J-1 Program Management System · Platform Guide
Version 2.3 — April 2026 Open Dashboard →
AnB Education · J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

J-1 Program
Management System

End-to-end platform for managing J-1 Exchange Visitor students — from initial recruitment through placement, compliance documentation, monitoring, and audit reporting.

5
User Portals
14+
Compliance Documents
6
CFR Audit Categories
100%
PDF Auto-Generated
4
Smart Features
👩‍🎓
01

Student Lifecycle

Track each student from application through graduation — selection, orientation, insurance, SEVIS, placement, and monitoring.

🏠
02

Host Family Vetting

Complete HF onboarding: application, references, criminal background check, home visit, agreement, and welcome package.

📋
03

J-1 Compliance Audit

Auto-generated audit package per student across 6 CFR Part 62 categories. Download as structured ZIP for DOS/CSIET audits.

📅
04

LC Reporting

Monthly, semester, and meeting reports from Local Coordinators — submitted via their portal, reviewed by admin.

✉️
05

Automated Emails

Event-triggered notifications with customizable templates: report reminders, CBC status, submission confirmations.

🔒
06

Role-Based Portals

Admin, LC, Host Family, Student, and Agency each access a tailored dashboard. Portal menus controllable from admin settings.

👩‍🎓
Student Management
Full lifecycle from application to program completion
Step 1
Application
Student or agency submits application with personal info and host family preferences
Step 2
Agreement
Student signs program agreement before assessments begin
Step 3
Assessment
English language assessment administered by Program Manager. AR school record uploaded.
Step 4
Placement
Admin assigns school, LC, and host family. Placement agreement issued.
Step 5
Orientation
Orientation session recorded and PDF generated
Step 6
Monitoring
Monthly LC reports track wellbeing throughout the entire program year
📝

Application Form

Full application: personal info, academic background, host family preferences, essay, and photo. PDF export available.

Doc 1.122 CFR 62.25(a)
📖

English Assessment

Program Manager-administered language proficiency assessment. Score and notes recorded for CSIET compliance verification.

Doc 1.222 CFR 62.25(b)
🏫

School AR Record

Academic record uploaded and linked to school placement. Stored per student with performance notes.

Doc 1.11File Upload
✍️

Student Agreement

Program terms agreement with digital signature, date, and acknowledgment fields.

Doc 2.1Signature
🛡️

Health Insurance

Insurance provider, policy number, coverage dates, and insurance card image upload. Meets 22 CFR 62.14.

Doc 3.122 CFR 62.14
🪪

SEVIS / DS-2019

SEVIS ID, program dates, sponsor code, DS-2019 issue date, and document file upload.

Doc 4.1DS-2019
🏠
Host Family Management
Complete vetting workflow built in — application to placement

Structured Vetting Workflow

Every host family moves through a standardized process: Application → Agreement → References → Criminal Background Check → Welcome Package → Home Visit. Each step generates a compliance-ready PDF with AnB branding and CFR citation.

📋

HF Application Form

Comprehensive household questionnaire: family composition, home details, host parents' employment, lifestyle, and student hosting preferences.

Doc 6.1b22 CFR 62.25(j)
🔍

Personal References

Two reference checks required. Each reference completes a form via the HF reference portal. Results stored and PDF-ready.

Doc 6.32 Required
🔎

Criminal Background Check

CBC decision records for all adult household members — status, date, admin notes, and decision tracked with PDF summary.

Doc 6.4All Adults
🏠

Home Visit

LC-conducted checklist covering bedroom, safety, and environment. Photos and notes captured, visit date recorded.

Doc 6.5LC Visit
✍️

HF Agreement

Signed hosting agreement covering responsibilities, program expectations, and house rules. Digital signature with timestamp.

Doc 6.2Signed
🎁

Welcome Package

Orientation materials sent date, checklist, and HF acknowledgment tracked per student placement.

