International Students

Special Considerations for J-1 Visa Holders

International students come to our programs with a J-1 Visa for Trainees. The purpose of this Visa is to provide international participants with opportunities for professional development, insight into U.S. know-how, and a greater understanding of U.S. society and culture.

J-1 Trainees 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 training program. 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.

International J-1 Visa holders must comply with the following additional requirements:

J1 VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

In order to qualify for a J-1 Visa you must:

1. Have at least two years of education, training, or work experience in a field related to the training,
   
   
2. Know English well enough to perform successfully in the proposed position.
   
   
3. Plan to leave the U.S. within 30 days after completion of the program.
   
   
4. Have not held the J-1 Visa in the Trainee category before.
   
   
5. Engage in training and not perform work ordinarily performed by staff members of the organization.
   

Once you are accepted into our programs, we will send you the J-1 Visa form, DS-2019, along with other important material. To process your J-1 Visa, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Go to the State Department's website: https://www.fmjfee.com/instr_yes.jhtml to pay the SEVIS fee.
   
   
2. Obtain your payment receipt, call the local US Consulate and make an appointment to obtain the J1 visa Stamp on your passport.
   
   
3. On the date of the appointment , submit the Form DS-2019 along with your other application materials.
   
   
4. 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 four or more weeks in some countries.
   
   
5. Once you obtain your J-1 Visa, you may then travel to the U.S. to begin your program

Back To Top

English Proficiency

International trainees are required to take the TOEFL exam and score 213 or higher (550 in the previous scale). For trainees that would like to improve their written and oral English skills, The Washington Center offers a one month intensive class prior to commencing The Washington Center's on-the-job training program. This class is taught through our strategic partner Kaplan, one of the leading providers of language education in the U.S. and abroad. Kaplan has served over 3 million students over the past 65 years and its preparation classes help to build confidence and overall competence in English and prepare for the professional setting of the on-the-job training experience.

We encourage students that would like to improve their language skills to take these classes a few months prior to starting The Washington Center's programs. The cost of the one-month intensive class is $1,280 in addition to The Washington Center's program cost. If you are interested in taking this class, please check the appropriate box in the application form and visit www.kaplan.com

Back To Top

Health Insurance

The State Department states that international students (coming with a J1 Visa) must 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

Our recommendation is the following coverage:

• Premium Amount Benefit: $100,000
• Deductible: $100

This is more than the State Department requires but it will save you money if you have an emergency; and the difference is about $15 per month compared to the minimum required by the State Department.

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.

Please plan to obtain a health insurance policy that meets these requirements.

If you would like to acquire health insurance in the United States, and are interested in the IMG coverage (from Creative Benefit Solutions) should purchase it directly through this website.

The cost of the health insurance policy provided by Creative Benefit Solutions is approximately $50 per month but it varies depending on the coverage and your personal profile.

Back To Top

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:

1. Pay the tuition fee as soon as you are accepted into participate in the program : 50% of tuition fee must be paid in advance, before arriving to the United States, and the remaining 50% during the first week of the program.
   
   
2. 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).
   
   
3. 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.

Back To Top

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.

 

Back To Top