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Documenting Funding for Rutgers University’s J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Funding documentation is required only if you will not be fully funded by Rutgers (including sufficient
funds for dependents, if any). Documentation must indicate the source, amount, dates and any other
terms of the funding. Documentation for visits of less than one year may be pro-rated on a monthly basis.
Documentation must be in English, but the currency does not need to be in U.S. Dollars.
J-1 Visiting Professors, Research Scholars, and Short-Term Scholars
J-1 visitors in the professor, research scholar or short-term scholar category must document funding of no
less than USD 30,000 per year. Up to 25% may be from personal funds. Funding for J-2 dependents is
also required. The minimum amount of funding documentation required for dependents is as follows:
$5000 per year for spouse; $4,500 per year for each child. The dependent amounts are required per visit,
not per year, and may come from personal sources.
While the specific type of documentation will vary depending on the funding source, examples of
evidence of funding might be: (1) a letter from your home university stating you (the visitor) will be on
sabbatical; the dates of your visit to Rutgers; the amount, in foreign currency, of salary you will receive
during the period that you will be at Rutgers; and that your home university supports the visit to Rutgers
for educational exchange purposes; (2) a letter from a government agency or other bona fide sponsoring
agency outlining the funding amount, the terms under which the funding for your educational exchange
program is being granted, and the specific dates during which the funding will be provided; 3) a bank
statement in English or translated into English showing funds available.
If salary from home institution is used, it must specify that the J-1 visitor will continue to receive that
amount during their time at Rutgers University.
If you have any questions about how to document funding for your visit, please discuss the matter with
your host department at Rutgers.
J-1 Visiting Research Students
J-1 visitors in the “student” category who will come to Rutgers for research only (will not enroll in
coursework at Rutgers) must document funding of no less than the appropriate amount listed below,
which is different for graduate students than for undergraduate students. Up to 25% may be from
personal funds, unless the visit is under the auspices of a formal exchange agreement, then 100%
personal funds are permitted. The formal exchange agreement between your university and Rutgers
University must apply to your particular visit and must be documented by your prospective host
department at Rutgers.
The minimum amount of funding required for dependents is as follows: $5000 per year for spouse; $4,500
per year for each child. The dependent amounts are required per visit, not per year, and may come from
personal sources.
Graduate students (currently pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. at your home institution):
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The amount of funding required for graduate students may be no less than:
• Rutgers Legacy: USD 20,000 per year, or USD 1,666 per month
• RBHS: USD 24,000 per year, or USD 2,000 per month
Undergraduate students (currently pursuing a BA or BS at your home institution)
Undergraduates are permitted to come to Rutgers to conduct research only as part of a formal exchange
agreement. The amount of funding required for undergraduate students may be no less than USD
16,000 per year, or USD 1,333 per month.
While the specific type of documentation will vary depending on the funding source, examples of
evidence of funding might be: (1) a letter from your home university specifying the amount, terms and
dates during which the home university will provide you with funding; (2) a letter from an agency of your
government stating the amount, terms, and dates of government funding; (3) for students using personal
funds or participating in a formal exchange program, a copy of a current bank statement or letter from a
bank showing that at least the amount of funding required for your J-1 visit to Rutgers is available. The
statement or letter should be in English or officially translated into English; if the bank account is not in
your name, the owner of the account must certify in writing that he or she intends to provide you with at
least the amount required.
If you have any questions about how to document funding for your visit, please discuss the matter with
your host department at Rutgers.
