New F-1 & J-1 Students
Do you need a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019?
To study at Georgetown Law in F-1 status, you will need to obtain a Form I-20. To study at Georgetown Law in J-1 status, you will need to obtain a Form DS-2019. Follow the steps listed on the Request I-20 or DS-2019 page to start the request process. After we receive your International Student Questionnaire and all of your supporting documents, we will be able to send you a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. You will use the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 to apply for an F-1 or J-1 student visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Canadian citizens are exempt from applying for a visa but must still obtain a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 in order to enter the United States as a student in F-1 or J-1 status and attend Georgetown Law.
START THE FORM I-20 OR FORM DS-2019 REQUEST PROCESS ➤
Which form should I request?
Form I-20 (for F-1 visa/status): A majority of international students at Georgetown Law obtain a Form I-20 to study in F-1 status. If you are primarily funded through personal or family funds, you should request a Form I-20 from Georgetown. If you are primarily funded via scholarship funding, you can opt to request a Form I-20 from Georgetown as well.
Form DS-2019 (for J-1 visa/status): A minority of international students at Georgetown Law obtain a Form DS-2019 to study in J-1 status, as eligibility requirements are more strict to meet. Students eligible to request a Form DS-2019 to study in J-1 status are:
- Exchange Students nominated by the Office of Transnational Programs to participate in the Georgetown Law Exchange Program.
- Students who are receiving more than 50% of their total program funding via scholarship, which may come from their home country government, sponsoring employer or private organization. Some scholarships require students to study in J-1 status in order to receive funding.
Have more questions about which form to request or which status to study in? Not sure what all the various benefits or limitations are associated with either F-1 or J-1 status? Please review and take a look at the F-1 vs. J-1 Comparison Chart for more information and a side-by-side analysis.