Some international students qualify for J-1 student status. This is a nonimmigrant status primarily for students coming to the United States as exchange visitors. If this is the case for you, we will send you a Form DS-2019 instead of Form I-20 after you complete the required steps in your Atlas checklist.
About J-1 student status
Applying for a J-1 visa
You will need to apply for a J-1 visa stamp after you receive your Form DS-2019 from us. There are four primary steps:
- Pay your SEVIS fee
- Schedule your visa appointment
- Get your documentation ready
- Prepare for your interview
Already have a current immigration status?
I already have J-1 status
If you are already studying at a school in the U.S. and you have J-1 status, then you need to apply for a SEVIS transfer. We will need to work with your current school to move your record to IU.
I already have a different immigration status
If you already have an immigration status that is not J-1 but you want to change your status to J-1, we can help you. The process takes several months for the U.S. government to process, so you should start as early as possible.