J-1 Interns ONLY

J-1 Intern Category

The J-1 Intern category allows eligible students and recent graduates from postsecondary institutions outside the United States to participate in a structured internship in their academic field while gaining exposure to U.S. culture and professional practices. The internship must be educational in nature, closely tied to the participant’s field of study, and supported by a formal Training/Internship Placement Plan on Form DS-7002.

This category is not intended for ordinary employment, routine staffing needs, or general campus work. The internship must provide supervised, hands-on learning with clear objectives and must comply with federal J-1 program rules.

Program length

The J-1 Intern category is generally limited to a maximum of 12 months. The exact program dates must match the approved internship plan and supporting documents.

Internship requirements

Each internship must:

• Be directly connected to the participant’s academic field.

• Include a structured learning plan with specific objectives, activities, and supervision.

• Be documented on Form DS-7002, Training/Internship Placement Plan.

• Include appropriate evaluation requirements before the end of the program. For programs longer than six months, midpoint and final evaluations are required; for programs under six months, a final evaluation is required.

12 and 24 Month Bars:

Time spent in any J category (including student-intern style programs) can trigger the 12‑month bar on future J‑1 Research Scholar/Professor, depending on length of stay.

See 12 and 24 Month Bars for more information.

J-1 Intern Employment

J-1 Intern status authorizes employment only for the approved internship listed on the DS-7002 and related program documents. J-1 Interns must work full-time in the internship and may not take a second job, additional campus job, side work, or other employment not included in the approved internship plan. Any change in duties, worksite, supervision, or internship structure must be reviewed and approved through the appropriate university office and sponsor before the change takes effect. Unauthorized employment can violate J-1 status and may lead to program termination. 

Participation in genuine volunteer activities may be permissible only if they are truly volunteer in nature and do not interfere with the approved internship, but J-1 Interns should consult the Ivanhoe International Center before engaging in any activity outside the internship.