J-1 Exchange Visitors
The broad purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor program is to promote international educational and cultural exchange in order to develop mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries.
Exchange programs exist in a variety of formats and permit visitors to come to the U.S. for a wide range of activities. Carnegie Mellon's Exchange Visitor program provides opportunities for study, research and teaching. Annually, CMU welcomes over 600 visiting researchers and professors in over 40 departments in the campus community. There are both paid and unpaid J-1 research and teaching positions.
J-1 Categories
Short-Term Scholar
The short-term scholar is a professor, research scholar or specialist coming to the U.S. on a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, or training at an institution. This category is ideal for programs and visitors of short-term duration lasting anywhere from one day to six months. Short-term scholars are not subject to the 24-month bar on repeat participation; however, the maximum stay for a short-term scholar is six months, and extensions are not allowed under any circumstances. A person in short-term scholar status would have to leave the U.S. and re-enter in order to prolong the stay. Travel to Canada or Mexico would not likely benefit an individual in this situation.
Research Scholar
Research scholars are individuals who are primarily conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with a research project at an institution. The research scholar may also teach or lecture. A research scholar’s stay must be for a minimum of three weeks and may be extended for up to five years; however, when the J program ends, the research scholar is subject to a 24-month bar on repeat participation in the J research scholar or professor categories.
Research scholar and professor categories are ideal for visitors who are going to be in the U.S. more than six months or for visitors who may be invited to extend their stay beyond six months, and who are not concerned about the 24-month bar on repeat participation.
Professor
Professors are defined as individuals who are primarily teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting at an institution. A professor may also conduct research. As with research scholars, a professor’s stay must be for a minimum of three weeks and may be extended for up to five years; however, when the J program ends, the professor is subject to a 24-month bar on repeat participation in the J research scholar or professor categories.
Research scholar and professor categories are ideal for visitors who are going to be in the U.S. more than six months or for visitors who may be invited to extend their stay beyond six months, and who are not concerned about the 24-month bar on repeat participation.
Student Intern
The U.S. Department of State allows students who are enrolled in degree programs at home universities (in other countries) to be sponsored for an intern position, for up to 12 months, in the U.S. The internship may be with or without wages; however, the student must provide evidence of personal or outside funding sufficient to cover all travel, health insurance and living expenses for the duration of the internship.