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Eligibility Criteria

Overview

To be eligible for J-1 status at Dartmouth, you must:

  • Have a temporary appointment at Dartmouth College (paid or unpaid).
     
  • Have sufficient funding for all living expenses, including additional financial support for accompanying family members, either from Dartmouth or from external funding sources.
     
  • Maintain health insurance coverage that meets U.S. Department of State requirements for the Exchange Visitor and all accompanying dependent family members for the duration of the J-1 program.
     
  • Demonstrate English language proficiency to successfully participate in the J-1 program and function on a day-to-day basis in the United States.
     
  • Be able to meet the U.S. Department of State criteria for the specific J-1 Exchange Visitor category (Research Scholar, Professor, Short-term Scholar, Specialist).

Tenure-track faculty are not eligible for J-1 status.

Volunteer Work and Unpaid Training

The question of whether someone here in a nonimmigrant visa status can freely engage in volunteer work or an unpaid training opportunity is a complicated one, and needs to be considered on an individual basis. The facts of each situation will differ, and both immigration and employment law rules apply.

Federal and state laws prohibit employers from allowing individuals, including U.S. citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals, regardless of immigration status, from volunteering in a position that is normally compensated.

Volunteering does not mean working without pay. Volunteering is donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable or humanitarian in nature, without any kind of remuneration. The Department of Labor website contains resources on what constitute legitimate volunteer activities.

The Department of Labor applies a set of criteria when evaluating whether an activity constitutes a legitimate unpaid internship.

Engaging in activities that would be considered employment, without the appropriate work authorization, is a violation of your immigration status, and could threaten your ability to remain in the U.S., and to obtain future U.S. immigration benefits. If you have questions about a proposed activity, consult with your OVIS advisor before accepting an opportunity.