Professional Careeer Training (PCT) USA - a J1 Visa Programme
- Designed for young professionalsThe Professional Career Training Programme allows you to spend up to 18 months at a Company in the USA on the J1 Trainee Visa Programme.** It offers an invaluable opportunity to widen your horizons, gain vital international experience and give your CV a real boost!
- Up to 18 months at a US CompanyYou are allowed to arrive in the USA up to 30 days prior to the start of the Traineeship and remain in the USA for up to 30 days after you finish (giving a total of 20 months in the USA).
**Please note traineeships in tourism and hospitality programmes are allowed a maximum 12 months at a host company unless management training can be shown throughout.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Eligibility
Eligibility
You must be over 21 years old- You must have a degree and at least one years experience in your field in the UK.If you are not sure whether you are eligible for this programme or have any questions please email info@istplus.com or use the CONTACT US link on the main menu
Not sure this is the right programme?
Are you still in university level education?- Graduated more than a year ago?
- Under 30?You may also want to look at Work and Travel Australia
Enter the name for this tabbed section: What's included
What's included
Legal SponsorshipThe Legal Sponsorship and documentation required to apply for the J1 visa (this is known as the DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility)
InsuranceComprehensive medical and liability insurance for the duration of your time in the USA - for full details on this please see ciee.org/insurance
24/7 emergency supportOur teams are available for you 24 hours a day if you have an emergency. You can call them toll free from any phone in the USA
Participant Handbook and ExtrasEvery participant gets a comprehensive handbook - as well as access to discounts and extras. See
Online OrientationEvery participant must complete an online orientation prior to their departure for the USA - this is full of useful an important information about the J1 programme, living in the USA and staying safe.
SEVIS FeesSEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The US Government currently charges $180 for this - but don't worry! It's included in your fees!
Once your application has been approved, we send you a SEVIS receipt along with your other documentation - you then take this to the embassy interview with you!
Enter the name for this tabbed section: What's not included
What's not included
Plane TicketsTravel and tickets are the responsibility of the participant
AccommodationParticipants organise this themselves, but advice and guidance can be found here
The US Embassy Interview and Visa Processing FeeCurrently $140 (this is only payable at the time of booking your interview and must be made directly to the US Embassy using a valid credit or debit card) See here for more info on the J1 visa interview
Enter the name for this tabbed section: How to Apply
How to Apply
Once you have secured your Internship or Trainee position in the USA, you will need to complete and submit the Application form to IST Plus.
There are TWO sections to any application you send to IST Plus - one to be completed by you and one by a representative at your proposed Host Company.
If your proposed Host Company would like assistance in completing their portion of the application, please direct them to http://www.ciee.org/hire/intern/ds7002/interns.aspx, where they will find all relevant application materials and detailed instructions for completing these.
Please note for programmes in Hospitality and Tourism longer than 3 months the US Department of State requires DS-7002 Training plans to have multiple phases. Please see here for more information.
By PostPlease send your completed documentation to IST Plus, Churcham House, 1 Bridgeman Road, Teddington TW11 9AJ. If paying by cheque, please make cheques payable to IST Plus. If you would like to pay by either debit/ credit card or online banking, please make sure you put a cover note in with your application and a member of our team will contact you.
Please note debit card payments are subject to an additional 2% surcharge. Credit card payments are subject to an additional 4% surcharge. We strongly recommend paying via online banking or via cheque if at all possible to avoid these charges.
Via EmailYou can send your application direct via email to info@istplus.com. Please make sure it is a single pdf file no larger than 5 mb. Please also note you must have signatures on all relevant pages.
Your part of the ApplicationThis is called the Internship USA Application pack. You can download this here, or go to our Downloads page. You'll need to save this and either print out or complete on your computer. You will also need to get your university to complete one of the pages to prove you're a full time student!- The bit your Host Company in the USA must complete, sign and send to you (via email is fine)The DS-7002 Training Plan is a US Department of State Form that every company in the USA taking an international intern or trainee must fill out.
If you are doing an internship in tourism and hospitality they must use a different version - get it here.
Once they've completed it, they will need to sign and date the top page (where it says "Supervisor signature". They can then scan and email it (or fax) back to you. You'll then need to sign and date the top page before sending it to us along with your other documentation!
