document for visa appointment.
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Ready to Apply for J-1 Visa
The student-intern will be able to apply for the J-1 visa at this point. Detailed instructions will be sent to the individual regarding visas, travelling, Athens, and other items to know before arriving.
English Assessment for Exchange Visitors
To assure UGA’s compliance with United States Department of State regulations, English language proficiency for scholars seeking J-1 visas and whose applications are received on or after September 15, 2017, must be documented in one of the following three ways.
- Test Score
- Documentation from a Previous Institution
- Interview
Immigration Services’ full policy for English Assessment:
Evaluations
Student-Interns and Sponsoring Departments must provide our office with written evaluations of the intern’s performance, including the number of hours performed, the type of training, and the quality of the performance.
All programs must do a concluding evaluation, and programs lasting more than six months must do a midpoint and concluding evaluation. The sponsor must retain these evaluations for at least three years following the completion of the student’s internship program. [22 C.F.R. § 62.23(i)(5)].
Evaluations are submitted in compass.uga.edu.
Costs and Funding
Student Interns must be able to show funding sufficient to pay all living expenses for the period of stay. The internship may be with or without wages. Sponsoring Departments are responsible for Immigration Services processing fees for all J-1 sponsorships.
Student Interns must be able to show funding sufficient to pay all living expenses for the period of stay.
Find Your Immigration Services Contact
Find the immigration scholar/faculty advisor assigned to your College or School below.