J-1 Students

• You are required to have a valid, unexpired passport at all times. If you are in the U.S., and your passport will expire within the next 12 months, you should contact your embassy or consulate to get your passport renewed.
• You also need to have a valid, unexpired Form DS-2019 from Clark University that has the correct program of study, major, and expected program end date.
• Contact the ISSO if you need to make any changes to your DS-2019.
• If you need more time to complete your program, you must contact the ISSO BEFORE your DS-2019 expires.
  • Extensions may be completed only if there are compelling academic or medical reasons for needing more time to complete your program.
  • To request an extension of your DS-2019 end date, please meet with your academic adviser or Registrar to discuss your academic plan.
  • Upon receiving approval for extension, complete the Program Extension Request located in your Control Center of the ISSO Portal.

• You must enroll full-time during the fall and spring semesters. Clark defines “full-time” as taking at least three units (courses) per semester.
• You may take summers as a vacation, unless full-time enrollment is required by your program.
• You must not withdraw from a course without first getting authorization from an ISSO adviser if withdrawing will cause you to drop below full-time.
  • An unauthorized drop below full-time status will lead to termination of your J-1 student status.

You can find more information and steps to request a reduced course load here.

• You must maintain satisfactory academic standing and make normal, full-time progress toward reaching your degree or educational objective.

You are required to update your current U.S. residential address and phone number with Clark and the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) within 10 days of the change. Please visit our Update Your Address page for specific instructions.

• J-1 visa holders (and J-2 dependents) are required to have health insurance that meets J-1 visa requirements for health insurance.
• If you are not receiving your health insurance through the Clark University Student Health Insurance plan, you must purchase alternative insurance that meets the J-1 visa health insurance requirements.

• Working without the proper authorization is a serious violation of your J-1 student status. Make sure you read the J-1 Student Employment section carefully and contact the ISSO with any questions.
• Students in J-1 status will require additional authorization to be allowed to work on campus. If Clark is your program sponsor, please contact the ISSO for more information about how to obtain this permission. If Clark is not your program sponsor, please contact your program sponsor to determine if you can work on campus during your program.
• Working without authorization is considered a serious violation of immigration status and may require you to leave the U.S.

• Once you complete your program of study, you have 30 days in which you are allowed to prepare for departure from the U.S. This period of time is referred to as a “Grace Period.” This period of time is intended for you to make arrangements to leave the U.S. You are not allowed to work during the grace period. If you leave the U.S. during your Grace Period, you cannot re-enter the U.S. in J-1 status.
• The grace period starts the day after the end date of your Form DS-2019 or the day after you complete your degree requirements, whichever is earlier. If you believe that the end date on your DS-2019 is not accurate, contact the ISSO immediately.
• The grace period ends once you leave the U.S. or by the end of the 30th day, whichever comes first. If you intend to pursue other immigration options such as applying for Academic Training or requesting a J-1 transfer to another school, you MUST do this before the program end date on your DS-2019. You cannot request Academic Training or transfer to another school during your grace period.

• J-1 students are exempt from full-time enrollment during all Clark University official breaks and vacations if the student intends to register the next semester.
  • Graduate students who begin their programs during the summer must register full-time for the summer.
• You do not need to request authorization from the ISSO to take a summer vacation as long as you were full-time during the previous fall and spring semesters.

• If you are experiencing a medical condition that prevents you from being able to study full-time, you can request a reduced course load that would allow you to withdraw from one, some, or all of your courses.
• You must provide the ISSO a written letter from a physician that recommends a reduced course load for medical reasons.
• Do NOT withdraw from any courses until you have the authorization from the ISSO.

• In limited and specific situations, you may be authorized to take a reduced course load if a reduced course load is needed for “bona fide academic reasons.”
• To qualify, you must provide a written letter of recommendation from your academic adviser or dean explaining the academic reasons necessitating a reduced course load.

• Gather the required documentation indicated for the category above that applies to you.
• Schedule an appointment with an ISSO adviser.
• The adviser will review your documentation and grant you written authorization if you meet the requirements for a reduced course load.

