Skip to main content
International Student and Scholar Services

Department Information For Inviting Exchange Visitors to Campus

The purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges.

Four principal parties are involved in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

  • Department of State (DOS):  issues J visas to Exchange Visitors (EV) and their dependents and creates and administers federal regulations and policies governing the Exchange Visitor Program.
  • Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors:  legal entities – such as BYU that have applied for and received designation from DOS to conduct an Exchange Visitor Program. BYU International Student and Scholar Services administers the Exchange Visitor Program (Program Number P-1-01876), and serves as the University’s official representative to Department of State for this program. An ISSS staff member serves as the Responsible Officer (RO) for the J-1 program and is the point of contact on any issue that relates to the school's compliance with J-1 program regulations.
  • Exchange Visitors:  foreign nationals who have been selected by an exchange visitor sponsor to participate in a particular exchange visitor program.
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS):  manages the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), admits a non-immigrant to the U.S. in J exchange visitor status, and which adjudicates certain immigration benefits for J exchange visitors and their dependents. 

Prospective EVs must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Intent to return to home country.
  • Educational and professional qualifications to meet their program objective
  • English-language proficiency as determined through a recognized English language test (English3, TOEFL, IELTS, CAE)
  • Documented individual financial resources of at least $2,000 per month and dependent resources of $2,500 per year per dependent
  • Personal commitment to abide by the Church Education System Honor Code

Only BYU departments are authorized to request a J-1 visa document (DS-2019) from International Student and Scholar Services. BYU does not accept DS-2019 requests directly from prospective EV applicants.

Primary Activities/Duration and Funding: BYU, as a J-1 Program Sponsor, can invite J-1 Exchange Visitors to the university for a period of up to five years. Some of these exchange visitors, often referred to as international scholars, are BYU employees; others are supported by external funding or by personal funds. Regardless of the funding source, BYU Exchange Visitors’ primary activities must consist of teaching, lecturing, observing, or conducting research, and their program must include components of cultural and educational exchange. Although J-1 status allows employment, the primary purpose of the program is not employment, but rather, cultural and educational exchange.

Form DS-2019 and the J-1 Visa: Participants in the exchange visitor program will enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa, which is the nonimmigrant visa classification for “exchange visitors.” ISSS issues Form DS-2019 to J-1 Exchange Visitors, which will allow them to apply for a J-1 visa at a U.S. consulate. Form DS-2019 will include the Exchange Visitor’s category as one of the following:

  • Student Non-Degree Seeking:
    • Foreign student pursuing a degree at a postsecondary academic institution outside the United States and
    • who is coming to BYU for up to 24 months as a non-matriculated student earning credit for their home-university program
  • Student Degree Seeking: Foreign, admitted student coming to earn a degree at BYU

  • Student Intern:

    • Foreign student pursuing a degree at a postsecondary academic institution outside the United States and
    • whose internship at BYU–which can last up to one year–will fulfill educational objectives for their home-degree program

  • Short-Term Scholar: Credentialed professor, research scholar, specialist or person with similar education or accomplishments coming to BYU on a short-term visit of up to six months to

    • lecture,
    • observe,
    • consult,
    • train or
    • demonstrate special research skills
  • Specialist: Expert in a field of specialized knowledge or skill coming to BYU for up to 12 months to
    • observe,
    • consult or
    • demonstrate special skills
  • Professor: Credentialed professor coming to BYU for up to five years primarily to
    • teach,
    • lecture,
    • observe or
    • consult
  • Research Scholar: Credentialed scholar involved in a BYU research project for up to five years primarily to
    • conduct research,
    • observe or
    • consult

3rd Party Sponsorship

If your visiting scholar will have their visa sponsored by a third party organization, like Fulbright or IIE, then you do not need to request a DS-2019 form nor submit a J-1 scholar application in our eForms portal.

Download this Photo