Form DS-7002 is one of the most important documents in the J-1 Intern and J-1 Trainee process because it does far more than add another form to a visa file. It explains what the participant will actually learn in the United States, where the training will take place, who will supervise it, how the program will progress, and how the participant’s development will be evaluated.
Its official name is the Training/Internship Placement Plan, commonly referred to as the T/IPP.
The purpose of the form is to demonstrate that the proposed activity is a genuine structured and guided training or internship program, rather than an ordinary job that has simply been labeled “training.”
Form DS-7002 is not Form DS-2019. It is not the visa application. It is not an employment contract, and it is not a work permit.
For J-1 Intern and Trainee participants, the training plan must be completed and carry the required signatures before the Designated Sponsor issues Form DS-2019.
Who Needs Form DS-7002?
Form DS-7002 is primarily required for participants in the J-1 Intern and J-1 Trainee categories.
It is not a document required for every J-1 category.
Student Interns under the College and University Student category also use Form DS-7002, but they operate under a different regulatory framework in 22 CFR §62.23. Interns and Trainees, by contrast, are governed by 22 CFR §62.22.
This guide therefore focuses on the Intern and Trainee programs.
Why Isn’t Form DS-2019 Enough?
Form DS-2019 confirms that a participant has been accepted into an eligible Exchange Visitor Program, but it does not describe in detail what will happen during the training placement.
That is the role of Form DS-7002.
The training plan describes the Host Organization, Site of Activity, Supervisor, weekly hours, learning objectives, program phases, methods of supervision, and the way the participant’s progress will be assessed.
The relationship between DS-7002 and DS-2019 is therefore essential.
Federal regulations state that the Sponsor may not issue Form DS-2019 to an Intern or Trainee until the placement has been secured, Form DS-7002 has been completed, and the required signatures have been obtained.
In practical terms, the training plan comes before DS-2019. It is not paperwork created later simply to support a visa application that has already been prepared.
Why Does the U.S. Government Require a Training Plan?
The answer lies in the purpose of the J-1 Intern and Trainee categories.
These programs are not intended to function as ordinary foreign-worker programs. Their purpose is to provide structured exchange-based learning and professional development.
The regulations require the experience to be structured, guided, supervised, and based on work-based learning.
The plan should show what the participant is expected to learn, how those skills will be developed, who will provide supervision, and how responsibilities may progress over the course of the program.
The program must also not be used simply to fill a regular labor need or displace a U.S. worker.
This is why Form DS-7002 is much more than a job description.
Who Prepares the DS-7002 Training Plan?
Several parties contribute to the plan.
The Designated Sponsor has overall regulatory responsibility for the program, but it relies on accurate information from the Host Organization, the Supervisor, and the participant.
The Host Organization provides practical details about the training site, schedule, supervision, compensation if applicable, available resources, and the activities that will take place during each phase of the program.
The Sponsor reviews this information, determines whether the placement complies with J-1 rules, enters the T/IPP information into SEVIS, and monitors the program after it begins.
The participant also has a direct role.
By signing Form DS-7002, the participant confirms that the plan has been reviewed and understood and that the purpose of the U.S. stay is training or internship participation rather than ordinary employment.
For that reason, a participant should never sign a DS-7002 that they have not read or do not understand.
Who Signs Form DS-7002?
The current form involves three principal signatories.
The Intern or Trainee signs the participant certification.
On behalf of the Sponsor, the form is signed by either the Responsible Officer, known as the RO, or an Alternate Responsible Officer, known as an ARO.
The applicable Phase Supervisor also signs the certification connected to the training phase.
Where a program contains multiple phases or more than one Site of Activity, the final training plan should accurately reflect the supervisors responsible for those phases.
Sponsors are also required to provide the relevant signatories with executed copies of the completed form.
When Must DS-7002 Be Completed?
The usual process begins with the placement itself.
A Host placement is identified, the training plan is developed, the Sponsor reviews the proposal, and the required parties sign the plan.
