J-1 Scholars: VisaNerd or Straight to a Sponsor?

Why Scholars Come to Us

You can apply to a J-1 Scholar visa sponsor yourself, and the sponsor’s own fee is often lower than our price. The difference pays for the work and the risk you would otherwise carry alone. We prepare your application with CIEE, coordinate your host and refund your payment in full if CIEE says no.

What You Get with Us

  • Your application with CIEE, prepared with you and checked by us before it is submitted.
  • Your host’s application and offer letter, coordinated by us directly with your host.
  • Your payment to VisaNerd back in full if CIEE declines your application.
  • One price by program length, with the SEVIS fee and your DS-2019 included.

At a glance
Our price
From €3,900 by program length
Included
Sponsorship, DS-2019, SEVIS fee
If CIEE says no
Full refund of your payment to us
Health insurance
€19 or €79 per month
Processing fee
None

Side by Side

With VisaNerdStraight to a sponsor
PriceOne price by program length, from €3,900, with the SEVIS fee included.The sponsor’s program fee, often lower. The SEVIS fee of $220 is not always included.
Your hostWe coordinate the host application and the offer letter directly with your host.Your host completes the sponsor’s forms itself.
Your applicationWe start it, you complete and sign it online, and we check everything before we submit it.You complete everything yourself, and the sponsor’s questions come straight to you.
If the sponsor says noYou get your payment to VisaNerd back in full.Not every sponsor refunds everything, and several don’t publish their refund terms.

Where Saving Costs More

The sponsor assesses the documents you and your host provide. A research description that does not fit the category leads to questions or a decline. Applying directly can mean losing part of the program fee and several weeks after a decline. You then start again with another sponsor and pay its fees too.

We review your case before submission and develop the description of your research stay together with you and your host. Should CIEE still decline, your full payment to VisaNerd is returned.

What the Difference Pays For

  • The free check on this page, before you pay anything.
  • The description of your research activities, worked out with you and your host.
  • The host application and offer letter, coordinated directly with your host.
  • Your application with CIEE, checked by us before it goes in.
  • One contact in Europe through the review, the sponsor’s interview and your visa appointment.
  • Your payment to VisaNerd back in full if CIEE says no.

FAQs

Isn’t it cheaper to go straight to a sponsor?

A sponsor often charges a lower fee itself. The difference covers our work on the application with you and your host, and a full refund of your VisaNerd payment if CIEE declines. Applying directly means doing that work yourself, and some sponsors do not refund everything after a decline.

Which sponsor do you work with?

Our role is official CIEE International Repre­sen­ta­tive. The US Department of State has designated CIEE as a sponsor. We speak directly with its team and use its application portal. After reviewing your application, CIEE issues your DS-2019.

My host already insures me. Do I still pay €79 a month?

No. If your host insures you, you pay €19 a month, and we add the coverage needed to meet the J-1 requirements, so you don’t pay for a second full plan.

I was already declined by another sponsor. Can you still help?

Tell us what happened and why. We look at the reason and tell you whether we can take on your case. More on our page for cases declined elsewhere.

The Bottom Line

Going straight to a sponsor saves money only as long as nothing goes wrong. With us, the work is done with you and your host, and you get your payment back in full if CIEE says no. Send over your CV and your host’s contact so we can begin right away.

  • J-1 Research ScholarA J-1 category for research stays of up to five years at a US university, research institute, museum or library.
  • J-1 ProfessorA J-1 category for academics who come to teach or lecture at a US institution, for up to five years.
  • J-1 Short-Term ScholarA J-1 category for academic stays of up to six months to give lectures, observe, consult or join conferences and workshops.
  • J-1 SponsorAn organization designated by the US Department of State to run J-1 exchange programs. Every J-1 participant needs one.