Once the J-1 Student Intern process has been initiated and it is determined that the category is appropriate for the planned exchange program, an advisor will need to collect the following documentation:

From the UMass Lowell (UML) sponsoring department:

  • Invitation Letter*
  • Detailed job description
  • Draft of Form DS-7002

From the prospective J-1 student intern:

  • English Language Proficiency confirmation
  • J-1 Student Intern Visa Document Request Form
  • Passport biographic page
  • Letter from current academic advisor in home country (or internship agreement, if applicable) approving the student internship/exchange
  • Resume/CV
  • Proof of funding**

* You can find the sample invitation letter on the Forms and Guides section of the ISSO website under the Scholar Forms tab.

** J-1 Student Interns must evidence sufficient funding (whether from UMass Lowell, their home institution or personal funds) evidencing at least $2,056/month for the duration of their internship.

DS-7002 Training / Internship Plan

The Form DS-7002 (pdf) is the form for the U.S. Department of State Training / Internship Placement Plan. This document describes the focus and nature of the internship, provides information about the host organization of the internship, and expounds on how the J-1 student intern will be supervised. This form must be completed by an ISSO advisor—with information obtained by the UMass Lowell sponsoring department and prospective J-1 student intern—before the Form DS-2019 J-1 Visa Document can be issued. The ISSO will keep a copy of the student intern’s records, and the student intern will need a copy of the signed, completed DS-7002 for his/her/their eventual visa interview.

Evaluations

The J-1 Student Intern category requires program sponsors to submit, and for the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) / Human Resources (HR) to maintain, formal evaluations of the student intern’s performance while in the U.S. There is no regulatory-defined template for this evaluation, so a letter (on letterhead) written and signed by the UMass Lowell faculty/staff sponsor should be sufficient.

For student internships lasting less than six months, only a final evaluation is needed prior to the end of the internship; for internships lasting longer than six months, both a mid-term and final evaluation are required. The J-1 Student Intern must also sign this evaluation.