Visa Information

International students can join the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on one of two visa types: F-1 "student" or J-1 "exchange visitor student". Upon admission, an international student is usually sent an I-20 to obtain an F-1 status.

There are three exceptions:

  1. Students already in the United States on a J-1 student status will be sent a DS-2019 to continue in that status. Some students in J-1 status are not permitted to change status to F-1 within the United States.

  2. Students already under the sponsorship of an agency for J-1 status (e.g. AAI, LASPAU, AID, IIE, etc.) receive a DS-2019 from that agency.

  3. Students who request a DS-2019 to come to the United States in J-1 status because of the advantages of that option, may be sent an DS-2019. Please note that students who receive at least half of their funds from personal or family sources are not eligible to obtain J-1 status.

Students with questions about the effect of the J-1 versus F-1 status in their particular circumstances should write to:

International Student and Scholar Services
610 East John Street Room 331
Champaign, Illinois 61820-5782
USA
Telephone: 217-333-1303;
E-mail: oisa@uiuc.edu oisa@uiuc.edu
Web: http://www.uiuc.edu/providers/oisa/