Student Exchange Program Visa (J1)
The free USA Exchange Progam J1 Student Visa Application Pack explains everything you need to know about coming to the United States on an Exchange Visitor Visa. If you are visiting the U.S. to take a full time study or vocational course you need to download the free F1 and M1 Student Visas USA Application Pack.
The USA has a rich selection of cultural and educational exchange programs under the J-1 visa category, which are sponsored by academic institutions and businesses. The program attracts exchange visitors from all over the globe to gain broader experience in research, business, teaching, study and culture. Exchange visitor programs also exist for summer employment programs, internship programs for university students and au-pair work.
The US government actively encourages exchange visitor visa applications and does not place quotas on the number of students allowed into the United States each year. Individuals meet the criteria for a J1 Student Visa if they are coming to the United States as a student, scholar, trainee, teacher, professor, research assistant, medical graduate, or international visitor who are participating in a program of studies, training, research, or a cultural enrichment program that is specifically designed for such individuals by the United States Department of State, through its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.