Postdoctoral Fellows Program funding and visa information
Learn about the program funding (including salary, health insurance and research budget) available for Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellows.
Learn about the program funding (including salary, health insurance and research budget) available for Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellows.
Applications open Sept. 23 for 2027 Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellowships. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. CST Monday, Nov. 23, 2026.
Funding
Funding for a Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship consists of an annual salary starting at $63,000 and a one-time $25,000 research budget to cover:
Research supplies
Facility use/service charges
Equipment
Training workshops
Support for interdisciplinary collaborations
Travel between collaborating institutions
Travel to scientific/technical meetings
Health insurance
Beckman Institute postdoctoral fellows are hired as postdoctoral research associates, and therefore may be eligible for University of Illinois health insurance benefits through the state of Illinois. For visa holders, benefits eligibility is contingent on passing the substantial presence test and if you are considered a resident for tax purposes after meeting with the university payroll office.
Tax information
Tax information is available online.
Foreign nationals
The postdoctoral fellowship (postdoctoral research associate) is a form of employment. Individuals obtaining or already working on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) are eligible to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the fellowship program in that visa status. If an individual begins working in F-1 OPT status and obtains the F-1 OPT STEM extension, it is possible to complete the three-year fellowship program entirely in F-1 OPT status.
If the individual has been working in F-1 OPT status and is selected for the Beckman Institute fellowship, that visa status may expire before the end of the fellowship. In those cases, the fellow will need to work with the principal investigator(s), Beckman Institute Human Resources and the Associate Director for Research to determine the appropriate visa to consider for the remainder of the fellowship program.
The Beckman Institute may provide H-1B or J-1 visa sponsorship for those individuals who are selected to the Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and are eligible for said sponsorship. For more information about the H-1B visa, please email visa@beckman.illinois.edu.
The following general information regarding J-1 visas is provided to help determine eligibility for J-1 status. Should you have any questions concerning this information, email visa@beckman.illinois.edu.
Individuals in J-1 Research Scholar status may remain in that status for a maximum of five years. Individuals are responsible for understanding regulations associated with the Section 212(e) two-year home residency requirement, the 12-month bar, and the 24-month bar on repeat participation. This information is especially important for individuals who have been in J-1 status prior to applying to the Beckman Institute Fellowship program.
Two-year home residency requirement: Some J-1 exchange visitors are required to return to their home country for a period of two years after their J program ends. This means that they are not able to obtain certain types of visas (e.g., H-1B, L, K) or U.S. permanent residence until they have satisfied the two-year home residency requirement or had that requirement waived. The purpose of the requirement is to provide the home country the benefit of the exchange visitor's experience in the United States.
12-month bar: If individuals have been in any J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor status for more than six months, they cannot return to the U.S. as a professor or research scholar until 12 months have passed from the end of their previous J program. The time is calculated according to their entry and departure dates.
24-month bar on repeat participation: Individuals in the J-1 research scholar or professor categories are subject to a 24-month bar on repeat participation and may not return to the U.S. in either of those categories for a 24-month period. This bar applies to anyone in these categories, regardless of program duration, as of Nov. 18, 2006. The bar becomes effective when the program as a Research Scholar or Professor ends.
For more information on J-1 visa sponsorship and status regulations, please visit the International Student and Scholar Services website.
Email us if you still have questions after reading through this page.
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology