Arrival for J-1 Scholars

In addition to applying for J-1 visa, you will also need to prepare to find housing, health insurance, and explore options for schooling or childcare for J-2 dependents.

OGS has prepared a comprehensive J-1 Scholar Pre-Arrival Handbook to provide resources for you to prepare and have a successful program. Please be sure to review the Pre-Arrival Handbook once you receive your DS-2019 from Northeastern.

When you receive your DS-2019 approval email with your DS-2019 attached, you will also receive a link to submit an e-form to access the mandatory online J-1 Scholar Orientation course. We recommend you complete this course as soon as possible once you receive the link, before you enter the U.S.

How To Access J-1 Scholar Orientation:

• If you already have your Northeastern University email (all Visiting Students use this option):
  • Login to myOGS on this page by clicking the upper “Login” button. Login using your Northeastern email address and login credentials
• If you do not already have your Northeastern University email:
  • Login to myOGS on this page by clicking the lower “New Student/Scholar Login” button for limited service access.
  • Enter the TEMP ID, your Date of Birth (DOB) in MM/DD/YYYY format, and the “Limited Services Access Pin”. You should have received your TEMPID and Limited Services Pin in your DS-2019 approval email.
• Once you are logged in to myOGS:
  • Click on the “Check In and Orientation” menu on the left
  • Click on the e-form “Start J-1 Scholar Orientation”
  • Read the information, check the attestation checkbox, then click “Submit”
  • You should be automatically redirected to the Homebase website to set up your account and access the orientation.
  • You will also be sent an email to the same email where you received your DS-2019 (either your Northeastern email or personal/outside institutional email) with the subject line “Homebase: New Course Available” with a link to click to access your course in the future.

After you arrive in the U.S. and submit the Researcher Confirmation of Arrival E-Form, OGS will verify that you completed the course, including the required final quiz, in order to validate your SEVIS record. You must complete the orientation prior to submitting the e-form, or this will cause delays in OGS validating your SEVIS record, which could negatively impact your status. OGS will automatically be notified when you have fully completed the course and the final quiz.

As your J-1 program sponsor, Northeastern University is required to provide and record participation in an orientation course to provide you with important logistical and regulatory information per the federal J-1 immigration regulations. The course will include vital pre-arrival information related to the visa application process, securing housing, estimated costs & fees, as well as information on how to maintain your J-1 status after you arrive in the U.S. and throughout your J-1 program. You will keep access to the course even after you complete check-in so that you can always reference the materials and information in the course.

If you have any issues accessing the course, please email [email protected].

In order to board your flight to the U.S., you will need to show your passport, valid J-1 visa, and DS-2019.

Please have the following documents in your carry-on luggage (not in your checked bags) to present to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the port-of entry to demonstrate your eligibility to enter the U.S. in J-1 status:

• Passport (valid for at least six months into the future from your date of arrival)
• J-1 visa (valid/unexpired on date of entry, Canadian/Bermudan citizens exempt)
• DS-2019
• Northeastern Appointment Letter

If a CBP Officer needs to speak with an official at Northeastern University to confirm your eligibility, please request that the CBP officer calls the university to speak to an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO), using the following contact information (The operations center is staffed 24/7 for this purpose): 

• International Safety Office: 
  • +1.617.373.2121 (NUPD) 
  • [email protected] 
  • This office is open even outside of normal business hours. 
  • This office can best support you when you have registered your travel in advance so that they can easily access your travel details. 

• Office of Global Services: 
  • +1.617.373.2310 
  • Please see our Contact page for operations hours. 

J-1 Scholars must confirm their arrival date at Northeastern with the Human Resources Contact in the host college.

J-1 Scholars experiencing delays due to visa processing must notify the HR Contact in the host college and the Office of Global Services (OGS) as soon as possible (email: [email protected]).

J-1 Scholars are permitted to enter the U.S. up to 30 days before and after the program start date on the DS-2019. However, if your arrival will be delayed for more than two weeks from the program start date, please contact the HR Contact in the host college to amend the program start date. Per federal regulations, OGS is required to provide orientation and validate your SEVIS record within 30 days after the program start date.

Once you have entered the U.S., submit the OGS “Researcher Confirmation of Arrival e-form” as soon as possible. You will receive emails from [email protected] with instructions to submit this e-form as your start date approached. This allows OGS to validate your SEVIS record, which must be done to confirm your arrival within 30 days of the start date listed on your DS-2019.

PAID SCHOLARS: If you will be receiving a salary from Northeastern University as part of your appointment/position, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number if you do not already have one, and will be required to complete an online Form I-9. You will receive instructions from Human Resources regarding your I-9, and instructions to apply for the SSN and complete Section 2 of the I-9 once you have submitted your Researcher Confirmation of Arrival e-form and it is approved.