J-1 Exchange Visitor

The purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is to promote international educational and cultural exchange, in order to develop mutual understanding between the people of the US and other countries. Scholar Services sponsors J-1 Exchange Visitors participating in academic research, teaching and consulting at NYU. The J-1 is often used for scholars with official appointments such as visiting faculty, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars, as well as other temporary academic appointments. For more information on the Exchange Visitor Program, please visit the Department of State website.

OGS International Faculty and Research Scholar Services sponsors foreign nationals for J-1 Exchange Visitor visas in the following categories: Professor, Research Scholar, Specialist, Short-term Scholar, and Student Intern.

Categories and Maximum Length of Stay

The total length of an exchange visitor’s authorized stay in the US depends on the category listed in Section 4 of the DS-2019. For transfers, please note that the maximum length of stay includes any previous, consecutive time spent at another institution.

J-1 Categories and Maximum Length of Stay

J-1 Exchange Visitor Category	Primary Purpose with NYU	Maximum Possible Length of Stay	Subject to a 12-or 24-Month Bar on Repeat Participation?
Research Scholar	Research; can also teach/ lecture, consult, or observe in educational settings	5 years	Yes, 24- Month Bar applies
Professor	Teach/lecture; can also research, consult, or observe in educational settings	5 years	Yes, 24- Month Bar applies
Short-Term Scholar	Research, teach/lecture, consult, or observe special projects	6 months	No
Specialist	Observe, consult, or demonstrate their special knowledge or skills; must demonstrate extraordinary knowledge or experience in specific field; CANNOT teach or research	12 months	12-Month Bar applies if program lasts 6+ months
Student Intern	Student enrolled in a degree program at a postsecondary academic institution outside the US, who is coming to complete an internship under the supervision of NYU faculty. See J-1 Student Intern for full requirements.	12 months; internship must end before graduation date with home institution	12-Month Bar applies if program lasts 6+ months

Eligibility

Who qualifies for J-1?

In order to qualify for NYU sponsorship in the J-1 scholar categories (Professor, Research Scholar, Short-Term Scholar, Specialist), you must:

have an approved temporary (not tenure/not -tenure-track) academic position or affiliation with NYU;
demonstrate appropriate English language proficiency;
show proof of financial support;
have appropriate academic qualifications (generally at least a Master's degree, or a Bachelor's plus equivalent experience).

There are certain restrictions that may make you ineligible for the Research Scholar or Professor J-1 category if you have held J status in the past.

J-1 Student Interns have numerous and specific eligibility requirements; refer to the Student Intern page for complete details.

Request J-1 Sponsorship

How to request J-1 Sponsorship?

Although the Scholar Services will gladly answer any questions that you may have regarding the J-1 visa, all sponsorship requests must be made by an established liaison with an academic department. Once the request process has been initiated by the academic department, Scholar Services will follow up with further instructions and information.

If you are already affiliated with an academic department, please ask your sponsoring faculty member to put you in touch with the OGS liaison.

If you are not yet affiliated with an academic department, please reach out to the appropriate department and ask about opportunities they may have for visiting scholars.