Non-UIC Sponsored J-1 Exchange Visitors
UIC is proud to host hundreds of J-1 Exchange Visitors from around the world each year. Their activity on-campus as students, scholars, researchers, and trainees enrich our community, and in turn, they carry their UIC experience back to their home countries.
While the Office of International Services supports the success of all J-1 Exchange Visitors, those sponsored by third-party organizations must work closely with their sponsoring organization on matters related to their immigration status since OIS does not have access to the immigration record.
Please see below for general tips for common non-UIC sponsored J-1 Exchange Visitors. Exchange visitors with sponsorship from UIC should refer to J-1 Exchange Visitors for information on maintaining status.
Common non-UIC sponsored J-1 Exchange Visitors Heading link
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The U.S. Department of State sponsors the Fulbright Program in collaboration with many foreign governments around the world. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by three agencies, including the Institute of International Education (IIE). These three agencies work to place, advise, and provide J-1 Exchange Visitor Student sponsorship to international students in the U.S.
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Fulbright Researchers
The U.S. Department of State sponsors the Fulbright Program in collaboration with many foreign governments around the world. The Fulbright Non-U.S. Scholar Program is administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), a division within the Institute of International Education (IIE). This organization works to recruit, advise, and provide J-1 Exchange Visitor Scholar sponsorship to Fulbrighters at UIC in research-focused capacities.
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ECFMG Alien Physicians
The Education Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) sponsors visas in the J-1 Alien Physician category. The Office of International Education within the University of Illinois College of Medicine facilitates placements of foreign medical residents seeking temporary training experiences at one of our four campus locations.
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Other 3rd-Party Exchange Visitors
If your J-1 EV program is sponsored by another institution and you are working at UIC, please have your department complete the International Employee/Visitor Check-In Form in myOIS. Contact oisscholar@uic.edu if you have other questions.
Transferring to UIC sponsorship Heading link
Students currently not sponsored by UIC intending to transfer their immigration sponsorship to UIC must submit the Non-UIC Sponsored 3rd Party Transfer-In E-Form in myOIS to initiate the transfer process. The transfer must occur on or before the end date listed on your current Form DS-2019.
Required documentation
Please submit the following documents along with the Non-UIC Sponsored 3rd Party Transfer-In E-Form.
- Declaration and Certification of Finances (DCF). Download the DCF.
- Evidence of financial support. Visit international student funding and documentation requirements to find the estimated cost for your program of study. Please note:
- J-1 students need to provide funding for the entire length of their program.
- PhD students are typically issued 5-year DS-2019s and master’s students are typically issued 2-year DS-2019s.
- If you do not have enough funding for that number of years, OIS will issue your Form DS-2019 for the number of years based on the evidence of financial support you provide.
- Copy of the biographical page of your passport.
- Dependent documentation (if applicable). Please include a copy of your dependent(s) passport biographical page and current DS-2019.
- Transfer Verification Form (TVF). Download the TVF. Please ask your current sponsor to fill out the bottom section of the TVF.
- Copy of current Form DS-2019.
- Letter from your UIC academic department. The letter must state when you plan to complete your program.
- Additional transfer-out documentation (if applicable). Please include any transfer-out documentation required by your current sponsor.
Next steps Heading link
OIS review and transfer processing
Once OIS confirms you are eligible to transfer your sponsorship to UIC, we will coordinate your SEVIS record transfer with your current sponsor.
Immigration Check-In and Form DS-2019 processing
After the transfer is complete you must submit the F-1 and J-1 New Student Immigration Check-In E-Form in my OIS and register for the next required term. Once the check-in has been processed OIS can validate your immigration record and process a new DS-2019.