J Scholar or J Student Intern DS-2019 Request Process

The J Exchange Visitor category was developed to implement the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hayes Act) of 1961. The overall purpose of that Act, and the objective of the Exchange Visitor category, is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges. Georgia Institute of Technology is authorized to sponsor individuals with the primary purpose of participating in an educational and cultural exchange and who will participate in academic or scholarly activities. We sponsor J Exchange Visitors under student (student bachelors, masters, doctorate and non-degree student) or scholar categories (student intern, short term scholar, research scholar, professor and specialist).

Any individual who will enroll in classes on the Georgia Tech campus must complete the undergraduate admissions or graduate admissions process to be admitted to Georgia Tech as a student. More information about the student I-20 or DS-2019 request process can be found here.

Individuals who will not enroll in classes but will be hosted in an academic department at Georgia Tech to complete a research program or similar approved academic activity will often be suited for participation in the J Exchange Visitor Program with sponsorship from Georgia Tech.

Before beginning any paperwork in iStart to request Georgia Tech sponsorship,  the host academic department should obtain as much detail as possible about the primary purpose of the visit, the length of the visit, the funding source for the visit as well biographical detail about the visitor. An HR administrator in each unit must have access to iStart to submit a request to hire or host a foreign national.

Both the Office of International Education and the Office of Global Human Resources support non-U.S. Citizen GT affiliates and employees with immigration and visas.

The Office of International Education administers the J Exchange Visitor Program and the J scholar and J student categories available at Georgia Tech. The OIE also supports Georgia Tech students who enroll FT in a degree program using the F student visa type. Email jscholars@oie.gatech.edu if your question is not answered in the information provided on this page.

Global Human Resources supports immigration services for nonimmigrant or immigrant employment sponsorship and individuals with work authorization based on their visa status (including employees in F-1 status with OPT or CPT,  J-2s with employment authorization, etc).  Additionally, Global HR provides assistance to departments hosting foreign national visitors (generally in B-1 or VWB status). For additional information see visit the Global HR website or submit a ticket through the ASC portal.

The OIE and GHR have worked together to create the Hiring and Hosting Eligibility Determination e-form in iStart to provide administrators a way to inform us of the plans for an individual's visit to Georgia Tech. Completing the Visa Type Questionnaire will allow us to offer additional guidance about the visa options available.
To identify the appropriate visa type and begin a request in iStart, hiring managers must identify the answers to the following:

•    What is the primary purpose of the individual's visit to Georgia Tech?
•    Will Georgia Tech benefit from the individual's visit, is the benefit to the individual visitor or will both benefit from their activities/visit?
•    Are there secondary activities the individual would like to do during their stay? If yes, what are they?
•    What is the amount and source of financial support for the activities the scholar will conduct? Specifically, will the person receive compensation of any sort from Georgia Tech? If not, how will they fund their stay in the U.S. at the minimum monthly standard set by Georgia Tech?
•    What are the anticipated dates the individual will participate in the activity under the supervision of a faculty member at Georgia Tech? Is there a reasonable likelihood the individual may need more time to complete their primary activity?
•    What are potential future plans of both the individual and the hiring department with regard to the research collaboration?

Based on the answers to the questions above in the Visa Type Questionnaire e-form the OIE and GHR will assist the department to identify the available visa options.

The Office of Global Human Resources supports immigration services for employment sponsorship and guidance for B1 and VWP Business Visitors. The Office of Global Human Resources provides non-immigrant status options information to assist with identifying the appropriate visa options.

Requests for the form DS-2019 for an individual to participate in full-time research, teaching, student internship or other similar academic activity come to the Office of International Education through the HR administrator who is responsible for assisting academic departments with these matters.

Prospective scholars wishing to visit Georgia Tech as a J Exchange Visitor, must first identify a faculty sponsor within a specific academic school or college with similar research interest. The faculty sponsor will be responsible for notifying the academic department hiring manager to begin the process to request the DS-2019 for the appropriate J-1 program on the Exchange Visitor's behalf.

