J-1 Students

Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important  documents in a safe place, such as a bank safe-deposit box. Report a lost or  s tolen passport to the police because your government may require a police report  before issuing a new passport. To renew or replace your passport, contact your  country’s consulate in the U.S.

Visa (Foil)

The visa is the foil (sometimes called a sticker or stamp) that the U.S. consular officer placed on a page in your  passport. The visa permitted you to apply for admission into the U.S. as an J-1  student, and does not need to remain valid while you are in the U.S. Visas can only be obtained outside  of the U.S. at a U.S. consulate.  Note: Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa. 

If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., the next time you travel abroad  you must obtain a new J-1 visa before returning to the U.S. You do not need to  depart the U.S. due to visa expiration.

DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility"

Issued by WVU, this document allows you to apply for an J-1 visa if you are outside  the U.S, apply for J-1 status within the U.S., enter and reenter the U.S. in J -1 status, and prove your eligibility for various J-1 benefits. The DS-2019 i ndicates the institution in which you are permitted to study, your program of study, and the dates of eligibility. 

The DS-2019 must  remain valid at all times. Request an extension prior to its expiration date.  Allowing  the DS-2019 to expire before you complete your academic program is a violation of  J -1 status.  

The DS-2019 is a printout from your  SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) record. SEVIS is  an internet-based database that allows schools and federal immigration agencies  to exchange data on the status of international students. Information is transmitted  electronically throughout an J-1 student’s academic career in the U.S. Each  student has a unique SEVIS ID number, which is printed on your DS-2019 in the top   left corner.

I-94 (Arrival/Departure Form)

Paper Form I-94

If you have a paper Form I-94, regulations require that those individuals holding  non-immigrant (temporary) visa status turn their I-94 arrival/departure record  card when leaving the U.S. if you have an I-94 that was attached in your passport.  Failure to do that will result in the departure not being recorded properly in  Department of Homeland Security (DHS) system and the individual being regarded  as overstaying his/her authorized stay. This can have serious consequences on future entry into the U.S.

Online Form I-94

The issuance of I-94 arrival/departure record cards is now electronic for air and sea travelers. Once a student enters the U.S, a paper I-94 card will not be issued  at the point of entry (for air and sea travelers). Students will have to access  the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website to print out the paper copy  of their I-94 card for their records. The Form I-94 is required for processing  social security cards and Driver Licenses. To obtain your I-94, you can visit  CBP's I-94 website, click  on "get most recent I-94," enter your passport information,  and print. 

More information concerning the Form I-94 can be found on the CBP website. 

Students in J-1 status are responsible for learning, understanding, and complying with U.S. federal laws and regulations governing the J visa. Failure to do so will violate the scholar’s legal status in the United States.  Summaries for many of the rules and regulations for J-1 students can be found on back of the Form DS-2019. Additional information about maintaining your J-1 status here -  https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/current . 

Due to recent US Department of Homeland Security guidance, we cannot send or give DS-2019s to extended family members, friends, or third parties. They must sent or given directly to the primary beneficiary (J-1) or dependent (J-2). If you wish to pick up your DS-2019, you must bring an ID.  

US Immigration Regulations for J-1 Students

To maintain in good standing with your student status at WVU you must take at least 12 credit hours per the fall/spring semesters at the undergraduate level and meet all the WVU requirements. At the graduate level full course of study is defined by your college but usually 9 credit hours per the fall/spring semesters.  Please note: If you begin your studies at the beginning of the summer semester (May), you must be enrolled full-time for the summer semester (12 credit hours for undergraduate & 9 credit hours for graduate). If you begin your studies during the second half of summer, you must be enrolled for 6 credit hours undergraduate/graduate to be considered full-time.

Permission to register less than full-time (see below) must be obtained through International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS). Please note that your Academic Advisor must complete the form before we can complete this request.

Online Classes (Distance Education) Limits

No more than the equivalent of one  on-line/distance education class or 3 credits per session/semester may count towards the “full course of study” requirement per semester.

Academic Integrity

The American classroom culture and expectations are very different from most of the other countries. Plagiarism, (taking someone else’s ideas and claiming them to be your own) is considered  cheating and can lead to suspension or expulsion. Using someone else’s ideas in written work is permitted as long as you give the originator of the idea their due credit through proper citation.

To learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it, visit: 

• Plagiarism Avoidance Tutorial 
• WVU's Academic Standards Resources

Request drop below full-time 

To obtain permission to drop below a full course of study for academic or medical reasons (see form for details), you must complete a request for a  Reduced Course Load (RCL) before the beginning of the semester for which you are requesting it. You will need to upload:

1. A  recommendation form from your Academic Advisor
2. If applicable - a letter from your licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist explaining the need for you to drop below full-time or withdraw from all classes

J-1 visa holders must depart the U.S. within 30 days of DS-2019 expiration date or completion of program/degree requirements (if not applying for Academic Training), whichever is earlier.

Sometimes, and for a variety of reasons, students leave the university early or unexpectedly. Some of these reasons include early graduation, completion of practical training, leave of absence, suspension, or expulsion. U.S. federal regulations require J-1 students to inform their International Student Advisor in ISSS if they plan to leave the university before the expiration date of their DS-2019 form as well as the reason for doing so. Please send us an email at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu.