Any J-1 Short-Term Scholar, Research Scholar, and Professor who will NOT be on UMB payroll must complete the Visiting Scientist/Scholar Agreement and submit it to the Office of Research and Development (ORD) for approval. No staff titles are eligible for J-1 sponsorship. Departments should consult their dean’s office for an outline of UMB appointments and corresponding titles. UMB is approved to sponsor the following categories:

• J-1 Professor and Research Scholar
  

  The J-1 Research Scholar and Professor categories are intended for qualified international professors and researchers to come to UMB for temporary, non-tenure-track appointments. This category is only utilized for Faculty and Fellow appointments. UMB sponsors instructors and researchers who have obtained the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher. UMB does not have authorization to sponsor EVs who will be involved in direct patient care. Clinical fellowships and residency programs are not within UMB’s scope of J-1 EV sponsorship.

  J-1s sponsored by UMB may NOT engage in ANY patient contact.

  Departments wishing to bring undergraduate students to the University of Maryland, Baltimore to engage in research-related activities should consult the Student Intern category.

  All J-1 Research Scholars admitted to the United States are automatically subject to the "24-month bar" on repeat Research Scholar participation.

• J-1 Short-term Scholar
  

  The J-1 Short-Term Scholar (STS) category is intended for qualified international professors and researchers to come to UMB for temporary, non-tenure-track appointments lasting no longer than six months. The objectives of the Short-Term Scholar category are similar to those of the Professor/Research Scholar categories; however, sponsorship in the Short-Term Scholar category cannot be extended beyond six months.

  This category is only utilized for Faculty and Fellow appointments.

  The "12-month" and "24-month" bars do NOT apply to the Short-Term Scholar category.

• J-1 Student Intern
  

  Participation in the Student Intern category is available only to international students currently enrolled and pursuing a degree at a postsecondary academic institution outside the United States. The U.S. internship must "fulfill the educational objectives for his/her current degree program at his/her home institution."

  Student Interns may participate in a student internship program for up to 12 months for each international degree/major. As the J-1 Research Scholar and Short-Term Scholar categories are unavailable for any international who has not yet earned a bachelor’s degree, the J-1 Student Intern category would be most appropriate for visiting undergraduate students.

  See the J-1 Student Intern Request in Sunapsis. Gain Host Department Access to Sunapsis.

• J-1 Student
  

  J-1 students must be fully admitted to the University of Maryland, Baltimore through the appropriate admissions office to pursue degree-seeking or nondegree-seeking study.

  For more information, see J-1 Students.

  In addition to being fully admitted, they must meet one of the following criteria:

  1. They are coming pursuant to an exchange agreement that the University of Maryland, Baltimore (or a school of UMB) has signed with a foreign institution of higher education, OR
  2. Their studies are primarily funded from the U.S. government, their home country government, an international organization, a bi-national commission of the United States and a foreign country, or the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Need help selecting a start date? Review this resource to figure out by when our office needs to receive a request in order for a scholar to arrive by the start date. J-1 Start Date and Request Submission Timeline

Requests

There are two request types in Sunapsis. One for J-1 Scholars and another for J-1 Student Interns. See categories and eligibility, above, to determine which request type fits. See Using Sunapsis for detailed instructions on submitting either request.

Once a full request is submitted in Sunapsis, allow up to 10 business days for processing.

Financial Requirements

Before the OIS can issue the J visa documents, DS-2019s, we must see sufficient funding to cover the J-1 and any accompanying J-2 dependents. Dependents are classified as a spouse and/or children under the age of 21.

Funding required to qualify for J-1 sponsorship:

• Minimum of $33,300 per year of J-1 sponsorship
• Minimum of $11,220 for accompanying spouse
• Minimum of $7,200 for each accompanying child

English Language Proficiency Requirement

The Department of State requires that all incoming scholars possess "sufficient proficiency in the English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis."

Scholars can demonstrate English proficiency in the below ways.

• Being a citizen of a country or earning a degree where the official language is English (Review the list: J-1 English Proficiency Requirement)
• Taking a recognized English language test and achieving the noted minimum score; test results may not be more than two years old at the time of submission of the J-1 request.
  • Duolingo English Test (minimum score of 115)
  • TOEFL (minimum 80 on the internet-based test, 550 on the paper-based test)
  • IELTS (minimum 7.0 total bandwidth score)

Check in with the OIS
All new J-1s at UMB must follow the Sunapsis check-in procedures when they arrive in the U.S.; scholars will receive an email with instructions. If the J-1 fails to submit the check in form, they risk automatic inactivation of the J-1 SEVIS record.