Doc 6.6
📍
Local Coordinator
Field oversight, reporting, and host family home visits
👤

LC Profile

Contact info, certification status, service area, and all assigned students — active and completed placements.

📅

Monthly Reports

LC submits a monthly report per assigned student covering academic progress, wellbeing, host family interaction, and any issues. Auto-reminders sent before due date (~20th of each month).

Auto ReminderEmail on Submit
📘

Semester Activity Report

Comprehensive end-of-semester report covering program activities, student academic performance, and host family feedback. Due approximately May 1.

Due ~May 1
🤝

LC Meeting Record

Records of required in-person or virtual meetings between LC, student, and host family — date, participants, notes.

22 CFR 62.25(g)
🔐

LC CBC Decision

Criminal background check for the LC themselves. Required for initial certification and renewal. Stored with decision date and notes.

Certification
📎

LC References

Professional and personal references collected via the LC reference portal. Two references required for LC approval.

2 Required
🏠

HF Orientation Confirmation

LC records the host family orientation session — date, location, linked HF and student. Collects digital signatures from both HF adults. Exports to a branded PDF for audit. HF can also sign directly from their portal.

New22 CFR 62.10PDF
🧑‍🎓

Student Orientation Confirmation

LC records the student orientation session — date, location, home country, contact info. Student adds a digital signature from their own portal. PDF generated for audit Doc 2.2. Program documents (handbooks, slides) displayed alongside.

New22 CFR 62.10PDF
🎤
English Interview
22 CFR 62.10(a)(2) — LC completes interview, signs, and audit documentation is generated automaticallyNew
🔄

Auto Trigger

When a student submits their application, an "Interview Pending" record is auto-created. The assigned LC sees it immediately in their portal Action Required list and on the dedicated English Interviews page in the sidebar.

AutoLC Portal
✍️

Interview Form + Signature

LC selects the interview method (in-person, video, or phone), enters the assessment result, and signs with a digital canvas signature. Timestamp and IP address are auto-captured on submit. Admin/PM receives a completion email notification.

SignatureIP Logged
📋

Audit Ready (Doc 1.2)

Interview records are automatically included in the Selection audit category as Doc 1.2. Missing interview method or signature will fail the Selection check — the admin dashboard flags it immediately.

ComplianceRequired
📁
J-1 Compliance Audit System
22 CFR Part 62 — Auto-generated audit package per student Updated
📦

Audit-Ready ZIP Package

For each student, the system auto-generates a structured ZIP file containing all 6 compliance categories as separate PDFs — ready for DOS or CSIET audit submission. Folder structure mirrors the CFR Part 62 categories. Each PDF uses the same branded header configured in Settings → Audit Template.

# Category Documents Included CFR Reference
1 Selection
1.1 Application Form
1.2 English Assessment
1.11 School AR Record
22 CFR 62.25(a)(b)
2 Orientation
2.1 Student Agreement
2.2 Orientation Summary
22 CFR 62.10
3 Health Insurance
3.1 Insurance Summary
3.2 Insurance Card
22 CFR 62.14
4 Documentation
4.1 SEVIS / DS-2019
4.3 Payment Record
22 CFR 62.13
5 Monitoring
5.1 Monitoring Summary
Monthly LC Reports
Semester Activity Reports
22 CFR 62.25(g)
6 HF Vetting
6.1 Vetting Summary
6.1b HF Application
6.2 Agreement · 6.3 References · 6.4 CBC
22 CFR 62.25(j)
🔵

Per-Document Preview

Each document on the compliance detail page has a View PDF button — verify the exact PDF before downloading the full ZIP package.

New
📦

Full ZIP Download

One click downloads all compliance documents in a structured ZIP: 1_Selection / 2_Orientation / … / 6_HF_Vetting

Audit-Ready
📊

Compliance Dashboard

Overview of all students with color-coded completion status across all 6 categories. Filter by program year. Excel export available.

