Return Trainees

Although not all sponsors of the J-1 Intern/Trainee Program are authorized to sponsor repeat Intern/Trainees, CIEE has been granted authorization by the US Department of State to do so. Therefore, if you have already completed a J-1 Intern/Trainee program at some point in the past, you are eligible to return to the US to complete additional practical training in a career-related field through CIEE.

CIEE will allow you to apply for a new Intern/Trainee Program, so long as this experience will enable you to further achieve your educational and/or professional goals. All repeat applicants must submit a completed application to an overseas CIEE representative that meets all program regulations and demonstrates that the new program will not be a repeat of the previous Intern/Trainee experience. No program can be duplicative of previous training.

There is no longer a lifetime maximum for participating in a J-1 Intern/Trainee program. However, before applying for repeat participation, please consider the following:

• If you originally participated as an Intern and can return as an Intern, you must observe a 90-day hiatus between your original program end date and your new program start date.
  
  
• If you originally participated as an Intern but can only return as a Trainee, you must observe a two-year hiatus between your original program end date and your new program start date.
  
  
• If you originally participated as a Trainee but can now return as an Intern, you must observe a two-year hiatus between your original program end date and your new program start date.
  
  
• If you originally participated as a Trainee and need to return as a Trainee, you must observe a two-year hiatus between your original program end date and your new program start date.
  

To apply as a repeat Intern/Trainee you must submit the following material to a CIEE representative in your home country:

• A new Intern/Trainee Program application
• A copy of the Host Company Training Plan or Training/Internship Placement Plan (DS-7002) from your previous J-1 Trainee program
• Copies of your original DS-2019 form and J-1 Visa
  

For more information on returning to the US to complete a new Intern/Training Program, please email trainee@ciee.org.