Office of International Services
  • Departments
  • Selecting a J-1 Category

Selecting a J-1 Category

Not sure which J-1 visa category is right for your exchange visitor? This page outlines the J-1 categories offered at USC and their typical lengths of stay to help you choose the category that best fits your department’s needs. If you are still unsure which J-1 category is most appropriate for your exchange visitor after reviewing this page, contact OIS.

Know their primary objective at USC.

When selecting a category, it is important to consider what your exchange visitor’s primary objective is while at USC — not their current role abroad. An exchange visitor’s program objective and J-1 category must remain consistent with their initial invitation to USC. Therefore, once they have started the appointment, changes in these areas will not be permitted. 

Understand what a J-1 visa is and is not.

The J-1 visa is not a contract of employment. The sponsoring academic department may ask OIS to shorten the DS-2019 at any time if the exchange visitor is not making progress toward the appointment.

Stick to the site of activity.

J-1 scholars are required to report to their site of activity (the USC-based address indicated on the DS-2019) for the duration of their J-1 appointment. They are not permitted to report to a non-USC site (domestic or international) without prior authorization from OIS.

Know the rules for remote work.

The USC J-1 appointment must be a full-time workload benefiting the USC sponsoring academic department. As of July 2023, J-1 scholars, including research scholars, short-term scholars and professors, may work remotely two days out of the five-day workweek if the USC sponsoring department has instituted partial remote policies and has approved hybrid program participation for the visitor.

  • The research scholar is the most common category for exchange visitors at USC.

    • Objective: A research scholar’s primary objective is research at the USC campus. Research scholars must spend 80% of their work time on research-related activities and may spend up to 20% on other duties, such as teaching one class at USC. 
    • Educational requirement: Bachelor’s degree or higher. Genuine expertise in the field.
    • Program duration: Three weeks to five years.
      • A maximum duration of two years for the initial DS-2019 can be allotted. Extensions are permitted.
      • If transferring to USC, include previous time spent on J-1.
    • J-1 bars: Foreign nationals who have completed a J-1 research scholar program must wait 24 months before participating in another J-1 research scholar or professor program. This regulation is known as the 24-month bar on repeat participation. A scholar who is subject to the 24-month bar may leave the United States and return as a short-term scholar.

  • The professor category is for faculty or academic staff coming to USC to teach, lecture, observe or consult, as well as conduct research.

    • Objective: A professor’s primary objective is teaching at the USC campus. Professors must spend 80% of their work time on classroom instruction and may spend up to 20% on other duties, such as conducting research at USC. 
    • Educational requirement: Bachelor’s degree or higher. Genuine expertise in the field.
    • Program duration: Three weeks to five years.
      • A maximum duration of 2 years for the initial DS-2019 can be allotted. Extensions are permitted.
      • If transferring to USC, include previous time spent on J-1.
    • J-1 bars: Foreign nationals who have completed a J-1 research scholar program must wait 24 months before participating in another J-1 research scholar or professor program. This regulation is known as the 24-month bar on repeat participation. A scholar who is subject to the 24-month bar may leave the United States and return as a short-term scholar.

  • The short-term scholar category is highly flexible and can accommodate a wide range of short visits.

    • Objective: The primary objective is to perform various duties at the USC campus, including research, lecturing, observing, consulting, training or demonstrating a special skill.
    • Educational requirement: Bachelor’s degree or higher. Genuine expertise in the field.
    • Program duration: One day to six months. No extensions past six months are given.
    • J-1 bars: Short-term scholars are not subject to the 24-month bar. If an exchange visitor is (1) a research scholar to short-term scholar, (2) a short-term scholar to a research scholar or (3) a short-term scholar to short-term scholar, there must be six months between their appointments and they must have a new research objective within their field.

  • A non-degree student is enrolled full-time in classes but is not earning a degree from USC. Please visit our page for non-degree students to learn more about this J-1 category.

  • A degree student is enrolled full-time at USC to earn a degree. To learn more about this J-1 category, please refer to the student section.

J-1 Bars

Non-Degree Students