For Host Faculty Members
REQUIREMENTS:
The Intern program as set forth in an individualized Training Placement Plan (T/IPP) is a structured work-based learning program that:
Reinforces a student’s ongoing academic degree program at a foreign institution (not eligible after graduation).
Exposes the intern to American techniques, methodologies and expertise and expands his/her knowledge/skills
Enhances the intern’s knowledge of American culture and society;
Has a minimum of 3 weeks and maximum duration of 12 months (with no extension permitted).
The internship is full-time (minimum of 32 hours a week) and no more than 20% of the tasks can be clerical;
Internships involving in any type of clinical, patient care or contact or therapy are not eligible (e.g., sports or physical therapy, psychological counseling, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, social work, speech therapy, early childhood education).
Internship must meet all requirements of the Fair Labor standard Act. In addition, programs must not displace "American workers" (including full or part-time, temporary or permanent) and must "exist solely to assist trainees and interns in achieving the objectives of their participation in training and internship programs."
Must maintain health insurance during the entire program that meets State Department minimum requirements.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERN:
J-1 Sponsors must ensure that a prospective Intern has verifiable English language skills sufficient to function on a day-to-day basis in the internship environment. English language proficiency must be verified by the following:
- TOEFL or Institutional TOEFL exam scores
- Academic IELTS scores
For those prospective J-1 Interns who have not taken the TOEFL or IELTS, the GW host faculty member can complete the SEAS J-1 Intern English Language Assessment.
LENGTH OF INTERN PROGRAM
The minimum length of an Intern program is 3 weeks; the maximum duration is 12 months per degree program. No extensions beyond the 12 months are permitted. However, the 12 months can be divided into smaller time periods during a student’s degree program. Participation after completing the degree is not permitted.
If an extension request is made on behalf of an Intern, a completed Student Intern Evaluation must be submitted with the request for a program extension along with a new DS-7002 T/IPP form.
The internship program must be full-time with a minimum of 32 hours a week.
EVALUATIONS
Regulations require the GW sponsoring faculty to complete a written evaluation for each Intern’s performance within the 15 day period prior to the conclusion of the internship. For programs lasting more than 6 months a midpoint evaluation is also required within 15 days of the midpoint mark. The evaluation must be forwarded to ISO for required records subject to DOS audit. The final evaluation is due to ISO before the Intern leaves the U.S.
ON CAMPUS PRIVILEGES
Interns are not GWU students. Therefore, they may not have access to on campus privileges enjoyed by GWU students; although they must be continuing students in their home countries. They do not need to register for classes although they may enroll as part-time, non-degree-seeking students at GWU. This will be infrequent since student interns must be employed full time, 32 hours or more, and will not normally have time to take courses.
Host faculty members can request for Interns to receive a GWorld card so they can have access to certain buildings and facilities needed for their time at GW. The Office of Graduate Admissions can request for the creation of the GWid and GWorld Card to be created after the Intern has arrived on campus.
NOTICE OF DEPARTURE
Sponsoring professors and Student Interns are responsible to notify ISO of the Student Intern’s departure at the completion of the program. If the Student Intern’s program is not properly closed with immigration it could lead to complications for the Student Intern in future visits to the United States.
EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS
The J-1 Intern is approved for the specific academic department, Training/Internship Program Plan, and dates listed on the initial J-1 Student Intern application. The Intern is NOT authorized to change programs without authorization from ISO; this restriction includes interning in a different department within GWU or changing internship duties. If there is a change in the training plan for the Student Intern, the department must notify ISO immediately.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS GW HOST FACULTY MEMBER MUST SUBMIT:
DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan (T/IPP): must be completed and signed by the faculty supervisor, the prospective Intern and by the International Services Office.
ROUTING of DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan
The GWU Intern Form DS-7002 should be routed as follows:
GW Faculty Supervisor prepares a Training/Internship Placement Plan and completes DS-7002, Section 1, Participant Information, Section 2: Site of Activity Information, Section 4: Training/Internship Placement Plan.
GWU Faculty Supervisor then forwards a copy to the Office of Graduate Admissions and they will facilitate signatures from prospective intern
Note: Sign on page 1 under Section 3: Contract Agreement, Supervisor and not on page 2 as Sponsor/Responsible Officer. ISO signs as Sponsor/Responsible Officer. Original signatures (blue ink) are required from the Faculty supervisor and ISO Responsible Officer to facilitate J-1 visa issuance.
TRAINING/INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT PLAN TIPS
The Training Plan (Form DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan) is a Department of State form that is required for the intern to obtain a visa. Please consider the following guidelines when filling out the training form:
Phases: the Training Form asks that the internship program be broken down into several phases:
Page 2 of the Training Plan should be printed as often as necessary to describe the internship program phases.
The internship should include both an introduction/orientation phase and a concluding / wrap-up phase – each less than one month long.
Each “middle” phase should be no more than 3-4 months long.
Syllabus / Tasks – the Training Form asks for specific tasks the intern will undertake. The J-1 intern program is designed for “work based learning” rather than actual employment. It is important that the intern not have direct responsibility for any given task. This can be reflected on the training form by using language such as: Assisting with, Learning, Observing, Participating in, Coordinating in conjunction with, or Reviewing.