Funding Requirements for J-1 Scholars

There are minimum funding requirements for J-1 Visiting Scholars, Postdoctoral Scholars and Visiting Researchers at Stanford.

• J-1 Visiting Scholars*: estimated living expenses of $2500 per month or $30,000 per year.
• Postdoctoral Scholars: see the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs.
• Visiting Student Researchers: (academic year) fees set by Registrar's office plus estimated living expenses ($2500/month).

**Cardinal Care Fee: Please look at the Cardinal Care Cost and Coverage Chart 2023-24 on the Vaden Health Center Website for a breakdown of the costs per quarter. The fee cannot be pro-rated monthly. The VSR must submit a ServiceNow ticket canceling Cardinal Care before leaving Stanford to ensure that there are no future charges.

If the VSR chooses to use their own insurance, they must submit a waiver of Cardinal Care before the billing cycle. (by Sept 15, Dec 15, March 15 or June 15, depending on when they are here.) VSRs need to show funding for insurance that is equivalent to the quarterly Cardinal Care insurance on the DS-2019, even if they are waiving Cardinal Care. They must also ensure that their health insurance meets J visa requirements as well as Stanford minimum requirements (please see page 37). 

When funding is provided directly to the Scholar/Postdoc/Visiting Researcher from a non-Stanford source, the source of the funding must be identified on the workflow request.

*For non-Medical School appointments. Higher minimums are set by the Medical School.

Use the Dependent Funding Worksheet to calculate costs for J-2 dependents.

Funding Documentation Guidelines

• All funding documents should be dated within the last six months
• Personal funds should be liquid assets that are easily accessible (e.g. bank accounts) and should not include stock investments or lines of credit
• If a family member or another individual is providing financial support for the Exchange Visitor, the person should provide a bank statement(s) following the above criteria, along with a signed affidavit confirming financial support. The letter should note the amount he/she intends to provide and the duration of the Stanford appointment. This support should be entered under "Personal Funds". 
• If funding is from a sponsoring organization or government agency, it should include:
  • A letter stating the total amount that will be provided to the Exchange Visitor for the appointment at Stanford and should include the appointment dates.
  • If an Exchange Visitor will continue to receive salary, the host institution or employer should provide a letter stating that the employee will continue to receive a salary of X amount for the duration of the appointment at Stanford. Pay statements or tax documents are not acceptable. If the letter gives a range in financial support, enter the lower amount in the calculations.
  • Prorate funding amounts based on the length of the appointment.