J-1 Students

Maintaining Legal Status

Students entering the United States using a Form DS-2019 should be admitted in J-1 Exchange Visitor status. There are specific regulations governing Exchange Visitors, and J-1 Students are legally responsible for maintaining their own status by understanding and complying with these regulations. If you have any questions regarding your immigration status, please consult with your dedicated IS Advisor.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

The U.S. government considers students who violate J-1 regulations “out of status.” Penalties for violating status can be serious and may affect not only a student’s entire academic career but also future applications for U.S. visas or other immigration benefits.

Upon arrival in the United States, J-1 Students should verify that their documents were properly processed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector at the border.

  • Visit the I-94 Official Website and verify the I-94 Record states “J-1” and “D/S”. 
  • Print a copy for your records after each entry to the United States.
  • Email your IS Advisor if there are any errors.

Students with a J-1 Entry Visa should be aware that their program sponsor (the organization that issued the Form DS-2019) is responsible for advising them about all immigration concerns. The program sponsor may be Georgetown University or another sponsoring agency such as the Institute of International Education (Fulbright) or the Organization of American States (OAS).

  • Undergraduates should enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours each term.
  • Graduate students must be registered for the full-time normative courseload on file with the U.S. government and the Graduate School of record
  • Graduate students registered for Thesis Research (or a combination of credits and thesis research) also meet the full course of study requirement

Taking less than a full course of study can only be authorized on a case by case basis. Please review the Reduced Course Load (RCL) Authorization page for a list of eligibility requirements.

  • Students are limited to working no more than 20 hours per week when school is in session.
  • Students may engage in full-time work (over 20 hours per week) during official school breaks and vacations.

J-1 status requires completion of program requirements within a rigid timeframe, and justification for a Form DS-2019 extension must meet strict conditions. An extension must be approved before your current DS-2019 end date. To request an extension as a Georgetown-sponsored J-1 student, submit a completed Form DS-2019 Extension Request Form (PDF) with any required supporting documentation to internationalservices@georgetown.edu with enough time for OGS’s current processing time to occur before your current DS-2019 end date.

Consult with your IS Advisor before making plans for study abroad, thesis research abroad, or any trip outside of the United States that lasts more than 30 days*. In accordance with the Department of State (DoS) J-1 guidelines:

  • OGS must end the student’s J-1 status and SEVIS record.
  • J-2 dependents must depart the United States, as they may not remain in the United States without the J-1 student.

PhD Students should review the Dissertation Research Abroad section on the PhD Students webpage.

*Note: The annual winter break and summer vacation are exceptions to this rule.

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