J-1 Visa: Short-Term Scholar & Research Scholar Programs
Hello!
Welcome back to J-1 Visa Consulting, where every week we provide helpful resources for everything J-1 Visa.
In our fifth week post (yes we’re still here!) and upcoming weeks, I will review all the 15 different J-1 Visa programs.
Also, check out our Youtube video for additional content!
About The Program
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- The Research Scholar program allows foreign nationals to research, observe, or consult in connection with a research project at a post-secondary school, library, museum, corporate research facility, or other similar institution for a maximum of 5 years.
- The Short-Term Scholar program allows foreign nationals who are professors, research scholars, and other individuals to lecture, consult, observe, train, or demonstrate special skills at museums, libraries, research institutions, post-secondary schools, or similar institutions in the U.S. for a maximum of 6 months.
- The program promotes the exchange of ideas, research, and mutual enrichment between research and academic institutions in the U.S. and foreign countries.
Important Information
- Two Year Rule
- If you participate in a trainee program, you must wait 2 years to participate in another program.
- 212e Rule
- Depending on what you are training in, you might be subject to a 2 year home country presence rule. There is a waiver process to bypass this.
- Extra Information
Eligibility
Short-Term Scholar
Applicants must:
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- Be a professor or research scholar or someone with similar experience and/or education.
Research Scholar
Applicants must:
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- Be proficient in written and oral English
- This is because all research is done will be in English
- Not be a candidate for a tenure track position
- Not have participated in or completed another professor program in the past 24 months
- Not have participated in a J-1 Visa program for the 12 month period preceding the program start date unless:
- They are currently in a J-1 program and are transferring in
- The previous program was less than 6 months or
- The previous program was a short-term scholar.
- Be proficient in written and oral English
If you need proof of English proficiency, we would recommend TEFL (one of the most widely accepted exams worldwide.)
Additional Information
Program dates vary by country, but students must have program dates within their academic calendar break. You must secure your housing before you arrive in the U.S. (Most sponsors help with this). The better your English, the better job opportunities you will have.
J-1 Visa Essentials
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- You must be a foreign national with supporting documentation of education and/or relevant work experience
- You must show proof of financial means to support yourself while in the U.S.
- You must not show immigrant intent
- You must not displace an American worker
I hope this article helped provided insight into the Short-Term Scholar & Research Scholar Programs and the steps necessary. If you have any need for a one on one consultation, book through our website below.
See you next week!
Omer
Hi- My question was in regards to the self funding for a research scholar category. In the video it is stated that Research Scholar cannot be self funded at all and need to be funded by the host organization. I have not seen this information anywhere else. Currently we are about to select our category and we are self funded for about 5 months but the project we are working can extend beyond 6 months and therefore Research scholar is the right choice for us, Can you please clarify what would happen if we select research scholar and self fund in DS2019 form?
Avery Rodriguez
Hello Omer. The only way to be self funded is if you are currently a university student. If you are not a university student, you will need funding from an institution in your home country or an institution in the U.S. If you wish for your research project to be more than 5 months, you should apply as a J-1 Research Scholar. Good luck!