OIS Processing Time: 10 business days

J-1 Exchange Visitors who wish to transfer to another institution must notify their sponsoring academic department and submit a J-1 Transfer-Out Request in Trojan International.

For Scholars: Make sure you have an invitation Letter from your new institution that indicates the following:

  1. Name of Exchange Visitor
  2. Start date
  3. Job title and description of duties (which matches current DS-2019 category & subject/field code remarks)

Additional Information for J-1 Scholars:

It is important that the purpose of the transfer is to complete the initial objective(s) for which the Exchange Visitor entered in J-1 status. The transfer is a continuation of one’s work at USC at the new institution. The J-1 Category and Subject Field Code (located on page 1 of the DS-2019 in section 4) must remain the same at the new institution.

All three parties -OIS, USC sponsoring academic department, and the new sponsor – must agree on a transfer release date in SEVIS. The Transfer Release Date in SEVIS selected should be your first day of employment at the new institution.

There should be no interruption in employment between USC and your new institution. You are not permitted to take a vacation in between your transfer.

Note: Once an Exchange Visitor has been released, they are no longer eligible to receive funding from USC. In addition, until the release date arrives, they will not be able to receive funding from the new institution.