Pre-Arrival Preparation

DS-2019 Form	Form of eligibility to apply for J-1 Visa Status; issued by UF for each individual student
SEVIS Record	SEVIS is the federal online database that universities and US agencies use to maintain records for J-1 Visa Status holders.
J-1 Visa	This US nonimmigrant visa status is used for hosting Exchange Visitors in the US. A visa is a document approved and issued by Consular Affairs for entry into the US.
Program Sponsor	This refers to the organization/institution sponsoring an exchange visitor to come to the US. For exchange students, UF is the program sponsor.
Exchange Visitor	This is an umbrella term for individuals being sponsored on a J-1 Visa Status to come to the US for the purposes of educational and cultural exchange. Exchange Students are one category in which exchange visitors may participate in a university setting.

 

Below are the sequential steps that exchange students should take to apply for their J-1 Visa Status.

Verify DS-2019	Upon receipt, verify that all information on the DS-2019 Form is correct. Including: name, date of birth, country of citizenship, program dates, etc.
Pay I-901 Fee	All J-1 Visa applicants must pay the I-901 fee online, at the ICE website. Save your SEVIS fee receipt for your visa interview and later entry into the US.
Complete the DS-160 Application	The DS-160 is the J-1 Visa application. You must complete the DS-160 to be eligible to schedule a visa interview. Please keep a copy of your DS-160 for your records.
Schedule Visa Interview	Find a US Embassy or Consulate near you and schedule your visa interview (not required for Canadian nationals).
Prepare for Visa Interview	Review the required documents for your visa interview. Review your rights and protections as a nonimmigrant visa holder from the Department of State website in the Wilberforce Pamphlet.

 

         1. Gatorlink Account Set-Up

Exchange Students are eligible for a UF Account also known as a “Gatorlink Account”. Gatorlink Accounts are students’ credentials for accessing UF platforms, UF email, and campus WiFi and resources. Platforms include those required for course registration, course resources, libraries, email, campus housing, campus dining and more.

While students can use their Gatorlink accounts to access most UF platforms, Exchange Students should continue to use their ‘Non-UF Login’ information for the International Center ISSS Platform.

Downloadable Guide: UF Student Account Set-Up Guide

 

        2. Clearing Holds

Before students can register for courses, students must complete pre-registration requirements, called “Holds”. All Holds are linked to a student’s Gatorlink account. Students can review Holds and complete requirements on the ONE.UF platform. Holds are used to ensure students understand all requirements they must meet to participate in coursework at UF.

 

        3. Course Registration

The course registration process can begin when exchange students have set up their Gatorlink accounts and completed any account holds.

Exchange Students participating in programs with the following colleges will be registered for courses by their hosting college.

• College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
• Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
• Levin College of Law
• Warrington College of Business

Course Registration: All other students register by following general registration instructions.

• Prerequisite Requirements– Some upper-level courses may have required students to have taken other courses first. Exchange Students may have already completed prerequisite course requirements for a given course at their Home University, but that information would not be in an exchange student’s Gatorlink account. If registration is prevented due to a prerequisite course requirement, please contact the relevant undergraduate or graduate coordinator for the department.
  
  
• Students may be asked to provide a copy of their Academic transcript from their home institution to prove prerequisites have been met. Students can download previously submitted transcripts from their online Exchange Student application.