The Student Intern category of the Exchange Visitor Program is available for departments to host a student intern who is currently enrolled in and pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree at a higher education institution outside the United States. Student interns may participate for up to 12 months for each degree/major. We recommend that the department start the application process at least 3 months prior to the desired internship start date.
J-1 Student Intern Requirements
Eligible J-1 Student Interns must:
- be currently pursuing a degree at an accredited international post-secondary academic institution recognized by the Ministry of Education as a degree-granting institution. Students enrolled in institutions that primarily offer vocational or technical programs are not eligible for the J-1 Student Intern category.
- be in good academic standing at their home institution.
- meet requirements for English language proficiency and funding.
- be in the U.S. for the internship program, not employment.
- return home to complete their degree after the internship is finished.
- maintain adequate health insurance coverage throughout the internship.
Students enrolled in doctoral programs are not eligible for the J-1 Student Intern category. Students enrolled in Master's programs may be eligible. Departments who want to host graduate student interns should contact International Faculty and Scholars first to see if they qualify for a scholar category.
J-1 Student Internship Requirements
| Location | Must be located on the University of Arizona campus. |
|---|---|
| Length |
3 weeks to 12 months
32+ hours per week
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| Compensation | Paid or unpaid. If paid, payment must be approved by the home institution. |
| Evaluation |
The internship supervisor must provide a written evaluation at the end of the program, and, if longer than 6 months, at the mid-point.
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| Objectives |
The internship must fulfill the educational objectives of the home country degree program.
The internship must expose the intern to American techniques, methodologies and technologies with which they have no prior experience.
|
| Cross-Cultural Activities |
The Department of State encourages sponsors to give their student interns the broadest exposure to U.S. society, culture and institutions, and to encourage them to participate voluntarily in activities with the purpose of sharing the language, culture or history of their home country with Americans (provided that such activities do not delay the completion of the internship program). Student interns are welcome to participate in all programs and events hosted by International Student Services (ISS) and join on-campus clubs. Some departments have also organized field trips or arranged for the student interns to attend athletic events on campus. |
| U of A Classes | Interns may concurrently enroll in one U of A class (3 units) with ISS approval. Interns must provide their supervisor’s written approval stating that the course will not interfere with the primary purpose as a student intern. Student Interns who wish to take coursework will be subject to all appropriate U of A admissions criteria. |
| Program Restrictions |
The internship must not consist of more than 20% clerical work, or assign tasks that are not necessary for completing the internship.
Interns must not do unskilled or casual labor, child care or elder care, aviation, clinical positions, patient care or contact, including providing therapy or medication.
Interns must not engage in any position, occupation, or business that could harm the Exchange Visitor Program.
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The request to host a J Student Intern must be initiated by the University of Arizona sponsoring department.
Step 1: Initiate Request
You, the host department, must submit the web form to make an initial inquiry.
Step 2: Training/Internship Placement Plan
If eligible for the J Student Intern Category, we will send instructions for creating a new student intern record in order to start the application process. We will also email instructions for how to log into MyGlobal Departmental Services.
Upon receiving access, complete the following e-forms for the prospective student intern in MyGlobal:
- Student Intern Information
- Compensation and Supervision
- Phase Information
- Department Attestation
If your department is hosting multiple student interns in the same program, click SAVE DEFAULTS at the bottom of the e-form before submitting. Your e-form answers will automatically be applied to all e-forms you submit for each student intern request.
The information provided will be used to create the Form DS-2019. We will review the e-forms to make a final eligibility determination. You will receive an email about whether e-forms have been approved or denied.
You will also be emailed a PDF copy of the Training/Internship Placement Plan. Both the internship supervisor and student intern must sign the official copy of the Training/Internship Placement Plan.
Once approved, proceed to step 3.
Step 3: Supplemental Information
Complete the following e-forms for the prospective student intern in MyGlobal:
- Financial Documentation
- Supplemental Information
If you would like the student intern to upload documents to MyGlobal directly, click GIVE THE CLIENT ACCESS TO COMPLETE THIS SECTION. The student intern will receive an email with instructions for how to submit this and all subsequent e-forms in MyGlobal.
