Inviting Scholars
Adelphi University is proudly designated by BridgeUSA, under the direction of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, as an approved sponsor of the J Exchange Visitor Program.
This designation enables us to welcome talented international scholars who enrich our vibrant academic community through research, teaching, and professional observation across our eight distinguished Colleges and Schools.
Adelphi is authorized to sponsor eligible individuals in the following Exchange Visitor categories:
Inviting a J-1 Scholar
Academic departments, colleges, and schools play a vital role in identifying, inviting, and supporting J-1 exchange visitors. To ensure a smooth process and full compliance with federal regulations, departments must screen prospective scholars based on the following criteria:
- Academic Credentials: The applicant must possess the appropriate academic background (minimum of a bachelor’s degree) and experience relevant to the proposed academic or research program.
- Appropriate Activities: The scholar’s planned activities must fall within the regulatory scope of the intended J-1 exchange visitor category (e.g., research or teaching).
- Qualified Position: The position must be non-tenure-track and appropriate for temporary, educational exchange purposes.
- English Language Proficiency: Scholars must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency through an objective and documented evaluation to function successfully in the U.S. academic environment.
- In-Person Engagement: J-1 programs must be conducted primarily in person, with no more than 40% of activities delivered remotely (hybrid or virtual).
- Formal Invitation Process: Departments must submit all required documentation to the Office of International Services in accordance with the scholar’s intended category.
- Orientation and Cultural Support: Host departments must ensure scholars have access to orientation, cultural programming, and institutional resources to support a successful exchange experience.
Required Documents
To be submitted by the inviting academic unit:
- Invitation Letter from the Academic Dean
- Updated CV (must show a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and relevant experience)
- Research Proposal detailing the scholar’s planned research or teaching activities
- English Proficiency Report documenting objectively measured English language skills
To be submitted by the prospective J-1 scholar:
- DS-2019 Request Form (completed by the scholar)
- Copy of Valid Passport (biographical page with machine-readable zone)
- Health Insurance Guarantee (must submit proof of insurance upon arrival)
- Proof of Funding
- Affidavit of Support for all financial sponsors
- Supporting financial documentation from all funding sources
J Exchange Visitor Categories
The professor category is for a foreign national who enters the United States for the primary purpose of teaching, lecturing, observing or consulting within one of Adelphi University’s colleges or schools. A professor may also conduct research, unless disallowed by the sponsoring organization.
Participation Limits
- A minimum stay of three weeks is required.
- A maximum stay of five years is allowed.
Primary Activities
- Teaching, lecturing, observing or consulting.
Eligibility Requirements
- Not be a candidate for a tenure track position.
- Not have participated in and completed a professor program within the last 24 months preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement;
- Not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of the program unless meeting one of the following exceptions:
- The participant is currently in a professor program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue his or her current J-1 program;
- The participant’s prior physical presence in the U.S. on a J-visa program was less than six months in duration; and
- The prior participation was as a short-term scholar.
Minimum Academic Credentials
- Requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree with appropriate experience in the field.
- Demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.
Employment
- J-1 Professors may receive compensation from the sponsor when employment activities are part of the exchange visitor’s program.
- The Responsible Officer can also authorize “occasional lectures or short-term consultations” that are “incidental to the exchange visitor’s primary program activities.
- Professors may participate in occasional lectures and short-term consultations, incidental to the exchange visitor’s primary program activities, if authorized to do so by his or her sponsor.
The research scholar category is for a foreign national who enters the United States for the primary purpose of conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with research projects within one of Adelphi University’s colleges or schools. A research scholar may also teach or lecture, unless disallowed by the sponsor.
Participation Limits
- A minimum stay of three weeks is required.
- A maximum stay of five years is allowed.
Primary Activities
- Conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with research projects.
Eligibility Requirements
- Not be a candidate for a tenure track position.
- Not have participated in and completed a professor program within the last 24 months preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement;
- Not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of the program unless meeting one of the following exceptions:
- The participant is currently in a professor program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue his or her current J-1 program;
- The participant’s prior physical presence in the U.S. on a J-visa program was less than six months in duration; and
- The prior participation was as a short-term scholar.
Minimum Academic Credentials
- Requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree with appropriate experience in the field.
- Demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.
Employment
- Incidental lectures or short-term consultations are permitted with the approval of the responsible officer so long as they are directly related to the objectives of the participant’s program, and do not delay the exchange program’s completion date.
The short-term scholar category is for a foreign national who enters the United States on a short-term visit to lecture, observe, consult, train or demonstrate special skills within one of Adelphi University’s colleges or schools.
Participation Limits
- A minimum stay of one day is required.
A maximum stay of six months is allowed.
Primary Activities
- Lecturing, observing, consulting, training, demonstrating special skills, participating in seminars, workshops, conferences, study tours, professional meetings, or similar types of educational and professional activities.
Eligibility Requirements
- Not be a candidate for a tenure track position.
- Not have participated in and completed a professor program within the last 24 months preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement;
- Not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of the program unless meeting one of the following exceptions:
- The participant is currently in a professor program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue his or her current J-1 program;
- The participant’s prior physical presence in the U.S. on a J-visa program was less than six months in duration; and
- The prior participation was as a short-term scholar.
Minimum Academic Credentials
- Requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree with appropriate experience in the field.
- Demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.
Employment
- Short-Term Scholars may engage in activities that constitute occasional lectures or consultations, with written authorization from the responsible officer so long as they are directly related to the objectives of the participant’s program, and do not delay the exchange program’s completion date.
Support from the Office of International Services
International Services provides the following assistance to colleges, schools, and faculty inviting J-1 scholars:
- Eligibility & Process Clarification: Communicates relevant requirements and helps departments determine appropriate exchange visitor categories.
- Faculty and Departmental Support: Offers direct support and regulatory guidance to supervising faculty throughout the invitation process.
- Visa Process Assistance: Guides prospective scholars through the necessary steps to obtain the J-1 visa.
- Ongoing Regulatory Guidance: Supports both the scholar and host department with ongoing compliance guidance throughout the scholar’s stay.
