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The Exchange Visitor Program, administered by the U.S. Department of State, is used to bring to the United States students, trainees, teachers, professors, international visitors, alien physicians, government visitors, research scholars, short-term scholars, specialists, camp counselors, participants in summer student travel/work, and participants in au pair programs. Cal Poly is currently authorized to sponsor students, professors, research scholars and short-term scholars. The Exchange Visitor Program and its J-1 visa are distinguished from all other nonimmigrant visa classes by its underlying philosophy of educational and cultural exchange and its fostering of international understanding.
Departments wishing to sponsor a professor, research scholar or short-term scholar through the Exchange Visitor Program should refer to the J-1 Visa Processing Guidelines for details on the entire process and complete instructions. The Exchange Visitor will need to complete a Cal Poly J-1 Visa Applicant Info Form.
Exchange Visitor Categories:
The following are brief descriptions of the J-1 categories. Although a department may request a certain category for an Exchange Visitor (EV), Employment Equity & Faculty Recruitment will make the final determination of the appropriate category for the EV.
Professor: is an individual primary teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting a post-secondary accredited educational institutions, museums, libraries, or similar types of institutions. A professor may also conduct research, unless disallowed by the sponsor.
Departments should note that the J-1 participant shall not be a candidate for a tenure track position. Although the position may be a permanent position at Cal Poly, the department and the exchange visitor (EV) must agree that the EV's time in the position will be temporary. The maximum length of stay for a J-1 professor is 3 years. The Employment Equity & Faculty Recruitment Office "may grant an extension of up to 6 additional months . . . if the extension is for good cause for the purpose of providing time necessary to complete teaching and research responsibilities. These responsibilities might include teaching the final quarter or semester of courses, completing and writing up the results of a research project, or presenting findings at a professional or scientific meeting."[22 CFR 514.20(i) and (j)] Requests for extensions beyond 6 months be approved by the Department of State.
Research Scholar: is an individual primarily conducting research, observing, or consulting in connection with a research project institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited educational institutions, or similar types of institutions. The research scholar may also teach or lecture, unless disallowed by the sponsor.
Professors and research scholars may be sponsored as exchange visitors only if they have appropriate academic or similar credentials, will participate in a program that" promotes interchange, mutual enrichment, and linkages between research and educational institutions in the United States and foreign countries", and have planned activities that are compatible with those objectives.
The Department of State does not specify minimum academic credentials; however, as a general rule, a master's degree or a bachelors degree with extensive experience in the relevant field is adequate documentation of bona fide research scholar status.
Short-term Scholar: is defined as:"a professor, research scholar, specialist, or a person with similar education or accomplishments coming to the United States on a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills at research institutions, museum, libraries, post-secondary accredited educational institutions, or similar types of institutions" [22 CFR 514.4(b)]. The maximum length of stay for a short-term scholar is 6 months. The short-term scholar is not permitted to apply for an extension of stay.
Please email Employment Equity & Faculty Recruitment or call (805) 756-6770 for more information.
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