Some information on this webpage may be out of date due to a recently published regulation ending the policy granting Duration of Status to F-1 and J-1 students and scholars. We will announce when our website has been updated with the new information.
If you have accepted an offer to join the University of Maryland, Baltimore, there is much to do before and upon arrival.
**In September 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced that all applicants should schedule their visa application interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. You should expect significantly longer wait times and may face greater difficulty qualifying for a visa if you apply outside your country of citizenship or residence.
If you will be placed on the UMB payroll, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number. Please note, you must complete the J-1 check-in process to have your SEVIS record activated, and wait 10 days after entering the U.S. before you submit your application. See: Social Security Number for application instructions. If you do not have your SSN at the time you start working, you will need to update UMB HR and payroll after you receive it.
Review our Housing Information website to learn about housing in Baltimore. We do not recommend you sign a lease until you have had the opportunity to visit the property in person.
Review our instructions on applying for a Maryland driver's license — you also can get a Maryland State ID card if you do not wish to drive.
The UM shuttle will be available for your use once you get your UMB One Card (University identification card).
The Charm City Circulator is a free bus you may take.
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) offers various methods of transportation, including the local bus, metro subway, and light rail.
If you are thinking about buying a car, be sure to review the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration website carefully to ensure you follow all the procedures to title and register your car and follow laws regarding car insurance.
There are lots of great restaurants in Baltimore. Check out Dining Options to see a map of restaurants on and near campus.
You can expect it to cost you about $3,100 USD per month to live in the Baltimore area; if you have a family, it will be more expensive. Here are some estimated expenses provided by the UMB Financial Aid Office:
All J-1 Scholars and their J-2 dependents are required by regulation to have health insurance that meets certain criteria. You must be covered throughout your J-1 program dates, as listed on your DS-2019; however, we recommend you have insurance coverage begin on the first day you arrive in the United States.
You are required to demonstrate that you have health insurance coverage within 15 days of your J-1 program start date.
Information for individuals employed (paid) by UMB is below. Jump to information for visiting scholars (not employed by the University).
If you will be employed by UMB, you are eligible to enroll in a Maryland State Employee medical insurance plan, which you will learn more about in your onboarding session. In addition, you will need to purchase a plan with Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains coverage, because the state plans do not have this coverage.
Because of State of Maryland Benefits rules, the health insurance start date for State of Maryland health plans will be the first of the month following your start date. This is contingent upon you turning in your benefit enrollment forms within 60 days of your start date.
As a J-1, you are required to maintain health insurance during your entire J-1 program. This means that you MUST purchase a short-term plan to cover the time from your J-1 program start date to the effective date for your Maryland Health Plan.
In your first month, purchase one of the following plans:
In your second month and forward:
If you are a visiting scholar, it is your responsibility to purchase a health insurance plan that meets the J-1 regulations. See links to companies that sell this type of health insurance below.
Health care in the United States can be expensive. A person without health insurance is personally liable for ALL health care-related expenses. As such, it is essential (and required by regulation) that all international scholars in the United States have adequate health insurance coverage.
We recommend you watch this six-minute video: Overview of the U.S. Health Care System for International Students
We also have created a more comprehensive guide for you to read: Guide to U.S. Healthcare System
The UMB One Card is your University identification card that will allow you access into UMB buildings and is your ticket to use the UM shuttle service.
If you will be employed by UMB, you will get your One Card during your onboarding session.
If you are a visiting scholar, it is your department's responsibility to put you into the UMB Community System. Once they've placed you in the Community System, you will be able to visit the One Card Office located in the lower level of the SMC Campus Center (621 W. Lombard Street). You will need to show your passport to the One Card Office.
The Health Sciences and Human Services Library is accessible to you once you have your UMB One Card.
The campus recreation center is located on the fourth floor of the SMC Campus Center. If you wish to use the facility, you will need to purchase a membership. Information can be found on the URecFit website. You can also learn about wellness support from URecFit.
Appointment priority is given to students, but the Writing Center has many resources online to assist you in your scientific writing.
We encourage you to take advantage of the many activities offered on the UMB campus! The Elm Calendar is the best place to check what's going on at UMB.
A visa is a stamp that is placed in a passport by a U.S. consular official. Visas serve only one purpose — they allow an individual to travel to the U.S. border to request (re)admission into the United States on a particular immigration status. Visas have no bearing on the length or validity of a person's stay in the United States. However, a valid visa is required to reenter the United States after international travel, with a few exceptions.
Citizens of Canada and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda are exempt from visa requirements; however, they still hold immigration status and are subject to the same laws that govern their immigration status.
An individual’s immigration status is what controls their ability to stay in the United States and the types of activities they are permitted to engage in while in the United States. Immigration status is principally controlled by the I-94. As of May 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is no longer issuing these cards at the port of entry. Rather, you receive a stamp in your passport indicating the status on which you’ve been admitted and for how long you can stay in the United States. You can then access your I-94 information on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
Individuals who are admitted in J-1 status will have I-94 information that reads J-1 D/S (Duration of Status). This means that a J-1 is legally present in the United States provided they have a valid passport, a valid DS-2019 form, and continue to engage in activities that are consistent with their immigration status.
The visa document is what establishes the who, what, where, when, and how of immigration. It lists the biographical data of the individual, the activities they will be undertaking, the location of that activity, the dates of that activity, and the immigration sponsor.
J-1 Exchange Visitors may be subject to the two-year home residency requirement. The two-year home residency requirement bars eligibility from obtaining H, L, or Permanent Residency (PR) visas. It also prohibits a J-1 from changing status inside the United States to another immigration status.
Not all J-1 Exchange Visitors are subject to the two-year home residency requirement.
How does one become subject?
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The University of Maryland, Baltimore is the founding campus of the University System of Maryland.
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