Scholar Status Basics

Upon arrival in the U.S., all J-1 Scholars are REQUIRED to complete a Scholar Check-In/Status Verification process with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office.  To begin this process, you must schedule a scholar check-in appointment with an ISSS advisor (who serves as a Responsible Officer [“RO”] for the USF Exchange Visitor Program). During this appointment, the ISSS advisor will review your responsibilities and resources as a a J-1 Scholar at USF.  

You must submit the following documents for you (and any accompanying J-2 dependents) to ISSS no later than 10 days after your arrival in the United States: 

1. Passport
2. DS-2019 form (which has been stamped by a U.S. customs officer at your port of entry)
3. I-94 online record
4. U.S. residential address information and phone number
5. Evidence of medical insurance coverage for the duration of your exchange program that meets the U.S. Department of State’s insurance requirements for exchange visitors (see the “HEALTH INSURANCE” section below).

Note: This check-in/status verification process is required in order for USF to be able to validate your exchange program participation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is a condition of maintaining your legal presence in the United States.

• J-1 Scholars and their dependents must have current passports at all times (unless otherwise allowed by country-specific agreements). Failure to maintain a valid passport can be considered being out of status.
• You are required to have a valid and unexpired Form DS-2019. If your DS-2019 is close to expiring and you are interested in extending your stay in the U.S., you must make an appointment to see an ISSS advisor.
• If you plan to travel outside of the United States during your program, you need to request a travel endorsement on your DS-2019. Travel endorsement signatures are valid for 6 months. You are encouraged to speak with your ISSS advisor to discuss required documentation and considerations for international travel.
• J-1 Scholars and their dependents need to immediately report any change of personal information to the ISSS office. Examples are a change of address or change of legal name.

All J Visa Exchange visitors (including J-1 Scholars) are REQUIRED as a condition of maintaining their J-1 status in the United States to carry health insurance for themselves and their accompanying family members. Failure on your part to maintain the required insurance throughout your stay in the United States will result in the termination of your exchange program. By government regulation, minimum coverage must provide:

• up to $100,000 per accident or illness
• up to $25,000 for repatriation of remains
• up to $50,000 for medical evacuation to the home country; and
• a “deductible” not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

The company providing the insurance must have an A.A. Best rating of “A-” or higher, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of “A-1” or higher, a Standard & Poor’s Claims-Paying Ability rating of “A-” or higher, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of “B+” or higher.

J Visa Exchange Visitors and their dependents may be subject to having health insurance coverage that meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act [22 CFR 62.14(a)]. 

In addition to the J Visa Exchange Visitor requirements, USF also requires that the health insurance policy be underwritten in the United States.  

J-1 Scholars who do not obtain their own insurance before arriving at USF should have the funds available to purchase it, for themselves and their dependents, no later than the day they arrive on campus.

In the United States certain kinds of elective medical care, such as eyeglasses or dentistry, are ordinarily not covered by insurance, and they are very expensive. To the extent possible, J-1 Scholars should take care of such needs before leaving home.

The health insurance requirements for J Visa Exchange Visitors can be difficult to understand and J-1 Scholars should ensure that their selected health insurance plan meets these requirements BEFORE purchasing. Below is a short list of companies that offer plans that meet these requirements. USF does not endorse any specific plans, and J-1 Scholars should research health insurance plans independently.

• Compass Student Insurance: https://www.studenthealthusa.com/ 
• International Student Insurance: https://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/j1student/
• IMG Insurance: https://www.imglobal.com/international-student-health-insurance
• ISO Insurance: https://www.isoa.org/

Please contact the ISSS office if you have any questions about purchasing health insurance.

J-1 Scholars are permitted to work at the site(s) of activity as described on their Form DS-2019. Accepting additional employment must be authorized by the USF in accordance with J-1 Scholar regulations. If additional employment is authorized by USF, additional sites of activity need to be added to your SEVIS record and a new DS-2019 will be printed reflecting the new J-1 Scholar site(s) of activity. Please see an ISSS advisor if you are considering accepting additional employment. Failure to obtain authorization for additional employment will result in the loss of your J-1 status.

Your permission to stay in the United States ends on the date shown on your I-94 online record. Your permission to stay will expire 30 days after "To" date shown in item three (3) of your Form DS-2019.

If an extension is necessary, be sure to arrange it ahead of time by contacting the ISSS office at least two months before the "To" date shown on your Form DS-2019. The ISSS office will work with your sponsoring department to determine the details of your extension. Be aware that you must extend your stay before the "To" date shown on your DS-2019. Once this date has passed, you may not extend your stay. Consult an ISSS advisor for details.

A J-1 scholar who is planning to transfer to another J-1 program in the United States must make an appointment with an ISSS advisor at least 30 days before the "To" date shown on their DS-2019. Since eligibility to transfer to a J-1 program at another institution involves many factors and close coordination between the two institutions, speaking with an ISSS advisor well in advance is critical. J-1 scholars may not transfer after the "To" date shown on their DS-2019 has passed.