For Prospective J-1 Interns
In order to qualify for the J-1 Intern program at SEAS, prospective interns must meet the following requirements:
Education/Degree Requirements
Interns must currently be enrolled in and pursuing an undergraduate degree at a university outside the United States. Students who have already completed their academic programs are not eligible.
Note: Students who have completed the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree may be hosted as J-1 Short-term Scholars or Research Scholars.
Certification of good academic standing with his/her institution.
Certification that the internship program at SEAS will fulfill the educational objectives for the current degree program and that he/she will continue in the academic program upon completion of the internship.
All requirements will be verified through a signed copy of Home Institution Certification form.
Required Documents
Signed copy of the Home Institution Certification Form where degree is being pursued abroad
Proof of financial funding in English (If not fully funded by GW)
Copy of passport information (biographical page and any U.S. visa page)
Résumé or CV
English Language Requirements
Prospective J-1 interns must provide proof of their proficiency in the English language. This can be done by submitting one of the following test scores to the prospective host faculty member:
TOEFL or Institutional TOEFL exam scores
Academic IELTS scores
For prospective J-1 Interns who have not taken the TOEFL or IELTS, the GW host faculty member can perform the SEAS J-1 Intern English Language Assessment as an equivalent evaluation of the intern's English proficiency.
Evidence of Financial Support
The intern must be able to document financial support in the amount of $2,000 USD per month in minimum funding. Additional funding is required for any dependents. Documents must be in English or accompanied by English translation. This may be in the form of any of the following:
Bank letter signed by a bank official on bank stationary or with a recent bank statement showing available funds
Letter of sponsorship to the bank statement if sponsored by a family member
Contract or an award letter from a sponsoring organization or institution indicating the dates that the intern's expenses will be covered and the amount of funding provided
Contract letter if funded by the university
Routing of DS-7002 form
Upon completion of the DS-7002 form by the host faculty member, the intern should:
- Complete and sign page one of the document under Section 3: Contract Agreement, Trainee/Intern.
Receive a signature from the SEAS Dean and/or Academic Advisor on the Home Institution Certification Form
Send the Training/Internship Placement Plan with all required supporting documents to the SEAS Office of Graduate Admissions & Student Services at engineering
gwu [dot] edu (engineering[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Receiving the DS-2019
Upon submission of all aforementioned documents, the intern will receive the original DS-2019 and a final signed copy of the DS-7002 needed to apply for a J-1 visa. The intern is then required to:
Review the DS-2019 for any errors
Pay the SEVIS fee of $180 online at least three business days before the date of the visa interview
Complete the DS-160 visa application form and schedule a visa interview at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate
Ensure the U.S. embassy/consulate processes the J-1 visa stamp and attaches it to the passport
Research and select a health insurance plan that meets J-1 health insurance requirements
Mandatory Immigration Check-in at GW and Orientation
The U.S. Department of State requires that all J-1 visitors check in with the university's International Services Office (ISO) by the DS-2019 Start Date. If the intern does not check-in on time, the Department of State will terminate the intern’s SEVIS status and he or she will not be eligible to engage in the intern program at GW or remain legally in the U.S.
If the intern is unable to arrive at the ISO by the DS-2019 start date, the department should promptly notify ISO to protect the visa status of the incoming intern.
What to Bring to Check-In
Immigration documents: Passport with J-1 visa, DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility
Evidence of insurance meeting at least the minimum U.S. Department of State requirements
U.S residential address and U.S. mailing addresses, if different