The HR administrator will gather the information that the OIE needs to identify the program is suitable to the exchange visitor's background, needs, and experiences. In addition, the host department must identify that sufficient funding exists to support the Exchange Visitor and that exchange visitor possesses sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate in his or her program and function independently in the community. Prospective scholars will be eligible for a DS-2019 from Georgia Tech only after documenting a High Beginner or greater proficiency in the English language based on the GT Language Proficiency rubric. Student Interns must have a minimum of intermediate English language proficiency.

There is a contact within each academic program at Georgia Tech that is trained to make requests to OIE for J-1 Scholars and J Student Interns through iStart. Please contact the Administrator in your program and they will help you or contact the OIE by emailing jscholars@oie.gatech.edu

iStart is a comprehensive data system for case management and compliance with SEVIS issues. It is the portal for F and J visa holders and HR department administrators at Georgia Tech to make requests to the OIE related to immigration records. HR administrators in each department will use iStart create the Eligibility of Certificate for the J-1 called a DS-2019. It is also the system used for case management once the J-1 is in the US.

Human Resources Managers within the academic units have participated in training to use iStart and can assist you.  Please contact the Human Resources Manager for your department and they will help you or refer you to the right person in your program with access to iStart that can help you.

Please contact log into iStart and submit the iStart issue e-form to report the issue. If you are unable to log into iStart than you can reach the Office of International Education at 404-894-7475 or jscholars@oie.gatech.edu and briefly describe the problem that you are having.

The Exchange Visitor category was developed to implement the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hayes Act) of 1961. The overall purpose of that Act, and the objective of the Exchange Visitor category, is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges. Georgia Institute of Technology is authorized to sponsor individuals with the primary purpose of participating in an educational and cultural exchange and who will participate in academic or scholarly activities.

Student Intern Overview

Internship programs are offered to graduate students and undergraduate students whose U.S. internship/practical field experience will fulfill the educational objectives for his or her current degree program at his or her home institution. Internship programs provide unique opportunities for interns to gain practical experience while conducting research in their academic field. The Intern program is a structured work-based learning program that:

1. Reinforces an intern's academic study
2. Exposes the intern to American techniques, methodologies, and expertise and expands their knowledge and skills
3. Enhances the intern's knowledge of American culture and society.

Student Intern Eligibility Requirements include;

1. Must be currently enrolled and pursuing a degree at a postsecondary academic institution outside the United States
2. U.S. internship must fulfill the educational objectives for current degree program at the home institution
3. Must have English language skills sufficient to function on a day-to-day basis in the internship.
   1. Verified through a sponsor-conducted interview, by a recognized English language test, or by signed documentation from an English language school.
4. Must be primarily in the United States to engage in a student internship program rather than to engage in employment or provide services to an employer
5. Must be accepted into a student internship program at the postsecondary accredited academic institution listed on the Form DS-2019
6. Must be "in good academic standing" at the home institution outside the United States
7. Must return to the academic program outside the United States and obtain a degree from such academic institution after completion of the student internship program
8. Must have sufficient finances to support himself or herself and any accompanying dependents for their entire stay in the United States, including housing and living expenses (not subject to student funding source restrictions)
9. The internship must be full-time; minimum of 32 hours per week.
10. Student interns may participate for "up to 12 months for each degree/major." Extensions beyond 12 months are not possible.

Requesting a J-1 Student Intern at Georgia Tech

1. International student will identify a full time GT faculty sponsor (adjunct faculty not eligible) to supervise their internship at GT. The faculty sponsor will identify the program is suitable to the exchange visitor's background, needs, and experience; and exchange visitor possesses sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate in his or her program and function independently in the community.
2. Faculty sponsor will work with their designated HR representative to submit a request for J-1 Student Intern Request under the Department Services forms at iStart.gatech.edu.
3. J Intern Application forms (applicant and sponsoring department) will include information necessary to determine the eligibility of the foreign student, the conditions and suitability of the program, financial support from the department or personal funds, and other details needed to properly issue the DS-2019.
4. The Office of International Education will create the DS-2019 and DS-7002 which will be signed by the OIE (RO or ARO) will be distributed to the GT academic sponsor (HR admin.), the home institution administrator/faculty and the International student Intern.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the J student intern category please email J1intern@oie.gatech.edu