Only after DS-7002 is complete can the Sponsor move forward with issuing Form DS-2019 for the Intern or Trainee.
The typical sequence is therefore:
Host placement, training plan preparation, Sponsor review, signatures, completed DS-7002, DS-2019 issuance, and then the visa process.
This is important because DS-7002 is part of the design of the program itself. It is not intended to be created after the participant arrives in the United States to justify a training experience that has already started.
What Information Appears on Form DS-7002?
The form contains information about the participant, Sponsor, and Host Organization, but its most important sections concern the actual structure of the training.
Participant information can include the field of study or profession, prior experience, occupational category, qualifications, and program dates.
The Host Organization section includes information about the Site of Activity, weekly hours, Supervisor, stipend or non-monetary compensation where applicable, and other organizational details.
The central portion of the form is the Training/Internship Placement Plan itself.
For each phase, the plan can explain the objectives, skills or knowledge to be developed, methods of training, type of supervision, and how progress will be measured.
What Are Training Phases?
A legitimate training program should not look like one long period of repetitive duties.
Training phases are intended to show how the participant will develop over time.
A first phase might focus on orientation and learning internal systems. A later phase may move into supervised practical application. A subsequent phase may give the participant more advanced responsibilities as new skills are acquired.
There is no universal number of phases required for every program.
For Trainees, however, the regulations specifically require the T/IPP to be divided into specific and varied phases or components, with a clear training methodology and chronology or syllabus.
The form also expects later phases to build on earlier ones so that the program demonstrates real progression.
Hospitality and Tourism programs lasting six months or longer have an additional rule: they must contain at least three departmental or functional rotations.
What Should Training Objectives Look Like?
A strong training objective explains what the participant will learn, not simply what work the participant will perform.
For example, saying that a participant will “manage projects” is closer to a job duty.
Explaining that the participant will learn a particular project-management methodology, apply it under supervision, and progressively use the methodology in increasingly complex assignments is closer to a genuine training objective.
The difference is important.
A job duty explains what the organization expects the person to produce.
A training objective explains what the participant is expected to gain from the program.
The program should also build on the participant’s existing background while introducing new skills and knowledge rather than simply repeating previous work or training.
Why Isn’t a Normal Job Description Enough?
A standard job description usually focuses on what work the employee performs for the company.
DS-7002 must focus on what the participant will learn, how the learning will take place, who will supervise the experience, and how development will be measured.
Interns and Trainees can perform meaningful real-world tasks, but those tasks should serve the educational purpose of the program.
If the participant is simply performing the same duties as a regular employee, without structured supervision, learning objectives, or progression, calling the position “training” on paper does not change its actual nature.
What Is the Supervisor’s Role?
The Supervisor is not just a name placed on the form.
Federal regulations require continuous on-site supervision and mentoring by experienced and knowledgeable staff.
Form DS-7002 asks for information about the Main Program Supervisor or point of contact, the Primary Phase Supervisor, the qualifications of those providing training, and the method used to evaluate the participant’s progress.
The Supervisor also signs a certification confirming participation in the training plan and agreeing to carry out the required evaluations and report concerns or significant changes to the Sponsor.
If meaningful supervision disappears after the participant arrives, the actual program may no longer match the plan described in DS-7002.
How Many Hours Must an Intern or Trainee Complete?
Current regulations require Intern and Trainee programs to be full-time, with a minimum of 32 hours per week.
Form DS-7002 includes a field for Exchange Visitor Hours Per Week.
However, meeting the 32-hour minimum does not by itself make the placement eligible.
A 40-hour workweek can still fail J-1 requirements if the activity is really ordinary employment with no structured learning, supervision, or educational progression.
The number of hours is only one part of the overall program design.
Can the Training Be Paid?
Yes.
Compensation does not automatically transform the program into an employment visa.
Form DS-7002 includes fields for a stipend and non-monetary compensation where applicable.
The more important question is whether the placement remains a legitimate structured training or internship program.
There is no single federal salary amount in 22 CFR §62.22 that applies to every J-1 Intern or Trainee.
