J-1 Candidates

Step 1: Initiate the process

• Sponsoring faculty member (professor) or staff completes and submits the online J-1 scholar request form.

Step 2: English Proficiency Interview

• J-1 Scholar participates in the English Proficiency Interview with the designated coordinator.

Step 3: Evaluation Results Shared

• J-1 Interview Coordinator sends scoring rubric results to sponsoring department faculty member/staff.

Step 4: Ongoing Processing

• ISSS International Scholar Coordinator, Department, and U.S. government officials continue the processing and compliance steps.

If you are a J-1 candidate, please contact the department sponsoring you so that they can begin the process. Once we have been contacted by the department, we will contact you to set up a time for the interview process. We will send directions on how to log-in for the interview and how to prepare.

The interview will be conducted and recorded through Zoom. We will send a link and directions on how to access Zoom in an email. The interview last about 10-15 minutes total. The interview is an informal conversation conducted along the lines of the Oral Proficiency Interview process (OPI). (For more information on the OPI click here.) The questions focus on general topics about you, your situation, your life etc. and general questions about your area of study / research.

The best thing that you can do to prepare:

• Be in contact with the department sponsoring you
• Make sure that you have access to a computer with good Internet connection
• Make sure that you know how to set up your computer in order to have a working microphone and speakers so that you can hear us and we can hear you.

Check out helpful resources.