Excel Export
📊
Reports & Monitoring
LC-submitted reports, automated reminders, and admin oversight
📆

Monthly LC Reports

LCs submit a monthly report per assigned student via their portal. Admin receives an email notification on submission. Reports feed directly into the student's compliance audit (Section 5).

Auto ReminderEmail on Submit
📗

Semester Activity Reports

End-of-semester report from each LC covering academic and cultural exchange activities, program outcomes, and overall student progress.

Due ~May 1

Report Automation

System auto-sends email reminders to LCs before report due dates. Configure timing and recipients per report type from Settings → Report Automation.

Scheduled Email
📋

Program Assignments

Admin assigns each student to a program year, LC, school, and host family. Bulk update supported. Drives all report and compliance tracking.

Bulk Update
📈

Analytics Dashboard

Recruitment funnel, lead source analysis, conversion rates, and campaign performance for program planning.

Pipeline
💬

Support Tickets

Users can submit support requests from their portals. Admin manages tickets with status tracking, response, and resolution notes.

Help Desk
🔒
Self-Service Portals
Role-specific dashboards for every stakeholder
⚙️

Portal Access Control

Admin can toggle visibility of any menu item for each portal role (HF / LC / Student / Agency) at any time from Settings → Portal Menu Access — no code changes needed.

Student Portal

Personal dashboard for enrolled J-1 students

  • View placement & school info
  • Submit application form
  • Sign program agreement
  • Check insurance status
  • View SEVIS / DS-2019
  • Submit support request

Host Family Portal

Dashboard for approved host families

  • Complete HF application
  • Sign HF agreement
  • Upload consent forms
  • View assigned student
  • Submit reference contacts
  • Access welcome package

LC Portal

Dashboard for Local Coordinators

  • View all assigned students
  • Submit monthly reports
  • Submit semester reports
  • Record LC meetings
  • Submit HF home visits
  • Refer new host families
  • HF Orientation Confirmations New
  • Student Orientation Confirmations New

Agency Portal

Dashboard for partner agencies

  • Submit new students
  • Track student status
  • View placement details
  • Download documents
  • Refer host families
📣
Recruitment & Leads
Campaign tracking, lead management, and HF referrals
📣

Campaigns

Create marketing campaigns with unique tracking URLs. Monitor lead volume, source attribution, and conversion rates per campaign.

👋

Lead Management

Capture and track interested families, students, and LCs. Status workflow: New → Contacted → Qualified → Applied. Notes and follow-up tracking.

🏠

HF Referral System

LCs, agencies, and existing host families submit referrals from their portals. Admin reviews and converts to a full HF profile to begin vetting.

📄
PDF Document System
Unified branded format across all exports Updated
🎨

Unified Format — All 14+ Document Types

All compliance PDFs, HF decision letters, reference check PDFs, CBC decisions, and LC reports use the same standard branded template. Organization logo, name, and primary color are set once in Settings → Audit Document Template and applied consistently across every exported document.

🎨

Branded Header

Every PDF shows the org logo, document title, entity name, generation timestamp, and status. Primary color and logo are configured in Settings — no code changes needed.

Settings-Driven
🔵

Document ID Badge

Each compliance PDF displays a blue Doc ID badge (e.g., "1.1 — Student Application Form") for easy identification in audit packages.

New
🖨️

Print to PDF

All student-facing and HF-facing documents have a browser print view optimized for PDF saving — A4 format, print-specific CSS, auto-print option.

Browser Print
💵
Finance — Application Fee & Program Fee New
Complete payment management — Application fees (card), Program fees (wire/check), year filter, email notifications
🏦

Two Separate Payment Types

Application Fee ($150) — paid by card (Square) at /admin/finance/application-fee.
Program Fee — PNC bank transfer receipt uploaded by student or agency, verified by admin at /admin/finance/program-fee.

💳

Application Fee ($150)

Student pays via Square card payment at application time. Real-time processing with instant success screen. Admin dashboard with stats, search, year filter, and verify/reject controls.