J-1 Orientation
The OIS offers J-1 orientation monthly to new scholars at UMB. This orientation program assists new J-1 scholars in acclimating to the University, Baltimore, and the United States. Topics covered include applicable immigration regulations, office and University services, concepts of cross-cultural communication, housing information, and community resources. The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for new J-1 scholars to meet each other and the OIS staff members and to give them information they need to settle and be productive in their activities at the University.

J-1s can register to attend orientation at Events and Workshops.

Notification of Delay
If a J-1 will be unable to arrive to UMB by the start date on the DS-2019, please contact the Office of International Services as soon as possible. By notifying the OIS of the expected delay in arrival, we can amend the incoming J-1's start date to ensure the SEVIS record will remain in good standing.

J-1s Not Employed by UMB
If a J-1 scholar is joining your department but will not be employed by UMB, you will need to complete the affiliate process for the individual to get a One Card on campus. The OIS is not responsible for completing this process.

Some of the J-1 Scholar Request e-forms will require you to complete and upload PDF forms. Please see below to learn about the uploads for each e-form.

Resources

• J-1 Start Date and Request Submission Timeline
• Visual - J-1 Scholar Initial Request Process
• Visual - J-1 Transfer-in Request Process (for scholars in the U.S. in J-1 status, transferring to UMB)

Initial Requests

Use this e-form group for individuals coming from overseas as well as those transferring their J-1 scholar status to UMB.

J-1 Applicant Information

This form is straightforward from the department perspective. You'll need to go into it, click on "GIVE THE CLIENT ACCESS TO COMPLETE THIS SECTION" and then put in the email address of the scholar.

This e-form contains a link to the J-1 Applicant Document Checklist for Sunapsis which may help the applicant in preparing to complete this e-form. 

You will get a confirmation email when the applicant has submitted their form.

J-1 Program Information

Required Uploads:

• Approved appointment letter
• Dental School only - letter from Dr. George approving the request
• If scholar will be a UMB employee - the Deemed Export Control form signed by Janet Simons in the Office of Research and Development is required
• If scholar will not be a UMB employee - the Visiting Scientist Agreement signed by Janet Simons in the Office of Research and Development is required
• If your department assesses fees to the scholar - the completed Participation Fees Chart is required

Departmental J-1 Compliance Certification

This form is straightforward. You will put in the supervisor's contact information, and then login instructions will be emailed to the supervisor. The supervisor will need to certify their understanding of how they help UMB comply with J-1 regulations.

You will receive an email when the supervisor has submitted the form.

Extension/Amendments

Use this e-form group to extend a current J-1 in your department, or submit changes to their program (i.e. site of activity, change in title, change in funding, etc.)

J-1 Scholar Extension/Amendment - Send to J-1 Scholar

As this form indicates, this e-form needs to be routed to the scholar. You'll need to go into it, click on "GIVE THE CLIENT ACCESS TO COMPLETE THIS SECTION" and then put in the email address of the scholar.

If the scholar needs to demonstrating funding or additional funding to support themselves during the extension period, they will upload it here.

You will receive an email when the scholar has submitted the form.

J-1 Scholar Extension/Amendment Departmental Request

Required Uploads:

• Appointment renewal letter
• Dental School only - letter from Dr. George approving the request
• If scholar is a UMB employee - the Deemed Export Control form signed by Janet Simons in the Office of Research and Development is required
• If scholar is not a UMB employee - the Visiting Scientist Agreement Extension signed by Janet Simons in the Office of Research and Development is required

The J-1 Student Intern category is used to allow students from overseas who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree to come to the United States and participate in an internship that fulfills an educational objective for their current degree program.

Resources

• Sunapsis - Submitting J-1 Student Intern Requests (step-by-step instructions with screenshots)
• Visual - J-1 Student Intern Request Process

J-1 Student Intern Information

This form is straightforward from the department perspective. Simply visit the form, and then click on "GIVE THE CLIENT ACCESS TO COMPLETE THIS SECTION". From there, you'll enter the student's email address, which generates an email to them with instructions for completing the e-form.

J-1 Student Intern Department Request

Required Uploads

• Copy of Offer or Invitation letter (SOM, approved appointment required for stays over two months)
• If Student Intern will be on UMB payroll - Deemed Export Control Form
• If Student Intern will NOT be on UMB payroll - Visiting Scientist Agreement

J-1 Student Intern Training Plan

A training plan must be created for J-1 Student Interns. On this e-form, the Department Contact enters the name and email of the Supervisor, and the Supervisor will then get an email prompting them to complete the Training Plan form. We provide the J-1 Student Intern Training Plan Drafting Tool to assist them in drafting their responses, as the form will only allow them to submit their answers, instead of save and come back.