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Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholar Process

The Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar process varies depending upon a variety of factors. For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the process is fairly simple and straightforward. For foreign nationals, the process is a bit more intricate due to visa and health insurance requirements.

In general, the process is as follows:

U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents:

Foreign Nationals on F1-OPT Program:

The process for these types of beneficiaries is generally the same as U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The beneficiary should apply for the OPT option through his or her Ph.D. institution. The process for obtaining work authorization is approximately 3 months. You will not be able to complete the I-9/e-verify process until you have received your EAD card. Receipt notices are not accepted as work authorization.

Foreign Nationals:

*   All scholars are required to maintain adequate health insurance in order to work in Northwestern labs. Additionally, foreign nationals within the J1 program (including dependents) are not allowed to enroll in any state sponsored programs. Failure to maintain adequate health insurance, or violating the terms of the J1 program, may result in program termination.

** The policy of the Department of Chemistry is that all foreign nationals must be on a J1 visa, or F1-OPT, unless there are extenuating circumstances that disallow participation in these programs. Please do not request another status.

All beneficiaries are responsible for ensuring timely renewal of their program, and ensuring that all dependents are renewed as well. Please visit the International Office if you have questions regarding your program requirements.