Advice for Host Companies on completing the DS-7002 can be found here
Enter the name for this tabbed section: How much does it Cost?
Fees
Remember - the fees cover the time you are actually IN the US - not just the time you spend at your Host Company on your J1 Trainee Programme. For example, if you are have a 12 month traineeship, but plan to fly out the week before AND stay the max 30 days after, this will mean a 14 month programme.
Please note fees include all sponsorship, legal documentation, 24/7 support in the US, medical and liability insurance for the duration of your time in the USA - as well as the US Government SEVIS fee. The fees do not include the visa interview fee (payable direct to the embassy when you book your face to face interview (currently $140 US dollars - see Visa Interview). ***Should your US Host Company require a site visit there will be an additional charge of £175 for this.
Remember to choose Professional Career Training USA from the Programme dropdown menu and to put the dates you plan on leaving for the USA and coming home - not the dates you plan to be at the internship.
Please note all fees are in UK Pounds (GPB)
- You're allowed to stay in the USA 30 days after your internship ends - but you must apply for these dates at the time of application - you won't be able to get them changed once your int the USA.
Please note all fees are in UK Pounds (GPB)
| Months | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Fee (£) | 840 | 840 | 890 | 940 | 990 | 1040 | 1090 | 1140 | 1190 | 1240 |
| Months | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Fee (£) | 1290 | 1340 | 1390 | 1440 | 1490 | 1540 | 1590 | 1640 | 1690 | 1740 |
Use the fees calculator - remember to choose Professional Career Training USA from the menu
Cancellation Policy
After application received: £200
After application received and DS-2019 printed: £385
After Programme start date has passed: £450
Please note there will be no refunds once you have travelled to the USA
In case of visa refusal at embassy participants will be refunded programme fees minus £220 (this includes the non refundable SEVIS fee).
Once you have received your DS-2019, requests for new documentation as a result of new dates (or loss of documentation): £55
All prices subject to change
After application received and DS-2019 printed: £385
After Programme start date has passed: £450
Please note there will be no refunds once you have travelled to the USA
In case of visa refusal at embassy participants will be refunded programme fees minus £220 (this includes the non refundable SEVIS fee).
Once you have received your DS-2019, requests for new documentation as a result of new dates (or loss of documentation): £55
All prices subject to change
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Embassy Interviews
The J1 Visa Embassy Interview
Once you have received your DS-2019 and other documents from IST Plus, you are able to call the US Embassy to book your face to face interview for your J1 visa.
To do this you need to call the EMBASSY BOOKING LINE on 09042 450 100. Calls are charged to this line at £1.20/min from BT landlines; some mobile and network providers may charge more. In addition, some callers outside the UK and some network providers can not access this number.
This service is available at the following times:
* Monday - Friday: 8:00 am until 9:00 pm
* Saturdays: 9:00 am until 4:00 pm
IST Plus is not responsible for external content. This video and the information provided within are the property of the US Department of State
The DS-160 form
All applicants now need to complete the DS-160 online form prior to attending their face to face interview.
Please go to https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ for more information and to complete the form.
You will need to have a suitable photo on your computer to upload to the form - please see here for photo requirements.
Make sure you have the following information to hand when you call, or you may not be allowed to book an interview:
DS-2019 number: this normally starts with an “N000” and can be found on your welcome documentation, insurance confirmation, and at the top right hand side of the DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility (easily recognised by the vertical “bar code” on the top right of the page).
Program Number: The following Codes apply:
- Summer Work and Travel: P-3-04320
- Internship USA: P-3-05133
- Graduate Internship USA: P-3-05133
- PCT USA: P-3-11217
Legal Sponsor: This is CIEE (unless you are going on a Camp USA Programme, in which case the legal sponsor is INTEREXCHANGE).
Passport number
Email address
***You may well be asked if you need to pay the SEVIS fee. This has already been paid on your behalf and a receipt is in your pack with your documentation. It will either be a print out from The Department of Homeland Security (I-901) or a watermarked certificate (I-797).***
You will also need a valid debit or credit card with which to make the payment of $140 US dollars. This is the standard interview fee that any person applying for a visa to the US must pay.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Extending your Programme
Extending your J1 Traineeship
The maximum the US Department of State allows a J1 Trainee to remain in the US at their Host Company is 18 months.
