Inviting Non-Degree Students

Eligibility

To obtain a visa in the J-1 student non-degree category, students must: 

• Engage in a full-time course of study, including classroom instruction and/or research, unless otherwise specified through a relevant cooperative agreement. 
• Have sufficient English language skills to function in the academic program, and to navigate daily life in the US. 
• Be sponsored by a UF faculty member or actively participate in a cooperative agreement between UF and the student’s home institution. 
• Have sufficient funding for themselves and any J-2 dependents for the entire duration of the program. 
• This includes tuition, housing, and other living expenses. 
• Funding for cooperative agreement students may come from any source, including personal/family funds. 
• Funding for faculty-sponsored students must have a substantial amount (67% or more) come from non-personal funds, such as a home institution, employer, government grant, scholarship, or fellowship. 

Application Process

1. The students must complete a Non-Degree Application with the Registrar’s Office. 
   • This will generate a UFID for the students. Once they are accepted, they will be able to activate their GatorLink credentials.  
   • The UFID and GatorLink will be needed for the DS-2019 application in the International Center’s ISSS portal. 
2. Once the students are accepted by the Registrar’s Office, the host department must submit the non-degree application in the ISSS portal for each student, using that student’s UFID.  
   • The department must attach, in a combined PDF, the following: 
     • Student's Passport 
     • Proof of English Language Proficiency 
     • UF Letter of Nomination/Acceptance 
     • Student's Transcript 
     • Proof of funding 
     • Student's C.V. 
3. EVS will review the applications and, if necessary, reach out to you for any missing documentation.  
4. EVS will issue form DS-2019 and provide the students with information on the visa process.