Each year over a thousand international scholars participate in the teaching and research mission of the University of Washington.

Prospective scholars

If you are interested in joining the UW, please contact the UW academic unit that matches your area of specialization to learn of opportunities that may be available. Once you have been offered a full-time appointment in a UW academic unit, the Office of Academic Personnel’s International Scholars Operations (ISO) team will work with that unit to sponsor you for an appropriate visa based on UW policy. For lists of appointments eligible for visa sponsorship, see our visa pages for unit administrators.

ISO Contact

Email acadvisa@uw.edu or to find a specific international scholar advisor, visit the OAP Contact page.

Resources

Getting Settled
Academic Responsibilities
Safety in the Workplace

Orientations

Mandatory J-1 Check-in

Per federal law, J-1 exchange visitors new to the UW–including those transferring from another U.S. institutions–must receive an orientation and be validated no later than 30 days after the program start date indicated in Part 3 of the DS-2019 form. Learn more  here.

Optional Orientation for Employment Based Visas

ISO offers an optional monthly orientation for international scholars in H-1B, O-1, E-3 and TN status. This orientation provides details about the visa sponsorship processes, visa documents and travel, maintenance of status, and other topics. Scholars will be able to ask questions directly to an ISO Advisor. Sign up here for the next session.

Helpful Links

IRS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. embassies
U.S. workplace rights

Legal Matters for Outside Counsel

ISO cannot provide individual legal advice, including on personal immigration applications or taxes. We encourage you to contact qualified professionals with those questions.

Marriage to a U.S. Citizen

Marrying a U.S citizen does not automatically grant immigration benefits. You must file paperwork with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to secure the right to remain in the U.S. For more information, see the USCIS website or contact a private immigration attorney.

Reporting Changes in Your Status

If your UW-sponsored immigration status changes for whatever reason:

Permanent Residence

International scholars in certain competitively-recruited titles may be eligible for permanent residence sponsorship (also known as “green card” sponsorship). See OAP’s Permanent Residence Sponsorship page for unit administrators for more information.

International Students

If you are a student at a foreign university who hopes to perform an internship at the University, see the VISIT Program website. If you are a potential, new, or continuing international student at the University of Washington, please see the International Student Services website.