Completing the Exchange Program

Congratulations on completing your exchange program at UT Austin! As you prepare to leave Austin and return to your home university, this information should help ease the transition.

30-Day Grace Period and Travel

You have a 30-day grace period upon expiration of your DS-2019 to travel within the U.S. If you exit the U.S. during your grace period, you may not re-enter in J-1 status. To re-enter, you would need to do so in a different visa category (e.g. tourist or ESTA visa waiver.

More information about ESTA can be found on the U.S. Department of State website.

J-1 Employment Authorization/Academic Training

If you have a summer internship or employment offer in your major field of study, you will need to apply for academic training, an employment authorization benefit of your J-1 status. Authorization must be obtained from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) before your current DS-2019 expires, and prior to your employment start date.

Transcripts

Unofficial grade reports (not official transcripts) will be sent to your home institutions approximately 2-3 weeks after the official semester end date. If your university requires an official transcript, you will need to order it through Texas One Stop for a fee.

Dealing with Personal Property

There are plenty of ways to sell or donate your belongings in Austin. You can check out some popular options such as the UT Buy Sell Trade page or donate your belongings to Goodwill. If you have large items like furniture that you would like to donate, it may be possible to arrange for the Salvation Army or similar organizations to pick them up for you. Use caution and good judgement if you are using social media to get rid of your belongings.

Complete the End of Semester Survey

Tell us about your exchange experience! Please take a few minutes to respond to an End of Semester Survey and provide us with feedback about your time at UT Austin. The survey is anonymous, but you may include your name and email in the final comments section if you’d like us to follow up with you.

Join an Alumni Group

While you may have concluded your time on the Forty Acres, this is only the beginning of your relationship with UT Austin as a Longhorn for life! Your connection to The University of Texas will open doors as you advance in your career and change the world.

No matter where your story takes you, we will continue to be here for you, and we hope you stay in touch. We invite you to join HookedIn—the exclusive online Longhorn community—and stay connected with us by updating your information, sharing your success story, following us on LinkedIn, and finding a Texas Exes chapter in your area.

Learn more about staying connected after leaving the Forty Acres on the Global Alumni Relations page.