J-1 Exchange Visitor Categories and Eligibility

J-1 Visitor Categories

Research Scholar (including Post-Docs):
Primary objective is research but may also include observing and collaborating with an ongoing research project. 80% of time must be research related. Research Scholars may teach or lecture up to 20% in addition to conducting research.

Professor (including Post-Docs):
Primary objective, 80% minimum, is classroom instruction in their field but may also include lecturing, observing, or consulting. Professors may also participate in departmental research up to 20% of their time.

Short-Term Scholar:
A Short-Term Scholar may be a professor, researcher, specialist, or person with similar education or accomplishments coming to the US on a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills.

Student:
For full course of study at KSU. Duration of stay is limited to the length of the program of study

Eligibility

Minimum of Master’s degree with appropriate experience in the field is required. Minimum duration is 3 weeks; maximum is 5 years. The exchange of professors and research scholars promotes the exchange of ideas, research, mutual enrichment and linkages between research and academic institutions in the United States and foreign countries.

The professor category is for a foreign national who enters the United State for the primary purpose of teaching, lecturing, observing or consulting at accredited post-secondary academic institutions, museums, libraries or similar types of institutions. A professor may also conduct research, unless disallowed by the sponsoring organization.

The Research Scholar is for a foreign national who enters the United States for the primary purpose of conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with research projects at research institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic institutions, or similar types of institutions. A research scholar may also teach or lecture, unless disallowed by the sponsor.

The research scholar or professor’s appointment to a position shall be temporary, even if the position itself is permanent.

Incidental lectures or short-term consultations are permitted with the approval of the responsible officer so long as they are directly related to the objectives of the participant’s program, and do not delay the exchange program’s completion date.

Professors and Research Scholars must:

  • Not be a candidate for a tenure track position;
  • Not have participated in and completed a professor or research scholar program within the last 24 month preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement;
  • Not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of a professor or research scholar program unless they meet one of the following exceptions:
    • The participant is currently in a professor or research scholar program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue their current J-1 program;
    • The participant’s prior physical presence in the U.S. a J-visa program was less than six months in duration; and
    • The prior participation was as a short-term scholar.

Professors, research scholars and other individuals with similar education or accomplishments travel to the United States on a short-term visit to lecture, observe, consult, train or demonstrate special skills at research institutions, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic institutions or similar types of institutions. Participants collaborate on special research projects, teach a semester at a college or university, or lecture, consult or observe in a variety of settings in education and research in the United States. Minimum duration is 1 day; maximum is 6 months. No extension or change of category is possible.

Short-Term Scholars must: Be a professor or research scholar or someone with similar education and or experience.

For full course of study at KSU. Duration of stay is limited to the length of the program of study. Foreign students have the opportunity to study at American degree-granting post-secondary accredited academic institutions, or participate in a student internship program that will fulfill the educational objectives of the student’s degree program in his or her home country.

KSU J-1 Students must:

  • Be financed directly or indirectly by the U.S. government, the government of their home country, an international organization of which the United States is a member by treaty or statute, or supported substantially by funding from any source other than personal or family funds;
  • Be carried out according to an agreement between the U.S. government and a foreign government, or according to a written agreement between American and foreign educational institutions, an American educational institution and a foreign government or a state or local government in the United States and a foreign government; or Student is participating in a student internship program that will fulfill the educational objectives for the student’s degree program in his or her home country; or
  • Pursue a non-degree program, and must be enrolled full-time in a prescribed course of study. The maximum duration of a non-degree program is 24 months inclusive of academic training.

To be eligible for a J-1 Scholar (Professor, Researcher, and Short-Term Scholar):

  • The J-1 Scholar must hold at least a Master’s degree, or equivalent education evaluated by an accredited credential evaluation services (we recommend WES).
  • The J-1 Scholar must have sufficient English proficiency to perform their job or complete their academic program; to navigate daily life in the United States; to read and comprehend program materials; to understand fully their responsibilities, rights, and protections; and to know how to obtain assistance, if necessary.
  • The J-1 Scholar must have sufficient funding for themselves and any J-2 dependents for the entire duration of the program. They must provide official evidence of sufficient funding to demonstrate that they have the ability to cover living expenses. This support may come from KSU or other sources as self-funded.
  • The J-1 must maintain appropriate health insurance coverage as required by federal regulations throughout the entire duration of the J-1 program.
  • The J-1 Scholar’s appointment to the position is temporary. Tenure-track positions are prohibited in the J-1 program.
  • The J-1 Scholar’s proposed activity must further exchange, mutual enrichment, and linkages between KSU and educational institutions of other countries.
  • The J-1 Scholar must demonstrate intent to return to home country after the program.

In addition:

  • The J-1 Not have participated in and completed a professor or research scholar program within the last 24 months preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement;
  • The J-1 Scholar Not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of a professor or research scholar program unless they meet one of the following exceptions:
    • The J-1 Scholar is currently in a professor or research scholar program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue their current J-1 program;
    • The J-1 Scholar’s prior physical presence in the U.S. on a J-visa program was less than six months in duration; and
    • The prior participation was as a short-term scholar.