If you need to take a leave of absence from your J-1 program for personal reasons, you must contact the ISSO before taking your leave. In most situations, a leave of absence requires you to leave the U.S. unless you qualify for one of the reduced course load options indicated above. In addition, if the leave of absence is of an extended duration, your J-1 status may need to be shortened or terminated if you are unable to continue working toward your original J-1 program objectives.

• If you are, or plan to become a J-1 student at Clark University, your legal spouse and/or unmarried dependent children under 21 are eligible to apply for J-2 status. You must be in valid J-1 status for your dependents to qualify for J-2 status.
• To obtain J-2 status for your dependents, you must first request a separate Form DS-2019 for each dependent.
• Submit a Dependent Request located in your Control Center of the ISSO Portal to add one or more dependents to your J-1 record. To complete the Dependent Request, you will need:
  • Copy of the passport identification page for each dependent.
  • Copy of your marriage license if your spouse’s name is different than yours.
  • Financial documents showing that you, or your sponsor, have sufficient funds for at least one year of living expenses for your dependents. This amount is at least $5,700 for the first dependent and $3,600 for each additional dependent.
  • If the financial documents (bank statement) are not in your name, your financial sponsor must also submit a signed Clark Affidavit of Support.
• The ISSO will review your request and will issue Forms DS-2019 for your dependents if all paperwork is in order.
• J-2 dependents must apply for a J-2 visa from a U.S. consulate overseas (exception: Canadian citizens do not require entry visas) and enter with their own DS-2019.
• If your J-2 dependents are applying for visas and/or coming to the U.S. separately from you, they should carry copies of your DS-2019, passport, J-1 visa, I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt, and financial documents.
• If your J-1 status ends for any reason, the J-2 status of any dependents ends, as well.

Study

J-2 family members are permitted to study on a part-time or full-time basis.

Employment

• J-2 family members may apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for employment authorization only after arriving in the U.S. in J-2 status.
• J-2 dependents must have a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) before beginning work.
• For information on J-2 work authorization, instructions on how to apply, and current filing fees, please visit the USCIS Website.

Health Insurance

Dependents in J-2 status are also required to have adequate health insurance that meets J-1 visa requirements. Failure to have adequate insurance may lead to termination of status.

Other Restrictions

If you are subject to the two-year home residency requirement, your J-2 family members may also become subject to the requirement. In addition, the J-2 dependents of current or future J-1 research scholars and J-1 professors may also be subject to the 12- and 24-month bars on initial or repeat participation. Contact the ISSO for more information.

If you are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement, you must return to your home country for a cumulative total period of at least two years before you can do any of the following:

• Change status while in the United States to another nonimmigrant category;
• Adjust status while in the United States to lawful permanent resident status;
• Receive an immigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate; or
• Receive a temporary worker (H), intracompany transferee (L), or fiancé (K) visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

You are allowed, however, to depart the U.S. and then re-enter with a new visa (other than H, K, L, and immigrant/permanent residence visas). For example, a person subject to 212(e) could return to the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 visitor’s visa, F-1 student visa, or O-1 visa.

• The Section 212(e) Requirement applies to you until the requirement is either fulfilled or waived.
  • For example, if you were a J-1 student subject to the requirement, but then left and immediately returned to the U.S. using another type of visa (such as an F-1 student visa), the requirement would still apply to you even after completion of your F-1 program. You would need to document your return to your home country for two years or obtain a waiver.
• If you are subject to Section 212(e), you must be physically present in your country of nationality or last legal permanent residence for an aggregate of at least two years after departing the U.S. at the end of your J-1 program.
• Since the two years of physical presence may be in the aggregate, you do not have to reside in your country of nationality or legal permanent residence in a single, continuous two-year period.

• In some cases it may not be clear if you are subject to Section 212(e). In these cases you can request an Advisory Opinion from the U.S. State Department. The State Department will review copies of your J-1 requirements and determine if you are, in fact, subject to Section 212(e).
• If you are subject to Section 212(e) you may decide to pursue a waiver of the requirement. Waivers are granted only in certain circumstances. The ISSO is unable to assist J-1 students or scholars with the waiver process. For more information, go to the State Department’s Waiver Review web site to learn more about how to apply for a 212(e) waiver.
• Please contact the ISSO for more information about Advisory Opinions and Waivers.