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Employment After Completion of Academic Program

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

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.

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.