International students holding country flags

International J-1 Exchange Student Requirements

J-1 Exchange Visitors

J-1 exchange visitors are students from around the world who come to SVSU as part of an exchange program for a semester or two. These students are not seeking SVSU degrees.

To join SVSU as a J-1 exchange visitor, students must first consult with the International Office at their home institution. For most exchange programs, the home institution has a separate application and nomination process. Once exchange students have been approved and nominated by the home institution, they must submit the SVSU application.

Apply

Submit the SVSU International Partnerships application. Once SVSU receives and accepts your nomination from your home institution, we will email you and your home institution advisor a link to the application.

Application deadlines:

Fall semester or full academic year: May 1
Winter semester: November 1

Upload Documents

Upload clearly scanned copies of the required items in your application portal checklist:

Passport
A clear color copy of the passport information page. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your exchange program.
College Transcript
Scanned copies of transcripts should be uploaded in the application. Transcripts not issued in English must include a certified English translation. The scanned copies that are uploaded by the student are considered unofficial. Admission can be granted based on these scanned copies, however, official transcripts must be provided upon arrival to campus. Alternatively, transcripts that are sent to transcripts@svsu.edu by authorized university personnel are considered official.
Evidence of Financial Support
Applicants should upload a bank statement, dated within the last six months, which shows enough funding to cover the cost of the exchange program. If a parent, government, or other sponsor is providing the funds, also upload a signed sponsor letter. Students should speak with the Study Abroad Advisor at their home institution to determine this cost.
English Language Proficiency
A test score that meets the minimum requirement below, unless the requirement has been waived.

*Scanned copies of IELTS or TOEFL iBT score reports can be uploaded. Our admissions staff will verify the validity of the score.

**The English language proficiency requirement may be waived for applicants from certain countries.

English Language Proficiency

TEST	MINIMUM SCORE
Duolingo	105 overall score Send via Duolingo English Test
IELTS	5.5 overall band score Send via your IELTS Testing Center using institution code 1766*
TOEFL iBT	4.0 overall band score Send via ETS using institution code 1766*
Pearson PTE	50 overall score
SAT	500 total score reading and writing section Send via College Board using institution code 1766
ACT	18 combined english/writing Send via ACT using institution code 1766

*Scanned copies of IELTS or TOEFL iBT score reports can be uploaded. Our admissions staff will verify the validity of the score.

**The English language proficiency requirement may be waived for applicants from certain countries.

Health Insurance

U.S. Department of State regulations require all J-1 exchange visitors to have health insurance for the entire exchange program. To meet this requirement, all J-1 exchange students are enrolled in SVSU's international student health insurance plan through LewerMark. The plan meets all Department of State requirements for J-1 exchange visitors.

Cost: $139.36 per month for the 2026-27 academic year.
Coverage includes: $0 deductible, medical evacuation and repatriation, telehealth, and mental health support. See the SVSU plan page for full details.

Waivers: Students may request a waiver only if they will arrive with insurance through a government or exchange sponsor program, or are covered by a parent's or spouse's plan that meets or exceeds the SVSU plan and is valid in the United States. Travel and emergency-only plans are not accepted. Contact the Office of International Programs before arrival to request a waiver.

Exchange visitors who do not maintain insurance that meets these requirements may have their J-1 program terminated.

Next Steps

Once the application is reviewed, the Decision Letter can be viewed from within the application portal.
It typically takes 1-2 weeks for the DS-2019 to be created and delivered to the student's email address. Check that your name, date of birth, and program dates are correct.
Once the DS-2019 is received, the SEVIS fee of $220 must be paid to the U.S. government at least three business days before the visa interview. Students should print out the receipt of payment to bring to the visa interview.
Next, students should visit the U.S. Department of State website to submit the nonimmigrant visa application (DS-160).
Finally, the student can schedule the visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate. Please note:
- Most applicants must attend an in-person interview. Schedule early, as wait times vary.
- Apply in your country of citizenship or legal residence.
- J-1 applicants are asked to set their social media accounts to "public" before the interview.
- Check the U.S. embassy or consulate website for current visa fees, as additional fees may apply.
For assistance with this process, we recommend that students contact the U.S. embassy directly.
You may enter the U.S. no more than 30 days before the program start date on your DS-2019. After arriving, you must check in with the Office of International Programs and attend orientation so that we can confirm your arrival in SEVIS. Bring your official transcripts to check-in.

List of exchange partnerships with universities around the world

Ansbach University of Applied Sciences – Germany
Changchun Normal University (CHCNU) – China
Daegu University – South Korea
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg – Germany
Kansai Gaidai University – Japan
Kyung Hee University – South Korea
Liaoning University – China
Ming Chuan University – Taiwan
Sungshin Women's University – South Korea
Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE) – Argentina

CONTACT US.

Study Abroad
Lindsey Locke
studyabroad@svsu.edu
989-964-4268

International Partnerships

intpartner@svsu.edu

International Student Advisor
Collin Glenn
cglenn@svsu.edu
+1-989-964-2593