What Activities Are Prohibited?
The regulations place clear limits on what can be included in an Intern or Trainee placement.
Programs cannot involve unskilled or casual labor, child care, elder care, or prohibited clinical work involving patient care or patient contact.
Certain staffing or employment-agency arrangements are also prohibited.
The placement cannot be designed to fill a regular labor need or displace a U.S. worker.
In addition, a Training/Internship Placement Plan may not consist of more than 20 percent clerical work.
A prohibited activity does not become permissible simply because it is described as “training” on Form DS-7002.
What Happens If the Training Changes After Arrival?
DS-7002 does not stop being important once the participant enters the United States.
Host Organizations are expected to notify the Sponsor about significant concerns, changes, or deviations from the training plan.
Sponsors can update T/IPP information in SEVIS when a legitimate program change requires it.
For example, if program dates change through an extension or amendment, phase dates should remain consistent with the updated program period.
If the training activities themselves change substantially, the Sponsor should be consulted before the new arrangement is implemented.
The basic principle is simple: the actual program should continue to match the approved training plan.
What If the Host Organization Changes?
Moving to another Host Organization is not simply a private agreement between the participant and a new company.
The Sponsor must first evaluate the new placement and determine whether it complies with the Intern or Trainee regulations.
Depending on the circumstances, the change may require new Host screening, a Site Visit where the site-visit rules apply, a new Site of Activity in SEVIS, an updated or newly executed DS-7002, new phases, and revised signatures.
Other SEVIS information may also need to change.
A new DS-2019 is not automatically required in every Host-change situation because that depends on which program data have actually changed.
What is clear is that a participant should not move to another Host Organization without the Sponsor’s involvement.
Can DS-7002 Include More Than One Training Site?
Yes.
Current SEVIS functionality allows a T/IPP to contain one or multiple Sites of Activity and one or multiple phases.
Each site must be connected to at least one phase.
This can support legitimate programs involving rotations or multiple training locations when the structure has been designed and approved by the Sponsor.
It does not mean that a participant may simply add unrelated employers or training sites independently.
How Does DS-7002 Affect the Visa Interview?
The Department of State lists Form DS-7002 among the visa application documents for J-1 Intern and J-1 Trainee applicants.
Applicants should therefore understand the training plan they are presenting.
During the visa process, they may need to explain what they will learn, who the Sponsor is, who the Host Organization is, how the training is structured, and why the program is different from ordinary employment.
There is no need to memorize model answers.
If Form DS-7002 accurately describes a genuine program that the participant understands, the applicant should be able to discuss it naturally.
At the same time, there is no official rule saying that a consular officer reviews every field of every DS-7002 in the same way or that any one field determines the outcome.
Sponsor approval of the training plan does not guarantee visa issuance.
What Evaluations Are Required?
Evaluations are part of the regulatory structure of Intern and Trainee programs.
For programs lasting more than six months, there must be at least a Midpoint Evaluation and a Concluding Evaluation.
For programs lasting six months or less, at least a Concluding Evaluation is required.
The evaluations must be completed before the program ends and signed by both the participant and the immediate Supervisor.
The Sponsor retains the evaluations according to applicable recordkeeping requirements.
These evaluations are separate from Form DS-7002, but they help show whether the training objectives in the plan were actually carried out.
What If the Real Training Does Not Match the Plan?
That is not merely a paperwork problem.
If the participant begins performing substantially different duties, meaningful supervision disappears, or the placement turns into ordinary labor rather than structured training, the Sponsor must assess the situation.
Depending on the circumstances, the Sponsor may need to update the T/IPP, modify the placement, take corrective compliance action, or end the participant’s program if a serious violation cannot be resolved.
The participant also certifies on Form DS-7002 that significant concerns, changes, and deviations will be reported.
What Should You Check Before Signing?
Before signing Form DS-7002, the participant should read it as a roadmap for the months ahead.
The Sponsor, Host Organization, training location, Supervisor, program dates, weekly hours, and compensation information should all be accurate.
