J-1 Students

Please note that the information below is only for J-1 Visiting Students who are coming to Northeastern as visiting researchers. This information is not intended for J-1 Visiting Students who are coming to Northeastern as part of an exchange program and will be enrolled in classes. Please visit Pre-Arrival for J-1 Students if you are coming as part of an exchange program.

J-1 Category

The following J-1 category is used for all exchange visitors coming to Northeastern with a Visiting Student appointment, who are enrolled students abroad coming to conduct research. Once you receive your DS-2019 from Northeastern, you can find your J-1 category listed in Section #4 in the middle of page 1 of your DS-2019. It is important that you understand the maximum program length and other details of your specific program category.

  • Student Non-Degree Category
    • Minimum program length of 3 weeks
    • Maximum program length of 2 years
    • Used for Visiting Students and exchange students only
    • Subject to the 12 Month Bar if program length is longer than 6 months
      • This may impact you if you have plans to return as a J-1 exchange visitor in the future to conduct research in the Research Scholar category.
    • Falls under the “College/University Student” group of J-1 categories

J-1 Visiting Student Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for the J-1 Student Non-Degree (Visiting Student) category, the visitor must currently be enrolled in a degree program abroad (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral leve) and have a temporary academic appointment at Northeastern University.

Additionally, prospective J-1 Visiting Students must:

  • Demonstrate English proficiency. English is assessed by the college as part of the appointment approval process.
  • Have a valid passport to request a DS-2019.
  • Demonstrate adequate financial support for all living expenses for the duration of their stay in the United States. This includes additional financial support for any accompanying dependents (family members). Greater than 50% of your funding must come from non-personal/non-family sources (such as a scholarship or other funding from an organization).
  • Purchase and maintain health insurance that meets J-1 visa requirements for the duration of their program.

For an overview of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, please visit j1visa.state.gov.

Requesting the Initial Form DS-2019

The Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status is required to apply for the J-1 visa. The DS-2019 identifies the Exchange Visitor (EV) and their sponsor and provides a brief description of the EV’s program, including the start and end date, and the exchange category. The DS-2019 is created by the Office of Global Services (OGS) using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Application process

1 The Human Resources Contact in the host college will initiate the Visiting Student Request for Initial DS-2019 once your appointment is approved by the Provost's Office. 

See the Human Resources Contact in the host college list here.

For more information on the visiting appointments approval process, please visit the Office of the Provost’s website or reach out to the HR Contact in your college.

2 You will receive an e-mail from the myOGS system prompting you to login and complete the required e-forms. 

3 The HR Contact will submit the completed application to OGS for review.

4 Once your DS-2019 is ready, you will receive an e-mail with your digitally-signed DS-2019 attached.

Please review the DS-2019 to ensure all information is accurate, then print and sign the DS-2019 at the bottom of page 1 after reading all information on page 2.