Internship and Training Common Questions
Application Process
WISE® does not generally place students with internship sites. As WISE® is a visa sponsorship organization, candidates normally apply to the program after having already received an offer from a potential host site. Many participants find placement opportunities through the intern office or advisor at their college.
Visa processing with WISE® takes 4-6 weeks from the date WISE® receives your full application. We recommend you send in your application at least 2 months before you are supposed to start your program. Once WISE® receives your application it is recommended that you check your email frequently so that you can respond to requests from WISE® while your application is in process. The process moves faster when we have receptive candidates and host sites.
You must submit payment, or proof of payment with your application. If your host site or another party is paying your fees, please make sure to indicate this on your application.
WISE® will contact you during the application process and instruct you when to make your consulate appointment. Do not make your consulate appointment until WISE® instructs you to do so. WISE® also recommends that you not book your airplane ticket to the U.S. until you get your visa sticker from the U.S. consulate.
Arrival In the USA
Yes, within two weeks, you need to validate your visa by filling out the arrival validation form.
During the Program
During your time off, you may leave and re-enter the U.S. without obtaining a new visa stamp, provided that your J-1 visa stamp and DS-2019 form have not expired. If you hold a multiple-entry visa, your passport is still valid, and you have a valid copy of your DS-2019 in your possession, you should be allowed to re-enter the U.S.
Before you leave the United States, WISE® must coordinate a signature on the front of the DS-2019 form to show that you are in good standing with your program. The WISE® staff will coordinate this signature of the DS-2019, but you must follow certain steps outlined in the WISE® participant manual. Contact WISE® if you have any questions about this process.
Please see the insurance FAQ page.
WISE® offers advising services for all participating trainees. Please go to our contact page to find WISE® contact information.
Call the toll-free WISE® Training/Internship emergency phone at 1-888-216-7238
The dates on the visa stamp in your passport indicate the dates that you are allowed to enter the United States to start your training or internship program. The dates on your DS-2019 form indicate the dates that you are allowed to be in the United States participating in the program.
As a participant in a J-1 Training or J-1 Internship program, you may stay in the United States and participate in your training or internship for the duration of the dates indicated on your DS-2019 form (as long as you remain in active status with WISE®.) Upon successful completion of the program, you may stay for up to 30 days after the last day indicated on your DS-2019 form during an automatic grace period. During this grace period you may not work or train, but you may travel within the United States. At the end of 30 days, your visa status automatically switches to “inactive.”
It is generally not permitted to change host sites during the program as WISE® considers the DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan a contract between the participant and the host site. If there are special circumstances or concerns that are motivating you to want to change host sites, it is very important that you contact WISE® so that WISE® staff can address your concerns.
Office
WISE Foundation
P.O. Box 1332
Dyersburg TN-38025, USA
Contact
- 731-287-9948
- wise@wisefoundation.com
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