Each phase should have a clear educational purpose.
The plan should explain what new skills will be developed, how the participant will be trained, who will provide supervision, and how progress will be measured.
The most important question is whether the document genuinely describes what will happen in the workplace.
If the form looks like a regular job advertisement with the words “training” and “internship” added to it, that is a sign that the plan may not reflect the intended purpose of the J-1 program.
Common Mistakes That Undermine DS-7002
One of the most common mistakes is treating Form DS-7002 as paperwork that only matters for the visa interview.
Some applicants confuse it with DS-2019. Others copy a standard job description into the training plan or use vague objectives such as “gain experience” without explaining what the participant will actually learn.
Another common problem is repeating the same activities in every phase without showing progression.
Participants may also sign plans they have not read or discover after arrival that their actual duties are very different from what was approved.
Changing Host Organizations without Sponsor involvement is another serious mistake because the Sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the new placement remains compliant.
DS-7002 should therefore be treated as a living description of the training program, not as a document whose importance ends once the visa interview is over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs Form DS-7002?
J-1 Intern and J-1 Trainee participants need it. Student Interns also use the form under a separate regulatory framework within the College and University Student category.
Is DS-7002 the same as DS-2019?
No. DS-7002 describes the Training/Internship Placement Plan, while DS-2019 is the Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status.
Who prepares DS-7002?
The Sponsor administers the T/IPP process in SEVIS using information developed with the Host Organization, participant, and Supervisors responsible for the training.
Who signs the form?
The participant, the Sponsor’s Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Officer, and the applicable Phase Supervisor.
Must it be completed before DS-2019 is issued?
Yes. Current regulations require the DS-7002 to be completed and the required signatures obtained before DS-2019 is issued for an Intern or Trainee.
Can DS-7002 be changed after training begins?
Yes, when a legitimate program change requires an update. Material changes involving the site, phases, dates, or training activities should be handled through the Sponsor.
Should DS-7002 be taken to the visa interview?
Yes. The Department of State lists it among the visa application documents for J-1 Intern and Trainee applicants.
Conclusion
Form DS-7002 is the document that turns the idea of “training in the United States” into a structured plan that can be reviewed, monitored, and evaluated.
Its value does not come from how many pages it contains or how professional its wording sounds.
Its purpose is to demonstrate that the participant is entering a program that is genuinely structured, guided, supervised, educational, and progressively designed rather than simply accepting an ordinary job under a different label.
The plan must be completed and signed before Form DS-2019 is issued, the participant should understand what it says, and the actual program after arrival should continue to reflect it.
When the Host Organization, Site of Activity, dates, phases, or training activities change materially, the Designated Sponsor should be involved so that the T/IPP and SEVIS record remain accurate.
Official Sources Used for This Article
U.S. Department of State – Form DS-7002, Training/Internship Placement Plan. Used to verify the current structure of the form, Host Organization information, compensation fields, training phases, learning objectives, supervision, evaluation methods, and signatures.
22 CFR §62.22 – Trainees and Interns. Used to verify completion of DS-7002 before DS-2019 issuance, the 32-hour weekly minimum, T/IPP requirements, supervision standards, prohibited activities, and evaluation requirements.
U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Intern. Used to verify Sponsor and Host responsibilities, continuous supervision, and evaluation requirements for Intern programs.
U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Trainee. Used to verify full-time training requirements, Host responsibilities, and the structured and guided nature of Trainee programs.
U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Creating a Record with a T/IPP. Used to verify the relationship between DS-7002 and DS-2019 and the ability to include multiple Sites of Activity and phases.
U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Making Updates to a T/IPP. Used to verify updates to phases, sites, and dates in SEVIS.
U.S. Department of State – BridgeUSA – Interviews & Documents. Used to verify that Form DS-7002 is part of the visa application documentation for Intern and Trainee applicants.
22 CFR §62.23 – College and University Students. Used only to verify that Student Interns also use Form DS-7002 under a separate regulatory framework.
Last fact check: October 3, 2026.