Welcome to the Office of International Education (OIE) “J-Buzz” monthly newsletter! OIE is thrilled to provide a dedicated space for participants in the BridgeUSA program.

J-1 exchange visitors at Georgia Tech—whether Research Scholars, Short-term Scholars, Student Interns, degree-seeking students, or Fulbright participants—can stay informed with valuable BridgeUSA program updates, connect with advisors, and discover programming events on campus and in the surrounding community.

Hi there! My name is Kimberly Young, and I’m one of the Associate Directors of International Student and Scholar Services within OIE. I have the pleasure of overseeing the BridgeUSA program. I joined Georgia Tech in 2023 and bring over 20 years of experience in international education. I’m passionate about this field and love supporting scholars in achieving their goals. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, antiquing, line dancing, and spending time with friends and family.

Hi friends! My name is Sarah Scott. I have worked as an international student and scholar advisor for 8 years with 5 of those years being at Georgia Tech. I have always been drawn to the field of international education and love working with J-1 Exchange Visitors to help them feel welcome and supported during their time in the U.S.. In my free time I enjoy cooking, crafting, seeing live music, and spending time with my dog (Bela) and 2 cats (Muffin & Nathan).

Before traveling outside the United States, check any travel advisories on the U.S. Department of State website here.

When traveling outside the United States, be sure to request an updated travel signature on your DS-2019. Travel signatures are good for 6 months to 1 year, depending on your J-1 category. Requesting a travel signature is easy; simply log into istart.gatech.edu and submit the travel signature e-form under the appropriate menu for your status and category. 

No travel signature is needed when traveling within the United States.

Visit OIE’s Travel website for additional resources on traveling outside the United States.

The Department of State mandates that all J-1 visa holders and J-2 dependents maintain health insurance for the duration of their program. Be sure to renew your health insurance before it expires and submit an updated copy of your policy coverage to OIE.
For more information on health insurance requirements, please visit our website here. 

** Starting April 2025, you will begin receiving emails from OIE regarding the expiration of your health insurance that we have on file for you. If you receive this email, please provide us with your updated insurance documents via iStart through the J Scholar or J Student Intern Immigration Document Update E-form.

Do you need additional time to complete your research project? Coordinate with your hosting department’s HR administrator to request an extension of your DS-2019. They will submit the request on your behalf for OIE's review.

Please visit our website for more information about the extension process and eligibility requirements. 

GTPD Phone: (404) 894-2500
GTPD Email: crimeprevention@police.gatech.edu
OIE Scam Information: https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/content/scams-101

OIE has created a J-1 Pre-Arrival Guide with information regarding visa applications, housing, transportation, health insurance, and more! While you may already be here on campus, this guide can still be useful to you for various different resources. Looking for local international grocers? Looking to change your cell phone plan or banking institution? Want to learn more about campus resources? It's all in there! 

You can access the J-1 Pre-Arrival Guide here! 

On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced a major update to the Exchange Visitor Skills List (2024 Skills List), which removed 37 countries from the list.

US Department of State Resources

About the Exchange Visitor Skills List

Advisory Opinion Guidance

2009 Skills List

2024 Skills List

OIE is committed to enhancing the experience of J-1 exchange visitors while ensuring compliance with Department of State regulations. To support this effort, we have introduced two new e-forms in istart.gatech.edu that enable exchange visitors to report their plans at the end of the J-1 program and an e-form to notify OIE of any changes in their visa status. These e-forms allow OIE to take appropriate action on SEVIS records. 

New E-forms: 

J Scholar Intent to Depart U.S./End DS-2019 e-form – Confirms plans at the conclusion of the J program or early departure from the U.S.

J Scholar Change of Status e-form – Notifies OIE of a transition from a J-1 visa to another visa status. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact OIE at jscholars@oie.gatech.edu  

All new J-1 Scholars and Student Interns are required to attend a mandatory orientation session with OIE after their arrival. If you have not attended an orientation session yet, please see our website here for the schedule of orientations and to register for the next one.

The next orientation will be held on April 25th from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST.

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://gatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zIWDP3uESqyfW6m7wmoGGA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

On May 8th at 4pm Ukrainian Club of GT will be hosting a movie screening of the Oscar-winning documentary "20 days in Mariupol". The event will take place at the Ferst Art Center, which will be provided to us by DramaTech. We hope to gather as many people as we can! Free food and drinks will be provided. Besides, Ukrainian students from Emory and GsU will also be there.

