J-1 Professors

SHU is designated by the Department of State to sponsor the following categories:

• Research Scholar and Professor BridgeUSAPrograms | BridgeUSA (state.gov)

To learn more, visit: https://j1visa.state.gov/programs

Departments planning to host visiting international professors, should contact the Office of International & Immigration Services for guidance.

Eligibility:

The main purpose of J-1 professor programs is to engage in academic exchange, therefore J-1 visas are not appropriate for staff or tenure-track positions. Any program an exchange visitor will participate in must be suitable to the exchange visitor's education, experience and needs.

A J-1 visa professor must be engaged in a full-time (40 hours per week) program capacity. Prospective exchange visitors must have earned at least a bachelor's degree to participate in the Professor program, though higher degrees may be required for a specific position.

Participation in the J-1 program requires that exchange visitors have the ability to speak and understand verbal English, as well as the ability to read, write and comprehend written English to be able to conduct their J-1 program successfully, and function on a day-to-day basis. The host department is responsible for assessing the individual's proficiency in the English language as part of our application for a form DS-2019 and providing appropriate supporting documentation.

Departments and prospective professors will be advised how to meet the English language requirements. The host department is responsible for the cost of English language training for J-1 professors who come with inadequate skills if necessary. Be advised that consular officials may deny a foreign national a J-1 visa if they deem their English language skills to be inadequate.

A visitor to Sacred Heart must secure an employment offer from a hosting department. Any department that wants to bring a J-1 professor is required to designate at least one person within the department to serve as a host to the J-1 professor. The host can be anyone of foreign or U.S. nationality, who is willing to help the J-1 professor find housing, get acclimated to life at SHU for the duration of the program.

Hiring departments are responsible for ensuring that adequate office space is given to the professor and that the professor gets access to the resources needed to perform their duties. A hiring department must appoint a department member to serve as host and provide an exchange visitor with an orientation to Sacred Heart and the Fairfield area.

The departmental host is responsible for assisting the exchange visitor with:

• Finding housing
• Obtaining furniture and house goods rental or purchases
• Enrolling children in school
• Finding a childcare provider
• Locating the nearest bank, grocery stores and/or other local resources
• Obtaining medical care
• Understanding life and customs in the United States
• Other

Verification of financial support for the total length of the visitor's program is required. Funding may come from the department, the visitor's government or employer, or a combination of these sources. Personal funds (i.e. bank accounts) cannot be used to fund a J-1 program in its entirety. Individuals who will not be funded by Sacred Heart University must provide proof of funding that must:

• Be written in English
• Be written on official letterhead from the funding source
• Be signed by an official with the authority to dispense funds
• Include dates of funding coverage
• Include amount of funding in U.S. dollars available to the visiting professor

J-1 and J-2 visa status holders are required to maintain appropriate health insurance for the duration of their J-1 program. Willful failure to carry insurance is considered a violation of their legal status and can result in termination of their program. Approved candidates will be prompted to purchase and provide proof of an insurance plan that meets J-1 program requirements.