Scholar Processing Request Checklist

Once you have established your affiliation with a BU department and the terms of your appointment have been clarified, the ISSO will work with you and your sponsoring department to evaluate which immigration classification is most appropriate to suit the plans of your department and your needs as a prospective scholar. In our evaluation, we will consider a variety of factors such as the appointment/affiliation terms, your educational achievements and your U.S. immigration history.

If you are already in the U.S., you may be eligible for employment based on receipt of employment authorization document from USCIS (F-1 Optional Practical Training, J-2 employment authorization, pending permanent resident employment authorization) or other permission granted from your sponsor as a benefit of your current immigration status (ie. J-1 Academic Training, F-1 Curricular Practical Training).  In such cases, an extensive screening process at the ISSO is not required and you do not need to submit the documentation listed below that we require for review of BU immigration sponsorship.

If immigration sponsorship is required, please review the checklist below and submit all required forms and supporting documentation to your hosting Boston University department:

Please note that all international scholars, regardless of status or appointment length must check-in with the ISSO upon arrival so that we can review and confirm your immigration classification, verify employment eligibility (where appropriate) and provide information about getting started at BU.