SquareCard Payment
🏛️

Program Fee (Wire/Check)

Student or agency submits bank transfer receipt with amount, date, sender info, and receipt file upload. Admin verifies from a dedicated management page. Separate from application fee — different amount, timing, and payment method.

Wire TransferReceipt UploadAgency Submit
📧

Auto Email Notifications

Receipt submitted → Admin/PM notified. Status changed to Verified → Student + Agency receive confirmation email. Rejected → Student + Agency receive rejection with reason. All automated.

Submit → AdminVerify → StudentReject → Student
📅

Program Year Filter

Both Application Fee and Program Fee pages support year-based filtering (default: current year). Stats cards update dynamically. Search by student name/email with status filter.

Year FilterSearchStats
👥

Agency Portal Integration

Agencies can submit program fee receipts on behalf of students. Student selector dropdown with auto-reload. Agency sees only their assigned students. Receipts tracked per student.

Agency SubmitStudent Select
📋

Unified Finance Dashboard

Admin sidebar Finance section: Application Fee + Program Fee — two separate pages for two different payment types. Total/Pending/Verified/Rejected stats at a glance for each.

2 DashboardsAdmin + PM
✈️
Travel Release New
Multi-role digital approval workflow for student travel — see Travel Release v2 below for the latest updates
🔄

Multi-Role Approval Chain

Student, HF, or LC can initiate a travel request. The release passes through HF sign → LC sign (optional) → Admin/PM final approval. Every step is logged with digital signatures and timestamps.

📝

Student Submission

Students submit travel requests from their portal at /my-portal/travel-releases. Includes destination, dates, chaperone info, and parent/guardian email for digital consent.

Student Portal
🏠

Host Family Review

HF can approve or deny the request. When HF submits a release directly from their portal, the HF approval step is automatically completed. Requires mandatory handwritten canvas signature.

HF Portal

Admin Final Approval

Admin/PM provides the final signature and chaperone verification. Must draw handwritten signature on canvas — name entry alone is no longer accepted. Status updates to Approved on signing.

Admin
👨‍👩‍👧

Parent Digital Consent

System emails a secure signing link to the parent/guardian. Parents sign without logging in — handwritten canvas signature required. Token is invalidated after signing.

No Login Required
📄

PDF Export

Generate a branded PDF of any travel release showing all trip details, all signatures (parent, HF, LC, admin), and approval timestamps.

Standard PDF
📋

LC Submission

Local Coordinators can submit a travel release on behalf of a student directly from the LC portal, then sign it themselves. Status flows to LC Approved before reaching admin.

LC Portal
✍️
Digital Handwritten Signature
Canvas-based signature capture on all agreement forms Feature
✍️

Handwritten signature on every agreement form

All forms requiring a signature — HF Agreement, LC Agreement, Student Agreement, CBC Consent, Authorization Forms — support a touch or mouse-drawn handwritten signature directly on the signature pad. The signature image is stored in the database and automatically included when generating PDF documents.

🖊️

Touch & Mouse Signature

Supports both mobile touchscreen and desktop mouse input. Draw directly on the signature pad just like signing on paper. A Clear button allows re-signing at any time.

signature_pad.jsCanvas API
💾

Saved to DB & Embedded in PDF

Signature image (PNG) is stored in the database and automatically embedded in the signature field when generating PDF documents.

DB StoredAuto PDF Embed
📋

Supported Forms

HF Agreement · LC Agreement · Student Agreement · CBC Consent · HF Criminal BG · Student Auth to HF · Student Placement

7+ Forms
Monthly & Semester Report Automation
Auto-create reports + staged email reminders for LCs Feature
🤖

Automated so LCs never miss a deadline

On a configured date each month, the system automatically creates report drafts for each LC and sends staged email reminders until the report is submitted. Admins configure the schedule and recipients at Settings → Report Automation.

