About Training Plans (Form DS-7002)

This page applies only to hosts of J-1 interns and trainees.

A formal training plan outlined on Form DS-7002 is required by the U.S. Department of State; it is an integral part of Internship USA and Career Training USA. The training plan is designed and the form completed by the host organization; it is then agreed to by the intern or trainee. This process helps ensure that every participant gets valuable and relevant professional development as well as a better understanding of American culture.

The training plan describes what the intern or trainee will do during their program, what skills they will learn, how cultural exchange will be encouraged, and how their performance will be measured. A training must also:

Detail information about the host organization and nature of the internship or training position being offered. (To promote the development of useful career skills, clerical, administrative, or menial tasks and responsibilities are limited to less than 10% of the training.)
Be specific to the individual intern or trainee; this means appropriate goals, knowledge, and methods of supervision and evaluation.
Chart the stages of professional development.
Set tasks and objectives to help interns or trainees, host organizations, and CIEE fully understand expectations.
Ensure that the training is relevant to the intern’s or trainee’s goals and background (and does not duplicate previous experience).
Have an adequate number of phases (determined by the program’s length). For more information on phases, please refer to our training plan completion guide.
Include a minimum of 32 hours per week of training.
Provide opportunities for cultural exchange both inside and outside the office; this includes interaction with American colleagues in English-speaking settings.

Important Notes

Each intern or trainee must have their own workspace; to ensure proper supervision and development, interns and trainees are not allowed to train in home offices where there is no clear separation between living space and the workspace.
Host organizations must have an active workers’ compensation policy that provides coverage for interns and/or trainees (or a certificate of exemption from the state insurance board or an insurance broker, or a general liability insurance policy if the intern or trainee is unpaid).
Interns and trainees may not conduct and/or publish independent research.
Interns and trainees may not train other interns, trainees, or staff members from the host organization.
Some industries have additional guidelines or limitations. If you have questions, please contact us.

To learn more about training plans, please refer to our training plan completion guide.