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J-1 Scholar Overview

Tufts University has been designated by the US Department of State as a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsor (program number P-1-00829). The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is designed to encourage temporary educational and cultural exchanges between the US and other countries through sponsorship of individuals for the programs of study, teaching, research, observation, and demonstration of special skills.

Important Note: Effective July 1, 2024, Tufts University will discontinue offering sponsorship to J-1 exchange visitors for participation in programs based exclusively in third party sites. As of that date, any new request for a J-1 exchange visitor must be initiated by a University department and the sponsored individual must hold a University appointment for a temporary teaching or research position (e.g., visiting scholar / scientist, postdoctoral scholar, visiting professor or lecturer, or the equivalent).

J-1 Scholar Program Features

The J-1 Scholar Program at Tufts allows for the visa sponsorship of persons coming to Tufts for temporary activities involving teaching and research. The program's main requirements are as follows; see the sections below for more detailed policies and procedures.

  • J-1 Scholars may be sponsored for temporary programs of teaching and research and is typically for persons appointed to positions such as postdoctoral scholar, visiting professor, adjunct lecturer, or visiting scholar / scientist.
  • The J-1 visa may may not be used to hire individuals to permanent positions (e.g., tenure-track positions or other academic / staff positions of a continuous, ongoing nature). For non-temporary positions, consult our information on the H-1B Temporary Worker visa category or contact the International Center.
  • The Scholar program has three major subcategories, including:
    • J-1 Research Scholars - for temporary programs of research ranging from a minimum of 3 weeks to five years
    • J-1 Professors - for temporary programs of teaching ranging from a minimum of 3 weeks to five years
    • J-1 Short-Term Scholars - for temporary program of teaching / research ranging from 1 day to a non-extendable maximum of six months
  • In certain cases, visiting students may be hosted as either J-1 Scholars or as J-1 Student Interns. Student interns are typically students attending overseas institutions of higher education who are coming to fulfill internship requirements at a Tufts site or location. Contact the International Center for most information regarding the appropriate J-1 category.

For questions about the J-1 scholar categories, contact your department's designated International Center J-1 Scholar advisor.

J-1 Visiting Scholar Program Policies and Eligibility Criteria

Host Department Responsibilities
  • Assist with the initial J-1 scholar request (see request information in following sections) 90-120 days in advance upon reviewing the Exchange Visitor's credentials and the aforementioned Exchange Visitor category descriptions and limitations.
  • Notify the International Center upon any delays and remind the J-1 Scholar to confirm their arrival with Tufts International Center within 30 days of their start date. Encourage J-1 Scholar to participate in J-1 Scholar Orientation to review important immigration requirements.
  • Ensure that the scholar is engaging in their proposed activity in accordance with their J-1 program and aforementioned telework restrictions at the primary site of activity listed in the J-1 scholar request. J-1 scholars sponsored by Tufts in a teaching or research position should have a primary site of activity at a Tufts University department or entity. This does not include Tufts Medical Center. Scholars are only permitted to engage in employment and paid activities for the Tufts unit or location indicated in the primary site of activity.
  • Review Maintaining J-1 Scholar Status information and collaborate with J-1 Scholar to notify the International Center in advance of changes in site of activity or employment (including short-term arrangements or off-site lectures) or payment not listed on the DS-2019, early completion or departure, leaves, requests for extensions or transfers.
  • Encourage the scholar to participate in opportunities for cultural exchange along with academic or program activities.
  • Contact the International Center in the event of serious issues involving a J-1 Exchange Visitor. The Department of State (DOS) requires J-1 program sponsors to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of J-1 Exchange Visitors. The International Center is required to notify the Department of State immediately of any issues impacting the health, safety, or well-being of an Exchange Visitor, investigations involving an Exchange Visitor's site of activity, or a problem or controversy that could be expected to bring the Department of State, the Exchange Visitor Program, or Tufts' Exchange Visitor program into notoriety or disrepute. Please contact the appropriate scholar advisor or email internationalcenter@tufts.edu to report any issues. Please see our informational sheet for further information on incident reporting, including 2025 Department of State updates to reporting criteria.

Requesting a J-1 Scholar (Initials / Extensions)

Submit a J-1 Scholar Request

Once the department is prepared to submit a request for a J-1 scholar, click the button below to be directed to the J-1 sponsorship request instructions and guidelines. Ideally, requests should be submitted to the International Center at least 90-120 days prior to the scholar's arrival at Tufts, to ensure adequate time for document processing and shipment to the scholar. Once the scholar receives their J-1 visa document (Form DS-2019), they will then need to apply for a J-1 visa prior to entering the US (with the exception of Canadian citizens, who are exempt from the visa requirement). Scholars may enter the US up to 30 days prior to the start of their J-1 program at Tufts.