Summary: J-1 degree-seeking college and university students who study STEM majors can apply for STEM Academic Training or the extension for the maximum length of 36 months during two academic years (Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023).
Update 10/9/2022: Academic Training STEM initiative is extended until December 31, 2024.
United States is one of the countries that invest tons of money in a STEM field. I believe you know what STEM stands for if you clicked this post but it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In this sense, the U.S. government gives incentives to international students who study STEM majors by allowing them to work for additional 24 months upon their graduation and OPT participation.
In 2022, the U.S. announced that 22 new majors became STEM OPT-eligible majors. And soon after this announcement, another U.S. federal agency- the Office of Private Sector Exchange that governs the J-1 exchange programs- announced that J-1 students can also gain training (work) experiences for up to 3 years (36 months) for STEM fields.
This highlights the Biden administration’s commitment to encouraging international students to come to the U.S. and strengthen colleges and universities in the U.S., especially in the STEM fields. Thanks to the initiatives, internationals no longer need to apply to colleges/universities and spend tuition and fees to get a chance to work in the U.S. through OPT or STEM OPT.
Prospectives can reach out to the sponsor and they can get J-1 visas to engage in the STEM Academic Training program. For example, labs that are run by two 2022 Nobel Prize winners- Carolyn Bertozzi of Standford University and K. Barry Sharpless of Scripps Research-accept applicants for the STEM Academic Training program.
Whether you are a current J-1 visa holder or a prospective J-1 visa student, if you are interested in gaining some work experience in the U.S., this blog post will be helpful for you.
Before we jump right in, if you are not familiar with the concept of Academic Training, please read the following blog post where students can get to know what Academic Training is.
Related blog post: U.S. internship as J-1 exchange students? Academic Training
Contents
- Eligibility for the STEM-related Academic Training
- The application process for the STEM Academic Training
- How to find the right sponsor and the right category
Eligibility for the STEM-related Academic Training
J-1 students who are interested in participating in the STEM Academic Training (AT) should be aware that not only STEM AT-specific regulations but the general Academic Training regulations apply to them.
STEM Academic Training (AT) specific eligibility
STEM AT eligible J-1 exchange visa holders are the ones who are:
- undergraduate or pre-doctoral degree-seeking J-1 College and University students
- J-1 nondegree-seeking exchange students are not eligible for the program (non-degree-seeking students may be eligible for original Academic Training).
- “non-degree seeking” means you are primarily enrolled in a home university (in your home country) and you are going to get the degree from your home university upon graduation, not from the exchange university.
- pursuing or recently completed STEM-related studies
- How to verify that your major is eligible STEM major for this updated Academic Training? Students can check the CIP code written in their DS-2019s and cross-check the STEM list.
- If you are not familiar with the CIP code, read the following blog posts.
Related blog post 1: 2022 STEM OPT list: 22 NEW STEM fields
Related blog post 2: CIP code update 2020; Important concept to get a work visa
The original Academic Training is capped at 18 months (or the length of the program, whichever is less) but STEM Academic Training is capped at 36 months. In other words, eligible students can apply or extend their program and the training period should not exceed 36 months in total.
General Academic Training eligibility that applies to STEM AT participants
Other than STEM AT-specific regulations, AT candidates should meet the following regulations outlined in 22 CFR §62.23(f) to be eligible for the AT program.
Please note that all of the eligibility below is pasted from the email by the Office of Private Sector Exchange (a federal organization that is responsible for exchange programs).
- being primarily in the United States to study; and
- pursuing training that is directly related to their major field of study; and
- (before graduation) engaging in a full course of study; OR
- commencing with their academic training within 30 days after completion of their related studies
To learn more about each eligibility for AT here, read my previous blog post about Academic Training.
The application process for the STEM Academic Training
On top of the application process for AT (that is pasted from my previous blog post), the STEM AT extension process adds one more step. STEM AT-specific information is pasted from the email by the Office of Private Sector Exchange.
- The student requests a recommendation letter from the student’s academic Dean or advisor. The letter should include…
- the goals and objectives of the academic training program
- a description of the program including…
- its location
- supervisor name
- supervisor address
- number of working hours per week
- dates of the program
- how the training is directly related to the student’s field of study
- why it is an integral or critical part of the academic program of the student
- The RO (Responsible Officer, usually International Student Advisor) reviews the letter and confirms that the student meets the eligibility requirements.
- (STEM AT) The RO or sponsor secures prior written approval by submitting extension requests through the Private Sector’s Office of Designation via email. The extension requests should indicate…
- the STEM field and corresponding CIP code
- The RO issues an updated DS-2019 and a written letter that says the training is requested and warranted as well as the criteria and time limitations are satisfied.
How to find the right sponsor and the right category
Bridge USA shared the number of J-1 categories that started new STEM programs in 2022 and I organized them based on the popularity among J-1 visa holders below. As you can see, the Research Scholar group is one of the most popular categories followed by short-term scholars and college/university exchange students.
| Category | October 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Research Scholar | 13,515 | 9,484 |
| Short-term Scholar | 5,431 | 1,589 |
| Student Non-degree | 3,773 | 1,891 |
| Intern | 3,626 | 843 |
| Student Intern | 1,954 | 564 |
| Trainee | 789 | 302 |
| Specialist | 554 | 11 |
| Student Doctorate | 440 | 431 |
| Student Bachelors | 418 | 191 |
| Student Masters | 368 | 441 |
| Professor | 171 | 102 |
| Total | 31,039 | 15,849 |
How to find sponsors? The most traditional way might be applying for a college/university/research organization/lab that you are interested in as a visiting scholar or exchange student. You can google “(sponsor name) + (visiting scholar/ exchange student)” to learn more about the application process and eligibility.
When it comes to visiting scholar category, having a connection with a professor in that institution will help. If you do not know anyone from the institution, refer to this official BridgeUSA webpage where you can see the list of participating sponsors. On the website, you will be able to check the Early Career STEM Initiative and STEM Host Organization Information sheet as well.
Hope this helps degree-seeking and STEM majoring J students to take advantage of 36 months to work in the U.S. All other important updates and regulations that J-1 visa student holders should be aware of can be found on the J-1 visa page.
