Visiting Students (J-1)

To be eligible for J-1 student status, you must be admitted to or enrolled in a full-time degree program. You must qualify at Westfield State University as part of a formal exchange program.

For information about obtaining a J-1 visa, please see our J-1 Visa Process Document. If you have additional questions, please contact the International Programs Office by emailing ipo@westfield.ma.edu.

As a student in J-1 status, you are admitted to the US for “D/S” (duration of status)—this allows you to stay until the end date reflected on your Form DS-2019, as long as you maintain full-time registration, legal status, and maintain a SEVIS record in good standing. If you finish your program early, your DS-2019 will be adjusted. At the end of your program, J-1 status permits a 30-day grace period for you to prepare for departure from the U.S.

The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is administered by the US Department of State (DOS) and is intended for educational, scientific, and cultural exchange. As a J-1 student, you will be expected to return to your home country following your exchange program.

As a J-1 student, you must meet certain obligations in order to maintain legal immigration status. Please refer to the Maintaining Your Status page for detailed information. Below we provide basic information:

To maintain lawful status, a J-1 student must:

• Attend the university you are authorized to attend.
• Be in good academic standing and make progress toward an academic program.
• Maintain full-time enrollment during the academic year.
• Limit on-campus employment to 20 hours per week during the academic year.
• May not be employed without specific pre-authorization.
• Keep your passport valid at all times (the passport must be valid for at least 6 months into the future on the day you return to the U.S. from a trip abroad).
• Report promptly any change of address to USCIS.
• Maintain health insurance coverage.

Qualifying family members may be eligible for J-2 dependent status. The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is administered by the US Department of State (DOS) and is intended for educational, scientific, and cultural exchange. As a J-1 student, you and your dependents will be expected to return to your home country following your exchange program.

While studying at Westfield State University and traveling outside the United States, you need proper documents to re-enter the United States. These documents include a valid J-1 visa (the visa stamp in your passport), a valid passport 6 months into the future, and your most recent DS-2019 with a travel signature of less than one-year-old. For more information, please refer to the Maintaining your Status Page.

Yes, you are required to have a Health Insurance Plan. All International students will need to either enroll in OR waive out of the Westfield State Student Health Insurance Plan online at www.university health plans.com. This must be done prior to the start of every academic year (or spring term, if applicable). Students may enroll OR waive the insurance starting in mid-June.  The deadline to enroll or waive the health insurance for the fall term is September 30; the deadline for the spring term is February 28. Students enrolling in the plan will be charged once the enrollment form is complete. If the enrollment form is not submitted by the deadline, the student's account will be placed on hold until the form is completed. Failure to enroll or waive out of the offered student plan will result in students automatically being enrolled into the plan. Once the student is enrolled, there will be no refunds.  

International Students have a few options for health insurance:

• If you already have international health insurance that provides coverage in the state of Massachusetts, you can waive University Health Plans. 
• J-1 students may check with their home university’s international coordinator to see if their university’s health insurance covers Massachusetts.
• If you do not have health insurance that covers Massachusetts, international students may purchase other options for Health coverage per visa requirements. 
  • Below we list a few international insurance companies with options available to international students. Westfield State does not partner with nor recommend a specific insurance company. Please do your research and decide on the best option based on your circumstances:
    •  International Student Insurance, Study Abroad | Study USA-HealthCare
    •  ISO Student Health Insurance
    •  Compass Student Insurance
    • Visit International Health Insurance
  • International Students are also eligible for the Westfield State University health insurance plan: www.university health plans.com. We recommend this option for students with health conditions that require them to see a doctor regularly. 

If you are covered in Massachusetts by an international health insurance plan, you  may waive out of the  Westfield State University Student Health Insurance Plan. To waive out of this plan, please follow the steps outlined here. For more information about waiving out of University Health Insurance Plan, please contact IPO by emailing ipo@westfield.ma.edu.

To enroll in the Westfield State University Student Health Insurance Plan, please view the steps outlined here. For more information, please contact Health Services by emailing healthservices@westfield.ma.edu or by calling 413-572-5415.

Limited work permission is available for on-campus employment and off-campus placements related to your major or field of study. 

Eligibility of employment for J-1 students:

• You are primarily in the U.S. to study
• Your DS-2019 was issued by Westfield State University and has not expired
• Your proposed Academic Training is related to your field of study
• You are in good academic standing
• You have received authorization from the IPO
• You have not already used the maximum amount of Academic Training allowed

All international students who were physically present in the U.S. at any time between January 1 and December 31 of a given year must complete and submit some type of federal tax form for that year. International students in other immigration classifications may also be required to complete and submit tax forms. The number and type of form you must complete depend on whether you earned income during the year, the type of income you received, the length of time you have been physically present in the U.S., and other factors. The deadlines to file the forms are April 15, if U.S. income is earned (this includes money earned from graduate student assistantships) and June 15, if no U.S. income is earned. If you have not earned any income nor received any taxable stipends or scholarships, and are only required to file IRS Form 8843, then neither an SSN nor an ITIN is required to file. 

Westfield State University has arranged discounted access to Sprintax - an online tool specifically designed for international students and scholars which helps to prepare federal and state returns in less than 20 minutes. Sprintax will guide you through the tax preparation process, arrange the necessary documents and check if you’re due a tax refund.

Please see more helpful information on the IRS Website, specifically on the International Taxpayers Page. The two links below also offer additional information: 

• https://www.internationalstudent.com/tax/
• https://www.internationalstudent.com/tax/form/

A Social Security Number (SSN) is a unique identification number that allows the United States government to monitor your taxable wages earned as an employee in the U.S. 

For more information about Social Security Numbers, please visit the following webpages: 

• Social Security Administration Homepage
• International Students and Social Security Numbers
• Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens

As an international student, you only qualify for a Social Security Card if you have authorization to work in the U.S. The SSN on your card does not give you U.S. employment authorization. It simply provides an identifying number for you to be paid for a U.S. job and for your employer to deduct the appropriate taxes on behalf of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). To qualify for a SSN, you must be physically present in the U.S. in an immigration classification that permits employment.

Who can apply:

• F-1 and J-1 students who are authorized for employment can apply for an SSN. More specifically:
  • F-1 and J-1 students who are working on-campus at Westfield State University.
  • F-1 students authorized for CPT (Curricular Practical Training), OPT (Optional Practical Training),
  • J-1 students authorized for Academic Training