International Students

Special Considerations for J-1 Visa Holders

International students come to our programs with a J-1 Visa for Trainees or Interns.  The purpose of this Visa is to provide international participants with opportunities for professional development, insight into American know-how in the field of training, and a greater understanding of American society and culture. J-1 Trainees and Interns are expected to share the cross-cultural and professional knowledge they have gained in the U.S. upon return to their home country at the end of the internship.  The J-1 Visa Program is not intended to immigrate into the U.S. and/or to fill the position of a regular staff member in the U.S.  In order to obtain a J1 Visa you must apply and be accepted into our programs and:

• Have at least two years of education, training, or work experience in a field related to the training,
• Knows English well enough to perform successfully in the proposed position.
• Plan to leave the U.S. within 30 days after completion of the program.
• Have not held the J-1 Visa in the Trainee category before.
• Engage in training and do not perform work that staff member of the company would.

Applying for the J-1 Visa and Making Travel Plans:

1. Submit the complete application before the deadline.  TWC will notify you if you have been accepted, once accepted, pay the indicated amount.
   
   
2. TWC will send you the DS-2019 and DS-7002 Form along with other important material
   
   
3. Make an appointment at the local US Consulate with jurisdiction over your place of permanent residence.  Canadian students can obtain the visa at the point of entry. 
   
   
4. On the date of the appointment, submit the Forms DS-2019 and DS-7002 along with your other application materials.
   
   
5. We suggest you keep your travel plans flexible while your visa application is being processed. The U.S. embassy or consulate provides no guarantee that the J-1 Visa will be issued to you, and the processing time may take up to four or more weeks in some countries.
   
   
6. Once you obtain your J-1 Visa, you may then travel to the U.S. to begin your Program

 Once you had been accepted, here you’ll find additional information about the J1 visa

Source: U.S. State Department

English Proficiency

International participants are required to take the TOEFL exam and score 550 for the Paper-Based Test or 80 for the Internet-Based Test.  Official equivalent exams, for example the IELTS, are also accepted.

The TOEFL exam requirement can be waived in case of students that can demonstrate more than 1 year of full-time studies in English.  These students will be interviewed on the telephone to confirm their proficiency level.

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Health Insurance

The State Department requires that international students (coming with a J-1 Visa) have a health insurance coverage that includes the following:

• Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness
• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500
• Expenses associated with the medical evacuation to my home country in the amount of $10,000
• A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness

 The insurance provider must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Be underwritten by an insurance corporation with one of the following ratings: an A.M. Best rating of "A-"or above, or an Insurance Solvency International Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-i" or above, or a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Weiss Research Inc. rating of "B+" or above, or a corresponding rating from the United States Information Agency.
  
  
• Be backed by the full faith and credit of the government of your home country or be offered through or underwritten by a federally qualified Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or eligible Competitive Medical Plan (CMP), as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

You are required to obtain a health insurance policy that meets these requirements prior to your arrival to Washington D.C. Our recommendation is that you choose coverage of at least $100,000 for the premium benefit with a deductible of $100.  This is a better policy than the one required by the State Department, but it will save you money if you have an emergency.  The difference in the premium would be approximately $15 per month compared to the minimum required by the State Department.

If you would like to purchase a health insurance policy in the United States, please look for providers that offer short term coverage for international students. 

One of these providers is IMG.  If you are interested in IMG’s coverage, please go to this website.  The cost of their health insurance policy is approximately $50 per month but it varies depending on the coverage and your personal profile.

Please note that The Washington Center does not endorse any health insurance providers, and is not responsible for any claims or outstanding issues with providers.

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Funds Availability

The Department of State requires that international applicants demonstrate that they have funds to cover the cost of the program plus the expenses associated with it. In order to comply with this requirement you must:

• Pay the tuition fee as soon as you are accepted in the program: 50% of tuition fee must be paid as soon as you are accepted, and the remaining 50% before the start of the program.

• Show a financial bank statement to the US Embassy: In order to obtain your J-1 visa some U.S Embassies might ask you for a financial bank statement indicating that you have funds to cover the cost of the program (or a letter from your sponsor indicating that the sponsoring agency will cover the costs).
  
  
• Present a valid credit card number as a deposit: This will only be used in case of default of the housing payment. Housing payment is due during the first week of the program.
  
  

State Departments Home Country Physical Presence Requirement

The intent of the J-1 Visa is to have your home country benefit from your experience as an exchange visitor in the United States. This requirement is intended to prevent a participant from staying longer than necessary. It also ensures that participants spend at least two years in their home country before coming back to the United States for a long-term stay, if their funding was provided by a government or government agency.

You will be subject to this requirement if:

• Your participation in an exchange program was financed, directly or indirectly, by the United States government or a foreign government for purpose of exchange.
• The skills that you are coming to develop or exercise, are in a field which your "home" government requested be included on the State Department skills list.
• You come to the United States to receive "graduate medical education or training."

An exchange visitor may request that the two-year home country physical presence requirement be waived by requesting a statement from the exchange visitor's home country indicating that it has no objection to the waiver or if the exchange visitor fears persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion.

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