Instructions for Faculty Sponsoring Student Interns

Message from the Associate Director

Nearly all visiting faculty and scholars come to the United States on a J-1 visa specially designed for international educational and cultural exchange visitors. The visa is granted by U.S. consulates on the basis of a DS-2019 form provided by WSU or a sponsoring agency. J-1 student interns are normally admitted to the U.S. 

• If you would like to bring a student intern to WSU, you need to begin the paperwork at least four months prior to the scholar's anticipated arrival date.
• The university does not have any housing specifically set aside for visiting international scholars, nor does WSU have anyone who locates housing for scholars. On campus housing is available (See the Housing page). UCIE can give suggestions about where to begin a search, but finding housing is ultimately left up to the scholar. Language barriers, coupled with the shortage of short-term lease apartments, can make it difficult for a foreign scholar to find housing, so any assistance you can offer would be essential! Many scholars stay in a hotel for a few days while they locate housing. (We recommend the Extended Stay on Col. Glenn -- ask for a WSU rate.)
• It is also up to you to determine how your student intern gets to campus from the airport; many scholars think that they can just take a taxi, not realizing just how far the airport is from WSU. If you choose not to pick your student intern up from the airport, you will need to let him/her know how to catch a shuttle (and you may need to make a reservation).
• If a student intern is hoping to make meaningful connections while at WSU, as a "host" you are the starting point and can really set the tone for the experience.

If you have any questions about how to bring a visiting international scholar to campus, please contact the UCIE Office (775-5745).

URGENT MESSAGE TO SPONSORING WSU FACULTY MEMBERS:      Please Note:   During length of appointment for your J visa scholar’s appointment at Wright State University, if at any time you are aware of unusual circumstances or controversies involving your scholar - you should bring these concerns to the attention of the WSU/UCIE staff person who created the DS-2019 visa eligibility form for the scholar (see form item #7 in order to identify this WSU contact person).  Upon receiving your information, your WSU/UCIE contact person will attempt to resolve these problems/concerns.   If the person who issued your DS-2019 cannot resolve these problems/concerns satisfactorily, you may request that you be provided with a Dept. of State email address where you can bring your complaint/concern to the attention of the DOS officer in charge of these type concerns.  The US Dept. of State (DOS) is concerned about any incidents which might bring the J Exchange Visitor program into notoriety or disrepute, including any potential litigation against the EV program.  Please call the UCIE office phone (937)775-5745 for assistance in making arrangements for this contact/meeting appointment.

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Steps for Faculty

The following steps are intended to be used as a checklist, broken down into paperwork that needs to be completed by the resident WSU faculty member.

1. Official Invitation Letter
2. Official Appointment Letter
3. Fill out initial DS7002 request form (For student interns) *
4. Certificate on English Proficiency Form
5. Health Insurance
6. WSU Identification Card

* When completing the DS-7002, this form must be signed by the host faculty member and UCIE prior for being sent to the student intern (with the form DS-2019)

Additional Forms

• Official Invitation Letter Addendum Form
• DS7002 (Example completed form)
• Training Internship Placement Plan Form (DS7002 Form)
• Request to Waive English Proficiency Score

 

Official Invitation Letter (for non-employees only)

The first step in bringing a visiting scholar to WSU is writing him/her an official letter of invitation. This letter should detail the nature of the research the scholar will conduct, and specifically what the department will be able to offer to the scholar. It should explain whether or not the department will be able to offer office space, staff assistance, departmental facilities, salary and or stipend, and the agreed length of stay/dates scholar will be on campus. The invitation letter (which includes the "addendum" PDF described below) must have the college Dean's signature.

Please also add the text below toward the end of your inviation letter or preferably as an attachement to your offer letter:

In addition to the above information contained in this invitation letter please read carefully the Supplemental Attachment (Addendum) appended to this invitation letter containing the additional terms and conditions governing your stay at Wright State University to which you must signify your agreement by signing and dating your signature on the Supplemental Attachment and returning the a scanned and signed copy of the Attachment to the University, along with your acceptance letter.

• Download Addendum to Invitation (Fillable PDF)
  This Supplemental Attachement "Addendum" file can be saved and printed if opened in Acrobat Reader. Opening the file directly in a web browser such as Chrome or Firefox may prevent you from editing, saving, or printing this form.

 

Official Appointment (for scholars who well be paid WSU employees)

All visiting scholars, regardless of the immigration arrangements that are made for them, must have an official University appointment indicating they have an academic relationship to WSU. For those scholars who will not be paid by the University, the appropriate appointment is generally "WSU Affiliate – Visiting Scholar – Non-Employee." Any scholar who will be on the University payroll should be appointed according to the WSU-HR specifications of their HR contract with the specific department.

 

Fill Out Initial DS7002 Request Form (For Scholars and Faculty)

Departments and divisions which will be employing a visiting international student intern must have an approved WSU financial services plan before WSU can process any immigration documents. To bring a student intern on a J-1 visa, a faculty member must make what is called an "Initial Request for a DS-2019" from UCIE. This form has many specific questions on it pertaining to the scholar's personal bio data. The faculty sponsor may need to email (or FAX) the prospective scholar specific questions in order to fill out this form.

To fill out the request, the faculty member will need to know the following for the primary applicant and/or dependent/s:

• Last Name (as spelled in passport) First Name (as spelled in passport)
• Date of Birth
• Country of Birth
• Country of Citizenship Relationship to Primary Applicant
• City of Birth 
• Nationality
• Country of Legal Permanent Residence
• Position in Country of Residence
• Gender
• U.S. Address, if available

Also, UCIE must be able to verify financial arrangements (if sponsored by a program, then a letter of sponsorship; if using personal funds, it is often in form of bank account statement). After completing this form, please submit request to WSU – UCIE Office, Room 334, Student Union.

 

Certificate of English Proficiency Form

This form is intended to document the individual's level of English Proficiency for the J-1 visa application process. This form should be signed by the host faculty. The department should forward this completed form and supporting documentation to the UCIE office.

 

Health Insurance

The faculty sponsor or other person within the division in the graduate department (requesting the DS-2019 document) is responsible for informing visiting scholars about this requirement, since it involves the scholar's financial arrangements. UCIE has information on health insurance policies for international visitors.

 

Wright State University Identification Card

If someone is affiliated with your department/organization and needs to have a Wright1 Card issued for any reason, please fill out the Affiliate Card Authorization Form (see Scholar Orientation booklet). Have your affiliate bring the form to the Wright1 Card Center, Student Union, when they are ready to have their card printed. The cost of each card is $5 that can be charged to either the affiliate or department.