- Be prepared to upload these documents to the Supplementary Information e-form:
- Copy of the passport biographical page for the student intern and any dependents
- Proof of English language proficiency (see below for more information)
- Transcripts from home institution (certified translation required if not in English)
- Proof of funding (see below for more information)
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Document
Step 4: Student Intern Attestation
After completing step 3, the student intern will receive an email with login information for completing the Student Intern Attestation e-form.
When the attestation is approved, you will receive an email and then move on to step 5.
Step 5: Health Insurance
Complete the following e-forms for the prospective student intern in MyGlobal:
- Health Insurance Selection
- Private Health Insurance Confirmation (if applicable)
If the student intern is going to purchase university health insurance, we will send you the enrollment form. Do not purchase health insurance until we have reviewed the step 3 documents above and confirmed that the documents are sufficient.
Step 5: Fee Payment
We charge a $400 administrative fee per student intern application to the host department. This fee is separate from the SEVIS I-901 and visa application fees, which are typically paid by the student intern. We will send instructions for how to submit payments via UAccess internal billing. Please note that this processing fee is non-refundable, even if the student intern is unable to enter the United States to participate in the program.
Step 6: Finalize Documents
You will be notified when the DS-2019 and final TIPP are ready. We will issue and ship the documents to the student. We will send the student an email with information on SEVIS fee payment and how to schedule the visa appointment. We will also send instructions for checking in with ISS upon arrival.
Select one of the four options below to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement. The level of English proficiency required must be equivalent to the Independent level of proficiency (B1 or higher) according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Recognized English Language Test
A score sheet indicating the prospective student intern has taken one of the tests below within the past two years and received the minimum score required:
Signed Documentation from an Academic Institution or English Language School
A signed letter from an internationally-recognized academic institution or English language school indicating the following:
- method of English language assessment and result (must be equivalent to B1 or higher on the CEFR)
- date of assessment (must be within the past two years)
- school accreditations
- the prospective student intern’s dates of attendance
Documented Interview by University of Arizona Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
A score sheet completed by a CESL assessment specialist, within the past two years, indicating the prospective student intern possesses English language proficiency equivalent to B1 or higher on the CEFR. For more information about CESL’s skype assessments, review the CESL Oral Proficiency Interview Application Form or email Eddy White.
We cannot accept any other form of documented interview.
Native English Speaker
The prospective student intern’s passport may be submitted in lieu of English score, if the student is from a country of which English is an official language.
The student must provide evidence of personal or outside funding sufficient to cover all travel, health insurance and living expenses for the duration of the internship.
Funding Amount
- $1944 per month of internship
- $667 per month for spouses
- $417 per month per child
Documentation
- Official bank letter or statement that includes:
- Account holder's full name
- Amount in the account
- Type of account
- Date (must be within the last 6 months)
- Declaration of Support (for students submitting funding from family/friends)
- Letter from university department confirming total stipend or wages to be awarded
- Scholarship letter from home institution confirming award amount
We cannot accept: statements verifying employment or salary, property or personal assets (automobiles, land, buildings, jewelry, etc.), lines of credit, or assets such as stocks, bonds, equities and retirement accounts.
All student interns must be covered by health insurance for the duration of their stay in the U.S. Their health insurance plan must meet the requirements of the immigration regulations.
Below are the minimum requirements that the health insurance plan for you and your dependents should meet according to the immigration regulations (22 C.F.R. § 62.14):
- Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
- Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of exchange visitors to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
- Deductibles not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
Below are examples of health insurance providers that offer plans tailored to international students. ISS does not endorse or monitor these insurance companies or their plans.
Departments can choose to require their student interns to enroll in the university health insurance plan through Campus Health, or allow their student interns to use an alternate plan that meets the minimum requirements. We strongly recommend the university health insurance plan because it is guaranteed to meet the regulatory minimums and gives students access to the Campus Health clinic and doctors. More information on purchasing the university health insurance plan can be found on the Campus Health website.
The sponsoring department must conduct evaluations for each student intern. All programs must do a concluding evaluation, and programs lasting more than six months must do a midpoint and concluding evaluation. We send reminders a few weeks before the deadline.