J-1 STUDENT INTERN PROGRAM General Information The program provides foreign students the opportunity to participate in a designated exchange visitor program while participating in a student internship program which fulfills the student’s academic goal. Such an exchange is intended to promote mutual understanding by fostering the exchange of ideas between foreign students and their American counterparts. Student intern is a foreign national enrolled in and pursuing a degree at an accredited post-secondary academic institution outside the USA; the student is participating in the student internship program in the USA that will fulfill the educational objectives for his/her current degree program in the home institution. In order to participate in the program, the student needs to obtain a J-1 visa in a “Student Intern” Category. Student Eligibility Requirements 1. The student is currently enrolled in a degree program at the post-secondary institution outside the United States and in good academic standing. 2. Upon completion of the internship, the student will return to the home institution to complete the academic program and obtain a degree. 3. The student’s internship program is approved by the academic advisor at the home university. 4. The student must be admitted by the US institution to participate in its internship program. 5. The student has verifiable English Language skills sufficient to function on a day-to-day basis in the internship environment. English Language proficiency must be verified through a sponsorconducted interview, by a recognized English language test, or by signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school. 6. The student intern is primarily in the US to engage in a student internship program rather than to engage in employment or provide services to an employer. 7. The student must have sufficient finances to support himself/herself and dependants during the entire stay in the USA. Page 1 of 3 Program Requirements 1. Before accepting a potential intern, the academic Department must complete the Form DS-7002, TRAINING/INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT PLAN (T/IPP), secure the requisite signatures, and provide copies to each signatory. The Form DS-7002 must be signed by the student, the internship supervisor, and the Responsible Officer (the international advisor) at the OIP. The Form DS-7002 is needed for a student’s J-1 visa application. 2. Internship must be full-time (minimum of 32 hours per week). 3. The student will not displace American workers, and will not serve to fill a labor need. 4. The intern position exists solely to assist the student intern in achieving his/her academic objectives. 5. Prior to conclusion of the internship program, academic department must evaluate the student’s work; the evaluation must be signed by both the supervisor and the student. If the program lasts longer than six months, it must be midpoint evaluation. The academic department must retain evaluations for three years after the student’s internship is completed. Employment 1. The student intern may engage in employment during the internship in accordance with the Training/Internship Placement Plan (T/IPP). It can be full time, with or without wage or other compensation. 2. The student must have employment authorization from Responsible Officer in the Office of International Programs (OIP) and approval of the student’s academic advisor at the home institution. 3. Duties of the student intern, as outlined in the T/IPP, will not involve more than 20 per cent clerical work, and all tasks assigned to the student are necessary for completion of the internship program. Note: 1. The student may not be placed in a position that required child or elder care, or any patient care, providing therapy, medication, social work, psychological counseling, as well as in an unskilled or labor position. 2. Students engaging in the “Hospitality and Tourism” internship of six months or longer must have at least three departmental or functional rotations. Duration of Participation A student intern may participate in the Exchange Visitor Program for up to 12 months for each degree/major. The internship program must be at the institution listed on his/her DS-2019. Financial documentation A student must have finances to support himself/herself for the entire period of stay in the United States. The amount of funding must be sufficient to cover living expenses (housing, insurance, books, etc.) and tuition expenses if, according to the T/IPP, the student will need to enroll in classes. The estimated amount of living expenses is $1000 per month; if family members accompany the student, additional funding at the amount of $300 per month for each dependent is required. You need to list your dependents on the form “J-1 Student Internship Program Application”. Page 2 of 3 Tuition can be estimated based on the number of credits the student will need to take. The bank statement(s) must be official and in English. Scanned documents are acceptable if of good quality and clearly readable. If the student has a sponsor, the sponsor’s support letter and the bank statement(s) must be submitted. Taking academic courses during internship program If the Training/Internship Placement Plan (T/IPP, Form DS-7002) requires the student to take classes, the student needs to apply for academic admission to the Office of International Programs (OIP) for undergraduate classes, or to the Graduate School if classes are on the graduate level. The application form can be downloaded from the website http://www.uakron.edu, Admissions. The application should indicate the academic status as a “Guest Student”, and visa status will be a J-1, “Student Intern” category. Health Insurance As a J-1 visa holder, the student is required to have health insurance for himself/herself and any accompanying family member. The insurance requirements can be found in the US Department of State’s Exchange Visitor Program Welcome Brochure (will be included in the packet along with the form DS-2019), http://exchanges.state.gov/jexchanges/docs/welcome_broch2008.pdf. The student needs to present evidence of health insurance when checking in at the OIP. Required Documents The following documents must be submitted to the OIP: 1. The letter of acceptance to the internship program from the academic department ; 2. Student Internship Program Application; 3. The application for admission to the academic program if the internship includes academic courses or the letter of admission; 4. DS-2019 Request Form; 5. The Form DS-7002 completed and signed; 6. English Proficiency Form; 7. Financial documents reflecting sufficient funding; 8. Passport page with the student’s name; 9. Passport pages with the dependent’s name for each accompanying family member if the student arrives with family members. Upon submission, the OIP will issue the form DS-2019. It will be sent to the academic department along with the form DS-7002 and orientation information for mailing to the student. The student must have forms DS-2019, DS-7002, acceptance letter, financial documents in order to apply to the US Embassy for a J-1 visa in a “Student Intern” category. Page 3 of 3