International Visiting Students

International Services Office

A “visiting student” or “External Grad Student” is an international student enrolled in a degree program outside the United States, who comes to Scripps Research to do a thesis or dissertation research internship. The ISO does not provide placement services for visiting students. If you are seeking a research internship at Scripps Research, contact the professor or principal investigator with whom you are interested in working and explain your research interests and why you could be an asset to his or her lab. Provide your CV and explain your financial support. If the professor or principal investigator you contact is interested in hosting you, he or she will then contact the ISO to initiate the procedures for visa sponsorship. During your research internship at Scripps Research, you must continue to be enrolled in your home institution.

In general, international students offered a research internship by a Scripps Research principal investigator may be eligible for visa sponsorship in one of the following visa programs:

• The “J-1 Short-term Scholar” or “J-1 Research Scholar” visa categories can be used for international students who have completed a bachelor’s degree, are currently enrolled as a graduate student in a foreign country and have the majority of their financial support from their home university. The ISO can provide further information on funding and health insurance requirements. If the visiting student meets both Scripps Research and immigration requirements, the host department will submit a request to the ISO for a J-1 visa document for a visiting student.
• The “J Intern” visa category will be used for students who are currently enrolled as an “undergraduate” (no university degree thus far) in a foreign country, or students who are enrolled in a graduate program in a foreign country but will rely primarily on personal money or family savings for their visit to the U.S. In these cases, the ISO will refer the student to a specific third-party visa sponsor who will issue the J-1 DS-2019 document. The third-party visa sponsor will work with the student and inviting department to obtain information needed to issue the J-1 visa document. Organizations that offer the “J-1 Intern” visa sponsorship charge substantial fees.