Academic Training (AT) is an authorization that allows J-1 students to gain practical training experience in their field of study, during or after their academic programs. Students must get AT authorization for any training experiences that are not part of the student's on-campus employment, whether paid or unpaid. This includes off-campus training experiences which are required by your program, such as student teaching or clinical internships. Students cannot begin work until Academic Training is authorized by the J-1 Program Sponsor.  

AT Overview and Application Process

We recommend that you meet with an OIE advisor before submitting your request to avoid delays in the process.

To be eligible for AT you must:

  • Be in J-1 status
  • Have a training experience related to your field of study. For example, an electrical engineering student might have an internship or a co-op experience in which they work with other engineers on a new kind of electronic device. A business student might work at the same company but in a different department, like accounting. A nursing student might help with patient care in a hospital. There are so many different possibilities, but all options must be defined by your academic college as an “important” experience for your program. Work related only to a minor is not a possibility - it must be related to your major, but is fine if that also relates to your minor. If you are still looking for a training expereince, we recommend working with the Career Center. You should also talk to your academic advisor and your professors. They can tell you where other students in your major have had internships or co-ops.
  • Work during academic semesters is limited to 20 hours weekly (cumulative employment including on-campus work), and work during academic breaks and after completion of the program can be full-time.

Once you are ready, visit iStart and complete the Academic Training request. You will have to upload a letter from your training location. It must be on company letterhead and include: Start and end date of employment, expected hours per week, address of employment, job title, and a brief description of job duties. Then, the form will be routed to your academic advisor who will have to suport your request. They will have to describe how the training experience ties to your curriculum, the course you will be taking to get credit for this training experience, and they will have to confirm that the training experience is important or integral to your overall plan of study. We strongly recommend speaking with your academic advisor before submitting the request so that they understand your plans and you can discuss course possibilities. 

Once your request is submitted by both you and your advisor, we will review the request within 5 business days. When it is approved, you will receive a new DS-2019 with the authorization. You are not eligible to begin training on AT until you have been authorized and picked up your new DS-2019. The AT authorization will be for specific dates which can only be changed by working with the OIE.

Students are limited to a maximum of 18 months of Academic Training or the length of the J-1 program, whichever is shorter. Students completing doctoral degrees may be eligible for an additional 18 months of post-doctoral training beyond the original 18 months. Part-time AT is deducted at the full-time rate from the overall amount of Academic Training available.  Employment may begin as soon as a student has begun studies at UVM. Students seeking employment after completion of the J-1 program must have employment begin no later than 30 days after the program end date, but must make the request no later than ten business days before the end date on their DS-2019. 

Common Questions

How many hours per week can I have Academic Training?

How much you can work depends on the time of year and the nature of your practical training experience. You can have multiple AT experiences at once, as long as they follow the limits below and are each authorized. 

  • During the Summer semester, you may have full-time AT (20+ hours per week) if you were registered as full-time student in the Spring and Fall semesters surrounding that summer. You cannot do Full-time AT in the summer if that summer is also your final semester unless that AT experience is required of all students in your program as full-time in the final semester of summer. 
     
  • During the Fall and Spring Semesters, how much AT you can have varies:
    • If the training experience is required to meet degree requirements of your program, you may be authorized for full-time (20+ hours per week) or part-time (<20 hours per week) for that training experience. Beyond that required training experience, you may hold up to an additional total of 20 hours per week of any on-campus employment and/or optional AT. Any additional AT would require a second authorization. 
       
    • If the experience is for a Co-Op course, you may be authorized for full-time (20+ hours per week) for that training experience. Beyond that required training experience, you may hold up to an additional 20 hours per week of any on-campus employment. Semester in the City is an example of a Co-Op course that is an acceptable option for full-time AT. 
       
    • If the experience is optional, and it is unpaid, you may be authorized for part-time (<20 hours per week) for that training experience. Beyond that unpaid optional training experience, you may hold up to an additional 20 hours per week of any on-campus employment.
       
    • If the experience is optional, and it is paid, you may be authorized for part-time (<20 hours per week) for that training experience and your total paid experiences between on and off-campus work may not exceed 20 hours per week. 
       
  • During other University Break Periods (Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break, Winter Break), you may have full-time AT (20+ hours per week). Winter break is only possible for AT if you are a student in both the Fall semester preceding and the Spring semester following winter break. 

Do I need Academic Training for unpaid work?

Yes. Basically, if you would put it on your resume as an experience to show employers you are more qualified than you would be otherwise, you need AT. This includes off-campus training experiences which are required by your program, such as student teaching or clinical internships.

You must have a CPT authorization to receive any kind of compensation for your work.  Compensation includes a paycheck, a stipend, housing, meals, etc. Even if you think that you will not receive any compensation for your work, it is still a good idea to have a AT authorization.  AT is like insurance—it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Come talk with an OIE advisor for more information.

There are some things which are true volunteering and do not require AT. These include giving your time for altruistic or civic reasons with non-profit organizations where nobody else is paid for similar work and there is no expectation of compensation by either party. You can almost never "volunteer" for a for-profit business, and should always have AT for experiences. Not sure about your situation? Come talk to us.