Brit In TN

Is anyone familiar with visa requirements (if any) for UK university students coming to the US on a two week study abroad programme? Also, same question but for US students going to the UK?
Apparently these short term so called student exchange programmes are fairly common but I can't find any definitive answer about visa requirements for either the UK or the US students. (Assuming all students are either US or UK citizens.)

Noorah101

J-1, maybe?

Rene

Pulaski

A true student-study visit could be an F-1 visa, a J-1 is another possibility. Exchange school students at my daughter's school come in on F-1 visas.

I suspect that many short, 2-4 week student visits in both directions, and where little or no formal study is involved, are done under the VWP (US)/ as a visitor without any need for a visa (UK).

crg

A vocational course or any course that results in receipt academic credit requires SEVIS approval and the appropriate visa (F, J, or M). Only incidental (not main purpose of travel) and a recreational short course of study is permitted under VWP.

Pulaski

Right, and that is my point for short, 2-4 week, visits, that they don't generate any course credit.

Brit In TN

Thanks for the input. The professor who has been responsible for this in the past has now apparently disappeared from the face of the Earth and the new person dealing with it is very unsure of just about anything. So lots of fun all around.

crg

Maybe there is credit, and maybe not, but it's not incidental, it's academic and not recreational. It's the core reason for travel. It's impossible to give a definite answer without all of the details. The person is seeking to do this lawfully and not risk future travel to the US, so I'd be very reluctant to send him into the breach with assurances that it's all fine and dandywhen there are indications that it's not.

Many moons ago I received academic credit for a 3 week course.