J-1 students are eligible for employment after completion of their academic program using post-completion Academic Training (AT). It must be related to your field of study at UMass Amherst.
If you are applying for AT following the completion of your degree, you must apply BEFORE completing your academic program and start your AT within 30 days of your completion of studies date. We cannot authorize AT if your DS-2019 has already expired.
ISSS will extend your access to UMass Amherst IT credentials including SPIRE for 1-3 years after graduation depending on the duration of your AT. This will permit you to access UMass VIP to report your employment, apply for extensions, etc. If you have any issues or need to reset your NetID passport, please see the UMass IT website guides.
Post-Completion Academic Training
- Must be related to your field of study
- Must be appropriate to your level of education
- Cannot exceed your total time in the J-1 program or specific time limitations
- Cannot be authorized for permanent employment
- You (and your dependents) must
You can find our scheduled AT Workshops on our ISSS events page. Please refer to our AT Presentation along with the information below for more details. If you have any additional questions, email your ISSS advisor.
Eligibility
- Your primary purpose in the U.S. is full-time study
- Your DS-2019 was issued by UMass Amherst and has not expired
- Your proposed Academic Training is related to your field of study
- You are in good academic standing
- You have not used the maximum amount of Academic Training allowed (18-months for undergraduates and Masters students and 36-months for Ph.D. students)
Considerations
- Post-completion AT must be requested prior to your completion of studies date and must start within 30 days of your completion of studies date.
- Your completion of studies is when you have fulfilled all academic requirements (defense students) or the last day of finals (undergraduate and non-thesis masters students). Please keep in mind there is no grace period after your completion of studies to apply for Academic Training.
- Employment may be paid or unpaid
- For unpaid post-completion AT, you must have personal funding to cover the entire length of your AT
- Unemployment is not permitted on post-completion AT
- There can be NO employment gaps between one employer and another.
- You cannot be self-employed while on AT.
- Authorization is employer and time specific
- You CANNOT start post-completion AT without ISSS authorization. You may need to change your start date to accommodate the AT approval process.
- You CANNOT conduct training outside of your approved AT dates or with a different employer. Each AT employer and/or time period needs its own authorization.
- You may have multiple academic training authorizations at one time or back-to-back
- You must maintain adequate medical insurance for yourself (and your dependents) the entire duration of your post-completion AT
Generally authorized for a maximum of 18-months or a period equal to the program of study, whichever is less.
- PhD Students Exception: PhD students who plan to pursue post-doctoral training are permitted a maximum period of 36-months.
- Time limits are cumulative
- Any pre-completion AT will be deducted from the allowable post-completion time and only the months remaining may be used following the completion of a degree.
The Exchange Visitor regulations require all J-1 and J-2 visa holders to maintain medical coverage throughout their stay in the U.S. Your student health insurance will end if you graduate from UMass Amherst; you will need to find additional coverage to start as soon as it has ended. There cannot be any “gap” in insurance coverage between the end of UMass medical coverage and the start of your post-completion AT employment. For questions regarding the end date of your coverage, please contact University Health Services. If your employer does not offer health insurance, you can find alternative coverage here.
Request Post-Completion Academic Trainining
If you are applying for AT following the completion of your degree, you must apply BEFORE completing your program and start AT within 30 days of your completion of studies date. We cannot add AT to DS-2019s that have already expired.
Offer letter on company letterhead (with complete mailing address) that contains ALL the following information:
- The employer's letterhead
- Job title
- A brief description of your job duties
- Number of hours you will work per week
- An exact employment start and end date
- Location where you will be working
- Your salary and related compensation
- Signature of the supervisor, department head, HR representative or appropriate representative of the employer
For Exchange Students Only
- You must present a letter from your home university confirming that the proposed job is related to your field of studies and recommending that you be allowed to accept this opportunity.
The Academic/Faculty Advisor listed on your E-form will be automatically contacted to confirm the academic nature of your proposed training. Even students who have graduated more than 1 year before their post-completion AT request need their UMass Advisor's confirmation. If they are not available, a suitable substitute in your department (such as a Graduate Program Director) is acceptable.
Note: exchange students will upload a letter from their home institution to fulfill this requirement
Each time you end a position while on AT, J-1 regulations require that you must submit an Evaluation E-Form to ISSS. “The sponsor must evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the academic training in achieving the stated goals and objectives in order to ensure the quality of the academic training program.” [22 CFR 62.23(f)(6)]
Q: I’m ending my current employment the authorized Academic Training end date, but I don’t have another employer lined up yet. Is there unemployment time available?
A: No. If you are currently on AT during your program, you will need to update ISSS so we can shorten your AT in SEVIS. Please contact your ISSS advisor as soon as possible.
If you are on post-completion AT, you will need another Academic Training opportunity that immediately begins after your current AT ends. There is no “unemployment and there can be no gap in your Academic Training date
Q: My university medical insurance is ending, and my employer does not offer medical coverage. Do I still need to have this?
A: Yes! Under J-1 regulations all J-1 holders (and their dependents) are required to meet the mandatory medical coverage at all times. There cannot be a gap in your insurance coverage.
Q: I’m currently on a postdoctoral appointment and reaching the 36-month limit of my AT. My employer has offered to extend my Postdoc appointment. Can I switch to another J-1 category, such as Research Scholar?
A: No. After the completion date of your J-1 in your category, you will be required to observe a 12-month bar before you are eligible for a J-1 in Research Scholar or Professor categories. There are no waivers for this. Please consult with your employer for alternate immigration options.
Q: Do I need anything specific to travel?
A: You will need to have your most up to date J-1 DS-2019 with a valid travel signature signed within the past 12-months. Please also carry proof of your affiliation with the employer listed on the DS-2019 such as a contract or offer letter. You may also need to renew your J-1 visa stamp abroad at a U.S. consulate if it has expired for international travel.
Reporting Requirements
Failure to comply with the Academic Training rules and reporting requirements may constitute a J-1 status violation; such violations may have negative consequences for your current immigration status or result in delays and denials of future immigration benefits. Your Academic Training authorization is based upon the job offer you presented to the ISSS. If you leave that employer, start with a new employer, or leave the U.S. and will no longer use AT, you must notify the ISSS.
It is important that you do not begin any employment until you have received a new DS-2019 Form from the ISSS and the start date is current.
You must update SPIRE with your current physical address within 10-days of the change if you move for AT.
If you are changing your status from J-1 to another immigration status such as H-1B, Permanent Residency, etc. please submit this information using the Change of Status E-Form. The ISSS will update SPIRE and your SEVIS immigration record as needed.
J-1 students in the categories of Student Bachelors, Student Masters, Student Doctorate, Student Non-Degree (whose stay exceeds 6 months) will have a 12-month bar on participation in a J-1 status of Research Scholar or Professor.
Please review the information related to the 12-Month Bar and Two-Year Home Country Residency Requirement (212e).