A student-intern is an international student enrolled in a university abroad who comes to the University of Minnesota for the purpose of training in their major.
Get Started
Determine Eligibility
Begin to determine eligibility three months prior to the student-intern's expected start date.
UMN Department
- Faculty mentor reviews UMN Faculty Mentor Responsibilities webpage.
- Sends prospective Student-Intern the Prospective Student-Intern Eligibility form to determine if they meet the basic eligibility requirements for the J-1 Student-Intern category. The Prospective Student-Intern returns the completed eligibility form to Department.
- Verifies English language proficiency by completing the English Proficiency Requirement form and collecting documentation.
- Completes the DS-7002 Information form.
- Department completes the Student-Intern Administrative Fee form for deposit if program is eligible.
- UMN Department sends completed documents to ISSS by email to [email protected] with a subject of “Prospective Student-Intern Eligibility Documents.”
ISSS J-1 Advisor
- Notifies Department of Student-Intern eligibility or, if necessary, other visa categories or types.
- Upon approval, J-1 Advisor enters DS-7002 data in SEVIS, then prints, signs, and dates DS-7002.
- J-1 Advisor emails DS-7002 to Department with instructions to begin Step 2 (below).
UMN Faculty Mentor signs and dates completed DS-7002 (Supervisor line, page 4) and sends to Student-Intern to sign and date (Trainee/Intern line, page 1).
Complete and Collect Documents
Begin this step two months prior to the student-intern's expected start date.
UMN Department
- Completes Host Department Application to Receive a Student-Intern form, including signatures from faculty supervisor and department head
- Writes Invitation/Offer Letter for prospective Student-Intern (see Guidelines for Writing the Invitation/Offer Letter for J-1 Student-Interns)
Student-Intern submits to UMN Department
- Signed DS-7002
- Financial support documentation, if necessary
- Copy of ID page of valid passport
- Signed Statement of Responsibilities
- Completed and signed letter from academic dean or advisor at home university
- J-2 Dependent application and passport ID pages, if necessary
Submit Complete Application Packet to ISSS
Department emails the following to [email protected] with a subject of “Student-Intern application for [name of Student-Intern]”
- All Student-Intern documents in Step 2
- Completed and signed Host Department Application to Receive a Student-Intern form
- Signed invitation/offer letter
- Student-Intern Departmental Administrative Fee form
Pre-Arrival
Final Preparation of Visa Documentation Packet
J-1 Advisor prepares the DS-2019 and visa documentation packet, including the DS-7002 signed by all parties. This step takes two to three weeks for processing. ISSS notifies the department that packet is ready for pick up in 190 Humphrey.
- Twin Cities campus departments: Pick up the DS-2019 at ISSS, review it, and mail it to the Student-Intern.
- Other campus departments: ISSS will FedEx the visa documentation packet, including original DS-2019 and copy of DS-7002 with all signatures, to your campus. Your department then mails the visa documentation packet to the Student-Intern.
Student-Intern must have the original DS-2019 to apply for their visa and enter the U.S. They should not use a copy. They must have a copy of the DS-7002 as well. It is recommended to send the visa documentation packet via FedEx or another private carrier to help ensure timely delivery.
Student-Intern Applies for J-1 Visa Abroad
The Student-Intern receives from the visa documentation packet including the DS-2019 Form and the DS-7002 Form. Student-Intern pays the SEVIS Fee and goes to the U.S. Consulate/Embassy in their home country to apply for the J-1 entry visa.
The Student-Intern needs to bring:
- DS-2019 (must be signed original)
- DS-7002 (can be copy; must have all three signatures)
- Passport
- Proof of Funding/Support (for example, UMN Department support letter, bank statement, etc.)
- UMN Department Letter of Invitation (if the Student-Intern will not receive funding from the UMN)
- Receipt of payment of SEVIS Fee (SEVIS I-901 Fee)
- The Student-Intern should contact the U.S. Consulate/Embassy where they will apply, for further application requirements
Please note: The length of time for the J-1 entry visa to be processed can vary greatly depending on what the current processing times are at the U.S. Consulate/Embassy where the Student-Intern will apply. This can affect their arrival date and when they can begin their program at the UMN. The wait time can range anywhere between 1 week to 3 months or more. Student-Interns should contact the U.S. Consulate/Embassy where they will apply to inquire about current visa processing times.
Travel to the U.S.
The Student-Intern receives a J-1 entry visa in their passport and makes travel arrangements to enter the U.S. At the U.S. border or port of entry, the Student-Intern shows the customs officer:
- Passport with J-1 visa
- Letter of invitation / offer letter from UMN hosting department
- DS-2019
- DS-7002
- Proof of funding/support
Post-Arrival
Complete ISSS Check-In
Immigration regulations require ISSS to report to the government database (SEVIS) the Student-Intern’s arrival at the UMN. Therefore, to maintain J legal status, Student-Interns MUST report to ISSS within 25 days of the start date shown on their DS-2019 form to complete their mandatory Student-Intern Check-In. If a Student-Intern is delayed and cannot meet the reporting requirement, the UMN hosting department should request new DS-2019 dates by submitting the online Initial DS-2019 Amendment form. When Student-Interns report to ISSS, they need to bring all of their visa documents to ISSS.
ISSS also recommends that student-interns attend an orientation to learn about J-1 visa requirements, ISSS services, campus resources, and more.
Purchase Health Insurance
All Student-Interns are required to have University of Minnesota health insurance coverage for the duration of their internship. If the Student-Intern will not receive employment-based University insurance, they will need to contact the Office of Student Health Benefits to purchase the mandatory insurance for themselves and their eligible J-2 dependents. Learn more about health insurance for J-2 dependents.
Apply for a Social Security Number
If the Student-Intern will be paid by the UMN, they should apply for a Social Security Number after their ISSS Student-Intern Check-In. After obtaining an SSN, or if the Student-Intern already has an SSN from previous employment, they are required to present their visa documents to the University's central payroll.