>I came to the US in 2008 on a J1 visa for my Masters program. I stayed an additional 12 months period on academic training before joining a PhD program in another school on the same SEVIS (J1). My new school's sponsorship ends in August 2013, but I will need at least until August 2014 to complete my study. I have secured another academic training position for after August 2013,
When my scholarship from J1 program (not school but Federal government agency) ended, my J1 program visa officer gave me two options to help me to finish up my PhD program.
(1) Continue J1 status with them, without receiving scholarship. Thus, they can be a visa sponser and I have to provide evidence that I can financially support my stay or I have other sources of income (such as T/A or R/A). Benefit of this option is I can use academic training (longer and easier process than practical training that I would be able to get from F1). Negative point of this is that 2YHRR clock will not start even I visit or stay in my home country until I terminate my J1 status.
(2) Switch to F1. Negative point of this is that I will lose academic training chance but I will get practical training chance (shorter and more restricted). Benefit of this option is 2YHRR clock starts upon the termination of J1 status. So, if I (F1 PhD student) go to my home country for my field work of dissertation writing, the period will be counted for 2YHRR.
The officer's strong recommendation was (2). She said that many former scholarship awardees completed their 2YHRR before their completion of PhD by doing (2). This helped them to get rid of the restriction on where they start their post-graduate career.
I chose (1), because my spouse has a health condition needed to be under the care of US physician and could not come to my home country with me (to make use of the benefit of (2)). (I did J1 waiver later.)
>I have secured another academic training position for after August 2013, but I am not sure for how long I am allowed to work under academic training. The state department website indicated 18 months of academic training for PhD before graduation, but it does not say if this 18-months period is including the 12 months I used after my Masters program in my previous school (same SEVIS).
I am not sure about this. I recommend you to check with your J1 program visa officer.
