Transfer Program Sponsorship to KU

All degree-seeking J-1 students currently in the U.S. who plan to change program sponsors must complete the transfer procedure through SEVIS. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time and start preparations early.

Travel Concerns

If you are thinking about traveling around the time you wish to transfer your program sponsorship, consult with your current program sponsor to determine the best timing of your SEVIS record release. Once your record is released, YOU CANNOT TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S. until your KU DS-2019 is created, validated in SEVIS, and you get a travel signature from a KU ISS immigration advisor.

New to KU

If you are a brand new student starting a program at KU and wanting to transfer your current J-1 sponsorship to KU, please email issdocs@ku.edu for further information.

Already enrolled at KU with non-KU J-1 sponsorship

Read the following steps and requirements carefully to transfer your J-1 sponsorship to KU. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain his or her J-1 student status and to complete the process below.

  1. Notify your current sponsor of your intent to transfer sponsorship to KU and ask what documentation/process they require.
  2. You must have your current program sponsor release your SEVIS record to KU before your current DS-2019 end date.
  3. KU cannot produce a KU DS-2019 until after the release date chosen by you and your current program sponsor.
  4. If your current program sponsor is the U.S. government (program code on DS-2019 starts with G), you will need to pay the SEVIS fee to the U.S. government. Bring a credit card to your ISS appointment and we can help you with the payment.
  5. Complete the Transfer J-1 Sponsorship to KU e-form group via iHawk:
    • “ISS Services for All Students” --> “J-1 Transfer Program Sponsorship to KU”
    • Forms 1 – 5 may be submitted in any order. The final form 6 becomes available only once the first four are in “pending review” status (i.e. all advisors/2nd approver have completed their verification as well).
    • You will need the following information to submit this e-form group:
      • Name and Email address of your current J-1 program sponsor’s Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO).
      • Name and email address of your current academic advisor at KU who can verify the anticipated time left to degree completion (only if continuing in a degree that you have already been pursuing at KU prior to transferring program sponsorship).
      • Proof of funding for the duration/remainder of your J-1 program.
      • If any part of your funding for the remainder of your J-1 program comes from KU, name and email address of the departmental contact person who can verify your KU funding information.
      • Scan(s) of: most recent DS-2019; passport ID pages of J-2 dependents (if any).
  6. Within 30 days after the SEVIS record release date, schedule an hour-long appointment with an ISS immigration advisor to process your KU DS-2019. Bring your credit card if you have not paid the SEVIS fee yet and need help.
  7. Failure to obtain and validate the KU DS-2019 within 30 days after the release date will require a reinstatement process with fee. It is highly recommended you obtain and validate your KU DS-2019 within a few days of the release date.
  8. IMPORTANT: If you will be working on campus (ex. GRA/GTA; student hourly) you must obtain an on-campus work permit from ISS before you start working. This can be accomplished only once your SEVIS record has been transferred to KU, and your record has been validated.