Eligibility Requirement for Academic Training
As a student sponsored on a J-1 visa, your internship or research opportunity is referred to as Academic Training (AT). AT is defined as work or training related to a student’s field of study. With few exceptions, Academic Training should last between eight and 12 weeks and take place during the summer semester. J-1 students are eligible for Academic Training by meeting all of the following requirements:
• AT must be related to the major field of study listed on the DS-2019.
• Students must be in good academic standing and legal program status.
• All AT requests must be submitted to IIE for approval. Participating in AT without written approval from IIE can lead to the termination of your grant and visa sponsorship.
• Students must obtain endorsement from their academic advisor or dean for their intended AT program.
• Students may not participate in AT during their first semester/trimester or first two quarters in the U.S.
• For the duration of AT, students must be enrolled in a health insurance plan which covers illnesses and accidents including medical evacuation and repatriation meeting the J-1 visa requirements.
• Students must comply with the two-year home residency requirement of the J-1 visa upon completion of the Brazil Scientific Mobility program.
All students should use the IIE Academic Training Website. Please make sure your profile is complete on the website (including your resume) and that you check it frequently for Academic Training opportunities.
Application Procedure
Please make sure you follow the steps listed below. Your AT will not be approved unless you have submitted the required forms.
• Consult with your academic advisor, dean or career services office before applying for AT.
• Obtain a written offer of internship employment from your AT employer on the company's official letterhead.
• Complete the Request for Academic Training form.
• Review your offer of employment with an academic dean or advisor and obtain his or her endorsement by submitting Part F of the Request for Academic Training form.
• Email your completed Request for Academic Training form to your internship supervisor and obtain his or her endorsement on Part G of the Request for Academic Training form.
• Submit the Request for Academic Training form and a copy of your official offer letter (if your employer has provided one) to IIE at BrazilAT@iie.org.
Academic Training Student Responsibilities
While engaged in AT, students are required to maintain their legal status and continue compliance with the following J-1 regulations:
• Academic training will cease before the conclusion of a student's DS-2019 or, if the student began his or her grant in the spring, before the beginning of the student's fall semester.
• Students will report any changes in their U.S. address during the AT.
• Students will report any changes in their AT provider, location or dates to IIE immediately. Any changes to approved academic training programs require advanced authorization from IIE.
After you have read the guidelines above and reviewed the Internship Policies Document, please click on the Forms tab listed above to complete and submit the required forms to IIE.
Q: Does the summer Academic Training opportunity (internship) need to be in the city where the BSMP student currently goes to school?
A: No, internships can take place anywhere in the United States but cannot take place in other countries. Internships outside of the United States will not be approved.
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Q: Do hosting institutions or companies need to sponsor the BSMP student's visa during Academic Training?
A: No. IIE will continue to be the J-1 visa sponsor for BSMP students while they complete internships. Hosting institutions do not need to perform any visa sponsorship administration for their BSMP interns.
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Q: Will the students’ universities in Brazil recognize credits earned as Academic Training?
A: Different home universities have different policies about accepting internship credits from activities in the U.S. This is something students will need to discuss with their home universities directly.
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Q: For students who are studying medicine, dentistry, nursing, and veterinarian sciences, can Academic Training involve contact with patients?
A: No; J-1 visa regulations stipulate that exchange visitors cannot have direct contact with patients. Students in these fields should speak with their academic advisors about looking for internships that focus on research or other opportunities that do not require hands-on interaction with people or animals. Students can also pursue observation-based positions.
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Q: Can students work over/under 35 hours per week during their summer Academic Training opportunities?
A: Students can work over 35 hours per week, and in some cases can work less. Each summer Academic Training opportunity would ideally require the student intern to work for at least 35 hours per week, but students who wish to work fewer than 35 hours per week can email BrazilAT@iie.org to request an exception to this policy.
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Q: How long should the summer Academic Training last?
A: The summer internship should last at least 8 weeks and must conclude before the student’s next semester (in the U.S. or in Brazil) begins. Most summer internships will last no longer than 12 weeks. In no case should an internship last longer than 16 weeks.
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Q: Can students combine two Academic Training opportunities to reach the 35 hour per week or 8 week minimum requirements?
A: Yes, as long as both are approved by IIE.
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Q: Can the Academic Training opportunity be paid?
A: BSMP students can pursue internships that are unpaid or paid. Students will continue receiving a stipend and health insurance from BSMP during their internships.
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Q: How soon after the semester ends do students need to begin their summer Academic Training?
A: Internships should ideally begin no later than 30 days after the end of the semester.