If your original programme was for this maximum time (18 months), we are afraid you are not allowed to apply for an extension. However, if your original application was for less than this, you may well be eligible to apply to extend to the max 18 months.
If your traineeship is in tourism and hospitality please contact CIEE directly in the US before applying to check your eligibility to extend.
How much does an extension cost?
The fees for an extension are the same as if you were starting a new programme - they are based on the amount of extra time you plan to be in the USA (not just the time you plan to remain at your Internship).
Please use the "How much does it cost?" section of this page to work out the cost - an extension will start the day after the end date on your DS-2019 form and finish on the day you plan to return from the USA.
- You will need to complete the Application for Programme Extension
- Your Host Company will need to complete the DS-7002 for Extensions (you will both need to sign and date this)
- Should your Host company require additional phase pages please use the downloadable version below - the US State Department won't accept any other format. Sorry!
Application for Programme ExtensionIf you are already a participant and want to extend your program, you will use this form. You will also need to complete a new DS-7002 with your Host Organization. Download here- DS-7002 for Extension ApplicationsUse this form if you are a current participant in either category and are applying to extend your program. Download here
- DS-7002 Extra Page 2 (Phase Page)You can add extra copies of this page to your DS-7002 if your program will have more than four “phases”. Download here
Once you have your documents ready, you have one of two options available to you:
- Post the completed application and fee to: IST Plus, Churcham House, 1 Bridgeman Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 9AJ, UK
- Email the application as a single scanned PDF file (no larger than 3mb) to info@istplus.com.
Important information - please read
While an application to extend your programme in the US may well be approved, your original J1 visa will expire at the end of your ORIGINAL PROGRAMME. Therefore, during your extension period, if you decide to leave the US, you will need to apply for a new J1 visa at the US Embassy in the UK in order to be able to re-enter the US to continue your programme. Please bear this in mind when making any travel plans.
Once an application is approved, a new DS-2019 will be sent to your Host Company address.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: The DS-2019 and J1 Visa
DS-2019 Certificate and J1 Visa
The DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility is the document you need in order to book and attend a face to face interview at the US Embassy for a J1 Visa. It is issued by the legal sponsor (CIEE) and shows you have been approved for the programme. It is a very valuable document that you must keep safe at all times.
You will be issued with this once we have been able to approve your programme.
When you attend your face to face interview at the embassy, they will take this from you - along with your passport. They will send it back to you with you passport once your visa has been processed. Your J1 visa will be printed inside your passport.
You will be issued with this once we have been able to approve your programme.
When you attend your face to face interview at the embassy, they will take this from you - along with your passport. They will send it back to you with you passport once your visa has been processed. Your J1 visa will be printed inside your passport.
The DS-2019
The J1 Visa
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Host Company Site Visits
Site visits
Most companies do not need a site visit. However, since July 2007, the US Department of State has required that companies that do not fulfil one of the following criteria MUST have a site visit from one of our colleagues in the US prior to approval of your programme.
This is to verify the details of the activities, as well as make sure it is a safe and secure work environment in which to place you. Remember, CIEE has the legal responsibility for your presence in the USA, so they need to make sure everything is OK with companies that we have not worked with before..
This is to verify the details of the activities, as well as make sure it is a safe and secure work environment in which to place you. Remember, CIEE has the legal responsibility for your presence in the USA, so they need to make sure everything is OK with companies that we have not worked with before..
As a Designated Department of State Sponsor, CIEE is required to conduct site visits of Host Organisations that do not meet one of the following criteria:
* Have hosted an Intern/ Trainee with CIEE within the past three years
* Have more than 25 full-time employees; or
* Generate more than three million dollars in annual revenue
If the Host Organization can provide evidence that it fulfills any one of these conditions, a site visit will most likely not be needed. Furthermore, Host Organizations that are academic institutions or federal, state, or local government offices are excluded from the site visit requirement.
The Process
As a general rule, a site visit will add an additional 3-4 weeks to the application processing time. During the visit, the representative will view and take photographs of the company environment, including the prospective intern/trainee’s workspace.
Any application that will require a Site Visit will be subject to an additional £175 fee - please remember to add this to your programme fees when applying.
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