📋

Monthly Report Automation

On the configured create date (~15th), report drafts are auto-generated per student per LC. An initial email is sent, followed by Follow-up and Final reminders for any outstanding submissions.

Monthly AutoStaged Reminders
📘

Semester Activity Report Automation

Reminder emails are automatically sent to LCs before the semester activity report deadline. Only LCs with outstanding reports receive the reminder.

Per SemesterPending Only
⚙️

How to Configure

Set Create Day, Deadline Day, and email timing at Admin → Settings → Report Automation. The system runs a server-side cron job once daily to execute the schedule.

Cron-basedConfigurable
Monthly Report Automation Flow
Create Day (~15th)
Auto-Create Drafts
Initial email sent to all LCs
Deadline − 3 days
Follow-up
Reminder to LCs with pending reports
Deadline − 1 day
Final Reminder
Last warning email to outstanding LCs
Deadline (~20th)
Deadline Notice
Admin summary of all pending submissions
🪪
DS-2019 Auto-Parse
Upload DS-2019 PDF → SEVIS ID & program dates saved automatically Feature
🤖

Upload the DS-2019 — data fills in automatically

When a DS-2019 PDF is uploaded on the student page, the system automatically parses the document text and extracts the SEVIS ID, program start/end dates, and DS-2019 issue date — saving them to the database instantly. No manual entry required.

📄

Auto-Extracted Fields

The following fields are automatically parsed from the DS-2019 PDF:

SEVIS ID Program Start Date Program End Date DS-2019 Issue Date

Instant Save

Parsed data is applied to the SEVIS record immediately on upload. If parsing fails, the file is still saved and fields can be filled in manually.

pypdf-basedFallback Support
📍

Where to Find It

Go to Student → Documents tab → DS-2019 Upload. After upload, verify the auto-filled data in the SEVIS tab.

Student → Documents
🪪
Insurance Card Auto-Parse
Upload insurance card → provider, phone & policy number saved automatically New Feature
⚠️

Supported Provider: International Medical Group (IMG) only

Currently, automatic field extraction is supported for International Medical Group (IMG) cards only — the UnitedHealthcare-backed plan used by ANB students. For other providers, upload the card and fill in fields A·B·C manually.

🤖

Upload the insurance card — data fills in automatically

When an IMG insurance card (PDF or image) is uploaded on the Student → Insurance tab, the system uses OCR to extract the insurance provider, customer service phone number, and IMG Certificate Number, saving them to the database instantly.

📋

Auto-Extracted Fields

The following fields are automatically parsed from the insurance card:

A. Provider B. Phone C. Policy Number (IMG Certificate No.)
📁

Supported File Types

Upload the card as a PDF (recommended) or image file. The card is stored and displayed in the Insurance Card Preview panel on the right.

PDFJPGPNGGIF
📍

Where to Find It

Go to Student → Insurance tab. Upload the card at the top — fields A, B, C are filled in automatically. Review and click Submit.

Student → Insurance
Role-Based Action Required List
Pending task banner shown automatically on each portal dashboard Feature
🔔

See what needs to be done the moment you log in

When any stakeholder (Student, Host Family, LC) logs into their portal, the dashboard automatically shows a list of incomplete tasks at the top. One click takes them directly to the relevant form.

Student

Student portal action items

  • Application revision requested
  • Incomplete application forms
  • Payment not yet submitted

Host Family

HF portal action items

  • Application revision requested
  • Application not submitted
  • CBC Consent not submitted
  • Agreement not signed
  • Criminal BG not confirmed

Local Coordinator

LC portal action items

  • Application revision requested
  • New leads need follow-up
  • Monthly reports not submitted
  • Semester reports not submitted
  • CBC / Agreement incomplete

Agency

Agency portal action items

  • Student application revision requested
  • Incomplete document guidance
💬
Support Ticket System
In-app help desk for all portal users — students, HFs, LCs, and agencies New
💬

Built-in help desk — no external tool needed

Any portal user (Student, Host Family, LC, Agency) can submit a support ticket directly from their dashboard. Admin receives an email notification, reviews the ticket, and replies within the platform. The user is notified of the reply and can view the full conversation thread.

