J-1 exchange visitors may transfer from one J-1 program sponsoring institution to another if the following requirements can be met:

  • Your current DS-2019 form has not expired.
  • The purpose of the transfer is to complete your initial academic objective and you remain within the same subject field category on your original DS-2019 form.
  • The transfer will not exceed your stay in the U.S. beyond the permissible time for your current J-1 category.
    • Research Scholar or Professor – 5 years
    • Short-Term Scholar – 6 months
    • Student Intern – 12 months

J-1 exchange visitors planning to transfer IN or OUT of the University of California, Santa Barbara must request the transfer no later than 30 days before the desired transfer date.

 

Transferring IN to UCSB from another U.S. institution
If you are currently in J-1 status at another U.S. institution and wish to transfer your J-1 program to UCSB, first go to the “Apply for DS-2019” section of our website to review the step-by-step procedures for obtaining a DS-2019 form from UCSB.  You will then need to communicate with the Payroll Coordinator in your UCSB host department, who will help you to begin the DS-2019 request process.

Once you arrive on campus, you will need to login to UCSBGlobal and complete your online J-1 Scholar Check-In. Once you submit your J-1 Scholar Transfer Check-In, OISS will review the information and electronically transmit a DS-2019 to you.

If you plan to travel outside of the U.S. before coming to UCSB, you will need to notify our office so that we can electronically transmit your DS-2019 upon the completion of your J-1 Scholar Transfer Check-In.

 

Transferring OUT of UCSB

You must notify your UCSB host department of your intent to transfer your J-1 sponsorship to another U.S. institution.  You, your UCSB Host Department and your new sponsoring institution will need to agree on the Transfer OUT date and then complete a Transfer Out form on UCSBGlobal. You will need to enter the name and contact information of the international scholar advisor at your new institution. This form will automatically be sent to the new advisor for their approval.

You may also need to complete a Transfer In form from your new sponsoring institution if they require one. An OISS Advisor will complete the required Advisor section and return it to your new institution for you.

OISS will then process your Transfer OUT Request in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which will be effective on the date requested on your Transfer OUT form.  If there are any changes prior to your transfer date, notify our office immediately.

IMPORTANT NOTE
If you are subject to the J-1 212(E) Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence requirement and have requested, or have been granted the J-1 Waiver, you may not be eligible for a J-1 Transfer.  Please make an appointment to speak with an OISS J-1 Scholar Advisor before moving forward with your request.  To schedule an appointment, please call (805) 893-2211.