Employment For Emory-Sponsored J-1 Students

A J-1 student must be authorized for employment by a Responsible Officer at ISSP (International Student and Scholar Programs), prior to beginning any job whether on or off campus. The student must meet certain eligibility requirements and may need to discuss his/her personal situation with the J coordinator at ISSP before accepting a position. Once a job offer is made, a letter of authorization is issued to the student.

Employment may be authorized for the purpose of scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship requirement; on-campus jobs; internships, practical experience in one's major field of study; or in rare circumstances for economic hardship.

J-1 students should contact the Program Sponsor indicated on #2 of the Form DS-2019 for further discussion and information. If the Program Sponsor is Emory University, the student should contact ISSP.

On-Campus Employment

A J-1 student who wishes to be employed in a position on campus must be authorized specifically for each position. The student first obtains a job offer and a letter of authorization is prepared. No application to Immigration is required, and no stamp on the document DS-2019 is required. The letter is the authorization to work. In most cases, a letter of authorization for employment can be issued in a day or two.

Eligibility for On-Campus Employment

The following criteria must be met to be eligible for employment authorization:

Student is in good academic standing;
Student continues to engage in a full course of study, except for official school breaks and annual vacations;
Student's employment totals no more than 20 hours per week, except during official school breaks and the student's annual vacation, when it may be full time; and
The Responsible Officer has approved the specific employment in advance and in writing.

Academic Training

Many students in the Exchange Visitor Program are required to fulfill an internship requirement. Off-campus employment may be authorized for this purpose. Provided that a job offer has been made and the job is specifically related to the major program of study, a student may receive authorization to participate in Academic Training.

Academic Training is an opportunity to gain practical experience while working in the field. The authorization is job-specific, meaning that each job must be approved prior to beginning employment. A student will need to obtain the job first, provide verification that the job is related to the major field of study, and receive written authorization from the Program Sponsor.

Students who wish to be employed for a time after their studies end will need to be prepared ahead of time by beginning their job search early. The approval for the job and any extensions will need to be processed BEFORE the ending date on the Form DS-2019.

All Academic Training is counted as full-time. The time spent working part-time during the academic term on Academic Training counts the same as if it had been full-time.

Time Limitations for Academic Training

Provided that eligibility requirements are met, a J student may be authorized typically for the same amount of time previously spent in the program of study up to 18 months. That is, if a program of study was two semesters (August to May), a student may be authorized for up to 9 months of Academic Training. If a program was 4 years, the student may be authorized for up to 18 months. An advantage for Post-Doc students may obtain permission to work for a total of 36 months following a doctoral program, IF the student was a J student at the sponsoring institution for at 2 years or more.

Non-Degree J Student Employment in Academic Training

A Non-Degree J student is limited to a 24-month stay, including study time and any time spent in Academic Training.

For more information, J students should make an appointment with the J coordinator at ISSP.