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Q: Can students go back to Brazil or visit another country between the end of the semester and the beginning of Academic Training?
A: No, students will need to stay in the U.S. throughout the entire period of the BSMP grant. This includes the period between classes and summer internships.
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Q: Do students have to do an AT internship as part of the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program?
A: Academic Training is an integral part of the Brazil Scientific Mobility grant. IIE has set up systems to help connect students with meaningful internships, and it is expected that they will participate in one during the summer of the BSMP grant.
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Q: If students want to pursue a part-time internship for course credit, does this count as Academic Training?
A: Yes. All internships count as Academic Training and must be approved by IIE before a student can begin the internship. Students can only pursue part-time Academic Training during their second semester or third trimester.
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Q: Can students have an internship during their first semester of school?
A: No. BSMP students are not permitted to participate in internships during their first semester of school.
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Q: Can students have an internship during their second semester of school?
A: Requests for Academic Training during the school year are permitted (as long as the student maintains a full course load) and will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis. Any internship taken during the academic year must count as academic credit during the term for which it was approved. It cannot count as more than 25% of the student's courseload. Students who complete Academic Training during classes should also find a full-time AT opportunity over the summer.
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Q: What are the tax obligations for BSMP student interns who complete paid Academic Training opportunities?
A: Under the provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, certain scholarships made to foreign students are generally subject to withholding for income tax purposes and may lead to tax liability unless the scholarship is used to pay tuition or other instructional fees. BSMP scholarship funds from the Government of Brazil are not subject to withholding, but students do have several responsibilities concerning taxes from income generated through Academic Training or any other approved student employment. Any income paid to the student for these activities is subject to U.S. income tax regulations and withholding of all local, state and federal taxes except social security. It is the student’s sole responsibility to inquire with the IRS and respective State tax authorities to see if they are required to pay additional tax on this income. It is also the student’s sole responsibility to obtain all proper documentation and to file income tax returns with the IRS or State tax authorities whether or not he or she incurs a tax liability, and to complete and submit Parts I and III of Form 8843 at the end of the calendar year. The form and instructions can be found at http://www.irs.gov/. Specific instructions for exchange visitors can be found at http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Foreign-Students-and-Scholars. IIE will not be able to assist students with federal or state tax filing preparation.
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Request for Summer Academic Training Approval
All materials must be completed and submitted to IIE at BrazilAT@iie.org before your Academic Training is approved. Please remember that you should not participate in any Academic Training without approval from IIE. Participating in AT without IIE's written approval can result in the termination of your grant and visa sponsorship.
- Request for Academic Training Approval (284 KB, PDF) —Once you have been offered a practicum, internship, and/or research opportunity during the summer, you must complete this form.
- An official offer letter from your employer. This should be on the company's letterhead and signed by your internship supervisor or a Human Resources contact at your company.
Request for Part-Time Academic Training Approval
Only students who began their BSMP grants in Spring of 2013 are eligible to apply for approval of part-time Academic Training.
Academic Training that takes place during an academic term must be remunerated in academic credit and include no more than 20 hours of work per week. No AT will be approved during the students first semester, first trimester, or first two quarters of BSMP study, and students must have a 3.0 GPA to request approval for Part-Time AT. Please note that if you will not be permitted to receive academic credit for an AT opportunity during the summer if you have done Part-Time AT during the academic year.
- Request for Part-Time Academic Training Approval (259 KB, PDF) — Once you have been offered a practicum, internship, and/or research opportunity during an academic semester, you must complete this form.
- An official offer letter from your employer. This should be on the company's letterhead and signed by your internship supervisor or a Human Resources contact at your company.
IIE will respond to all Academic Training approval requests within 15 business days.
Reporting During Academic Training
- Confirmation of Commencement (307 KB, PDF) — You must send this form to BrazilAT@iie.org within 10 days of your internship start date. This form is also called the "Arrival and Address Report" form.
- Academic Training Report_Spring 2013 Cohort (87 KB, PDF) — This form is for students who began their grants in Spring 2013. You should complete the top portion of this form and then give it to your supervisor to complete the rest. Your supervisor should send this form directly to IIE at brazilat@iie.org on your behalf.
- Final Academic Training Report and Departure Form_Fall 2012 Cohort (277 KB, PDF) — This form is for students who began their grants in Fall 2012. Please complete this form and send it to brazilat@iie.org 15 days before the end date on your current DS-2019.
- Final Academic Training Reflection Survey—Please complete the survey available here 15 days before the end date on your current DS-2019. Completing an evaluation is a J-1 visa regulation and requirement of the U.S. Department of State.