NOTE: The content of this page may be impacted by the Duration of Status rule change. This page is actively being reviewed. Please contact your advisor if you have questions.
Host Department Toolkit
Initial Sponsorship Requests
New J-1
Departments initiate the J-1 request at least three (3) months before the scholar’s anticipated start date. The timeline includes the department and IFSS processing time for the DS-2019 (3-4 weeks) as well as the visa interview and stamping process at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad. Wait times can vary based on the time of year and country of application. Departments are encouraged to submit sponsorship requests to avoid potential delays.
Extension
Departments initiate the J-1 extension request at least one (1) month before the scholar’s current DS-2019 expiration date.
Shorten
Departments initiate the J-1 shorten request at least two (2) weeks before the scholar’s resignation date, revised appointment end date or their departure date.
Transferring a J-1 Program to UW–Madison (Transfer In)
Departments initiate the J-1 transfer in request at least one (1) month before the scholar’s start date at UW–Madison. The start date at UW–Madison must be on or before the scholar’s current DS-2019 end date.
Transferring Out from a current UW–Madison Program (Transfer Out)
Scholars initiate the J-1 transfer out request at least one (1) month before their end date at UW–Madison.
Step 1: Department Issues the Appointment Letter
The appointment letter must include:
- official title, found in the standard job description library
- description of the job duties for the position (non-clinical)
- mandatory export control language
- appointment start and end dates
Step 2: Verify English Proficiency (if applicable)
Some hosting faculty may choose to perform an English Proficiency Interview Assessment*. The interview assessment must be completed in full with no assessment comments or signatures left blank. The assessment comments should detail the answer to the individual questions as well as how the answer relates to their English proficiency. If an interview is not conducted, IFSS will reach out to the scholar to provide other evidence of English proficiency.
*For all new J-1 sponsorship requests submitted on or after March 1st, 2026 hosting faculty members will be required to record the English language interview and submit both the recording and the completed interview assessment form to their department for upload to Terra Dotta. Because these interviews are already conducted via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, no additional steps are required beyond initiating the recording. These recordings allow IFSS to review the interviews to ensure consistency and accuracy in the assessment process and to verify compliance with regulatory requirements.
Step 3: Submit a new Sponsorship Request via Terra Dotta.
To complete the new sponsorship request, you will need the following information:
- Name of Scholar/Employee
- Proposed Start Date
- Proposed End Date
- Proposed Visa Type (even if option is Don’t Know)
- Hiring Authority Department
- Hiring Authority Name (supervisor)
- Will Scholar/Employee be paid?
- Date of Birth
- Country of Birth
- Country of Citizenship
- Department Contact Information
- Host Department
- Phone
- If scholar is in U.S. now, their current immigration status and expiration date
- If scholar was ever in J status, what was the exchange visitor category?
Once the Sponsorship Request has been approved:
Login to Terra Dotta and complete the information requested in the Department Tab and upload the requested documentation
A “research scholar” is an individual concerned primarily with conducting research, observing, or consulting in connection with a research project. They are also allowed to teach or lecture.
The Research Scholar category:
- is used for appointments lasting 3 weeks up to 5 years in duration.
- allows for extensions up to the 5-year maximum.
- is subject to a 24-month rule on return visits as a J-1 Research Scholar and J-1 Professor after the end of the program.
- may be able to return to the U.S. in a different J-1 category (such as Short-Term Scholar) or in other types of nonimmigrant status such as F-1 student, B-1/ B-2 visitor, H-1B Temporary Worker, or Visa Waiver Program during the 24-month rule period.
- may be subject to the Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement.
A “professor” is an individual concerned primarily with teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting. J-1 Professors may also participate in departmental research. If the Exchange Scholar will be here primarily to conduct research, the Research Scholar category is more appropriate, even if the individual is a professor in his or her home country.
The Professor category:
- is used for appointments lasting 3 weeks to 5 years in duration.
- allows for extensions up to the 5-year maximum.
- is subject to a 24-month rule on return visits as a J-1 Research Scholar and J-1 Professor after the end of the program.
- may return to the U.S. in J-1 Short-Term Scholar (see below) or in any other visa category such as F-1 student, B-1/ B-2 visitor, H-1B Temporary Worker, or Visa Waiver Program during the 24-month rule period.
- may be subject to the Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement.
A “short term scholar” is a professor, research scholar, or a person with similar education or accomplishments coming to the United States on a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills.
The Short-Term Scholar category:
- is appropriate for appointments of one week to 6 months in length.
- cannot be extended beyond 6 months.
- is NOT subject to the 24-month rule on return visits as a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor.
- may be subject to the Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement.
Campus units who wish to bring undergraduate students who do not require an internship for graduation to Madison should contact IFSS. IFSS is working with an external vendor to assist with sponsorship. The campus units are required to pay for the external vendors’ costs associated with sponsorship. Please reach out to Jennifer Taylor if you have additional questions.
UW–Madison’s International Student Services office can now support certain J-1 student interns.
Changes in Program
Extension requests must be submitted through Terra Dotta. Extensions can be requested for any uninterrupted period of time up to the scholar category maximum duration:
| Category | Duration |
| Short Term Scholar | 6 Months |
| Student Intern | 1 Year |
| Specialist | 1 Year |
| Research Scholar | 5 Years |
| Professor | 5 Years |
To process an extension request, department must upload an updated appointment letter.
The updated letter should include:
- the new program end date.
- official title, found in the standard job description library.
- mandatory export control language.
- confirmation of funding and specific amount (if it is a paid appointment).
All end program requests must be submitted through Terra Dotta. IFSS is NOT able to backdate program end dates for scholars. If the scholar has departed already, IFSS cannot enter the date they left into the system. To avoid the department having to pay for extra SHIP insurance on behalf of the scholar, please submit end program request in a timely manner. The department is required to submit an end program request. IFSS is not able to make changes to the program after the fact, regardless if the scholar reaches out or not.