The RSVP link: https://forms.gle/mCqNse9HdNbjimtx6

GTLI offers English language courses to both J-1's and their J-2 spouses. They are a great opportunity to practice your English language skills, meet new people, and make connections. You can learn more about these classes here. 

Looking for activities around Atlanta? Explore Discover Atlanta for year-round family fun!

Visit OIE's webpage here for a list of attractions and restaurants in and around Atlanta.

Buzz may have bitten off more than he could chew when he accepted the challenge of hiking at Amicalola Falls! Nestled in Dawsonville, GA, Amicalola is one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The park boasts of 19 scenic trails, ranging from easy strolls to strenuous hikes. One of the more popular options, the Amicalola Falls Loop, is a 2.2-mile trail rated moderate for the average hiker. The loop is well-paved and circles a serene reflection pool—a great spot to fish or simply relax and people-watch. 

Buzz started his journey on the Creek Trail, which led to a 175-step climb leading to the base of the falls. As he ascended, he noticed people descending with encouraging words: “You can make it,” “Keep going—it’s worth it.” At first, he didn’t understand the sentiment. After all, wasn’t 175 steps enough? 

Turns out, that was just the warm-up. 

Buzz quickly realized he had another 425 steps ahead of him to reach the top of the waterfall. Still, he pressed on. Along the way, he made new friends, took breaks to hydrate and catch his breath, shared words of encouragement, and received some in return. Step by step, Buzz pushed through—and before he knew it, he was standing at the top, soaking in the breathtaking view. 

And yes—it truly was worth it. 

Would you like a spotlight in our newsletter? 

Submit yours here!

Talking points and photo ideas include:

Groundbreaking research you've been involved in (please do not include any classified information. Write in layman's terms for all to understand)

Your favorite food from either your home country or that you've had in the U.S.

Your experience in the U.S. as an exchange visitor

Your favorite place you've visited in the U.S.

A fun activity you've engaged in while in the U.S.

What you do in your free time

Tell us about yourself or your family

The Atlanta Metro & Georgia school system offers a wide variety of public, private, and specialty schools. Public schools are free to attend, and you can register your children online anytime. To attend a public school, you will have to be “zoned” for that school. This means that your place of residence will determine which public school your child can attend. Private schools are not free to attend (you must pay tuition every month) and sometimes require a supplemental application to determine whether your child qualifies to attend. You do not have to be “zoned” for a private school. There is oftentimes a bus system for public schools that will pick up and take home your children every day. Private schools often do not provide transportation to and from school.

Follow these links to research the school rankings in the Atlanta Metro area to choose the best option for your child: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/m/atlanta-metro-area/

Follow these links to research our school systems and register your child for school: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/

Your J-2 spouse can apply for work authorization in the US by filing a Form I-765 with USCIS. When the Form I-765 is approved, USCIS will mail your spouse a plastic work card known as “EAD” or “Employment Authorization Document”. Without this work card, your spouse cannot work in the US and will not be eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN).

J-2 dependent spouses are eligible to enroll in classes at any college or university in the U.S. either part time or full time in a vocational or degree seeking capacity.

GTLI offers English language courses to both J-1's and their J-2 spouses. They are a great opportunity to practice your English language skills, meet new people, and make connections. You can learn more about these classes here. 

The Office of International Education (OIE) recognizes that some Fulbright students are concerned about receiving their funding stipends. We encourage you to monitor any emails you may receive from Fulbright for the most current updates on your funding. Additionally, we'd like to share some campus resources that are available to enrolled students:

Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources (STAR) Services: STAR Services provides support with food, finances, clothing, housing, and connections. Services include access to the campus food bank called the Klemis Kitchen, crisis housing, and an interest-free loan via the Dean Hip Pocket Fund. Please see below for more information:

Wellness Resources: Our Fill Your Cup landing page provides an overview of holistic wellness resources available at Georgia Tech. For more information, please visit: https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/isss/fillyourcup

Have Questions Related to your Sponsorship and/or GT?

We understand that your Fulbright advisors will manage your J-1 immigration status, but as your local International Office, we would like to complement their support.

You can find information and/or get in contact with us in the following ways:

Visit our Sponsored Student website

Submit any questions or concerns to jscholars@oie.gatech.edu

Come to Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours or book an appointment with the GT J-1 Advisor

New Student Resources: https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/ISSS_New

Fulbright Online: Foreign.FulbrightOnline.org

IIE Student Portal: Portal.iie.org