Important:
Academic training refers to employment, internships, or practicum in the student’s major field of study that will enhance or enrich the academic knowledge with practical experience. It is considered to be an integral and important part of the overall experience for international students, and you are encouraged to engage in some type of academic training.
The training may be taken during the course of study, after completion of your course of study, or a combination of these.
Academic training may be paid or unpaid. If you are interested, make an appointment to talk with your International Student Advisor to explore prospective training opportunities and whether they may meet the requirements of the J regulations.
Click on the following topics to learn more:
To be considered for academic training, you must meet the following requirements:
J-1 students who are issued a DS-2019 by another agency (Fulbright or ISEP, for instance), must check with their sponsor for employment eligibility.
There is no set application deadline to apply for academic training during the semester. However, before you begin your internship training, you must allow enough time to receive approval from both your Academic Advisor and the International Student Advisor.
The priority application deadline for fall semester is December 1 and for spring semester is May 1. If the deadline is near, and you are waiting for a job offer, tell the International Student Advisor. You may still be able to apply.
Important: It is illegal to begin employment before your academic training is authorized. Follow these steps to become authorized to begin academic training:
The amount of time a student may spend in academic training varies, depending on the student.
The training period is generally limited to the time spent in your course of study, unless the training is mandatory to complete your course of study.
The following time limitations also apply:
International students on the J-1 Exchange Visitor status who wish to pursue an internship in their major are required to obtain approval from their Academic Advisor recommending the training.
In order to meet the requirements of the J-1 federal regulations, the training must be:
Both the student’s Academic Advisor and the International Student Advisor must approve the proposed training program. The student must have a guaranteed training offer before he or she can be authorized for the academic training.
Important: If you believe the student’s request does not meet the above criteria, the student is not eligible for the proposed training at this time, and no letter is required.
Thank you very much for your consideration of this request. If you have questions, please contact the International Student Center (ISC).
You must have a Social Security number to work in the U.S. After you have been authorized for academic training, follow these instructions to get a Social Security Number.