International students who visit UConn to complete an internship for their home degree program may be sponsored for a J-1 visa under the Student Intern category. Departments should use the special payroll title of Visiting Research Student. This is the only J-1 visa category for which current Bachelor’s students are qualified under UConn sponsorship policies.
To qualify for the Student Intern category:
- The intern must be enrolled in a degree program at an accredited institution outside the United States
- The internship at UConn must fulfill an academic objective of the student’s home University degree.
- The intern must return home to complete the degree after completing the internship.
- The internship activity may not consist of more than 20% clerical work
- The internship must be full time (minimum 32 hours per week)
- The intern may not engage in any clinical work or position involving patient care/contact
- The internship may be unpaid, but the student intern’s medical insurance must provide coverage equivalent to the University’s worker’s compensation policy.
- Minimum/Maximum internship duration: 3 weeks to 12 months
Form DS-7002
The DS-7002 is a government form that establishes the internship program at UConn and defines duties and expectations for each stage of the internship. The form must be completed and signed in advance by the hosting faculty member, signed by the student, and submitted to ISSS with the visa sponsorship request. ISSS will then create an electronic DS-7002, and all parties must sign their designated sections again. The signed Form DS-7002 should be issued to the student intern with their Form DS-2019, and both forms should be presented at the visa interview.
Guide to Completing the DS-7002
Signing & Issuing Forms DS-7002 & DS-2019
Sponsors may digitally sign Forms DS-7002 & DS-2019. Only digital signatures are permitted, which utilizes digital signature software that is an application of technology for cryptographically derived signatures that ensures meaningful authentication of the identify of the signer and integrity of the documents. The Department identified three common digital signature software packages in the Interim Final Rule: DocuSign, Adobe Sign, and Global Sign.
Form DS-2019 cannot be electronically transmitted to any entity or third party. Sponsoring Academic Departments and J-1 Exchange Visitors can download their Form DS-2019 via the ISSS Scholar/Employee Portal. Sponsors may also continue to send paper Forms DS-2019 via mail to designated entities as well as to foreign third parties acting on sponsors’ behalf.
Form DS-7002 can be electronically transmitted.
Exchange visitors who are coming to complete an internship for their home country degree program also require the following Student Intern forms (see DS-2019 Request Overview for all forms and steps to complete):
- Form DS-7002, signed by the faculty host and the student. See Guide to Completing the DS-7002.
- Attestation for J-1 Student Intern Request
- Student Intern Home Institution Certification, signed by the student’s home institution academic advisor.
Internship Evaluations
The UConn internship supervisor must agree to provide an evaluation of the intern activities at mid-point (for internships lasting longer than six months) and upon conclusion of the internship. The J-1 Student Intern Evaluation Form (ISSS 261) must be submitted to international@uconn.edu within one week of the internship midpoint (for internships longer than six months) and the internship conclusion (all internships). ISSS will email the department a reminder when the midpoint and concluding evaluations are due.