Department of State Defines Students for Summer Exchange Programs

The DOS released the following guidelines about foreign students on exchange programs this summer in the United States:

1. Reftel provided guidance on determining whether or not a post-secondary student is eligible to participate in summer work/travel (SWT) exchange programs. As outlined in reftel, this program is only available to students actively pursuing a degree or full-time course of study at an accredited post-secondary institution.

2. Several posts have pointed out that in some educational systems, carrying a full course load is not always necessary to maintain status as a full-time student. Some systems have examinations or requirements for a thesis subsequent to the end of formal class enrollment.

3. SWT applicants should be able to demonstrate that they are bona-fide students and are maintaining student status and are actively pursuing their degree per their local educational system in order to participate in the summer work/travel program. Participants must demonstrate that they will resume activities as a student after participation in the SWT program.

4. A student need not be enrolled in the same institution both before and after participating in SWT in order to qualify. Students can participate if they are transferring from one school to another, if they have finished an academic program and are going on to another academic program, or if they are continuing on to graduate school. Documentation satisfactory to the consular officer that the applicant has been accepted for and will commence studies upon their return may be accepted to establish status as a continuing student.

5. If a student, however, has completed all requirements for a degree, but has not formally graduated, and has not demonstrated that he/she will continue studies, then that student would not be eligible for participation in the SWT program because he/she would no longer be actively pursuing a degree.

6. Students attending vocational schools are not eligible for SWT, unless they can demonstrate that study there will ultimately lead to a degree from an accredited post-secondary institution.

7. There is no prohibition against students participating in SWT programs for more than one year.