📨

Submit a Ticket

Users submit a ticket from My Portal → Get Help. They select a category (Bug / Feature Request / Question / General), enter a subject and description, and submit. An email is immediately sent to the admin team.

All RolesEmail Notification
🗂️

Ticket Categories

Tickets are tagged by category to help prioritize and route.

Bug Report Feature Request Question General
🔄

Status Tracking

Each ticket has a status that updates as it progresses. Users can see the current status on their support page at any time.

Open In Progress Resolved
💬

Reply Thread

Admin and user can exchange multiple messages within a single ticket. All replies are timestamped and displayed in a conversation thread. Admin replies trigger an email notification to the user, marked as unread until viewed.

Threaded ConversationUnread Badge
🛠️

Admin Management

Admins manage all tickets at Admin → Support. Unread tickets show a badge count in the sidebar. Tickets can be marked as In Progress or Resolved, and can be deleted when no longer needed.

Admin → SupportUnread Badge
Support Ticket Workflow
User
Submit Ticket
Selects category, writes subject & message
System
Email Alert
Admin receives instant email notification
Admin
Review & Reply
Opens ticket, sets status, sends reply
User
Notified
Email notification of admin reply, views thread
Admin
Resolved
Marks ticket resolved when issue is closed
📢
Broadcast Email New
Send announcements to all users or specific roles with branded HTML emails and live preview
👥

Role-Based Recipients

Select recipients by role — All Users, Students, Host Families, Local Coordinators, Agencies, or Schools. Real-time count updates as you toggle roles. Each recipient receives an individual branded email.

By RoleLive Count
👁️

Live Preview + Templates

See exactly what recipients will receive as you type. Quick templates for common messages like profile completion requests. Choose header accent color from preset swatches to match your brand.

PreviewTemplates
📨

Branded HTML Delivery

Every broadcast uses the organization's branded email template — logo, company name, contact info, and footer. No plain-text bulk emails. Professional communication to every stakeholder.

BrandedIndividual Send
🎯

Specific User Selection

Switch to Specific Users mode to hand-pick individual recipients across any role. Search by name or email, filter by role tab, and select with checkboxes. Selected users shown as removable chips.

Manual PickSearch
⏱️

Rate-Limited Sending

Automatically throttled to 15 emails/minute to stay within Gmail limits. A persistent SMTP connection is reused across all sends. Disconnections are detected and reconnected automatically mid-job.

Gmail Safe4s Interval
📊

Live Progress Modal

A non-dismissible progress overlay shows sent count, failure count, ETA, and the current recipient in real time. The job runs in the background — closing the tab does not interrupt delivery.

Background JobReal-time ETA
⚙️

Access

Available at Admin → Settings → Broadcast Email (05). Admin-only. Emails are sent from the configured SMTP account with Reply-To set to noreply@anbeducation.com.

📊
Analytics New
Real-time site traffic insights — page views, visitors, trends, and geographic breakdown
📈

Daily Visits Trend

Interactive chart showing daily page views over the selected period. Quickly spot traffic spikes, quiet periods, and engagement patterns across Today, 7 Days, This Month, This Year, or a custom date range.

ChartCustom Range
🌐

Traffic Source Mix

Donut chart breaking down visitors by source category — Direct, Internal, Search Engine, Social Media, and External referrers. Identify how users are finding and navigating the platform.

ReferrersDonut Chart
🗺️

Geographic Distribution

Interactive world map with country-level visitor breakdown. Flag icons, visit counts, and bar rankings show which countries are accessing the platform — useful for agency and coordinator oversight.

World MapCountry Rank
📄

Top Pages

Ranked list of the most-visited pages with visit counts and bar visualization. Quickly see which features, portals, or admin sections are being used most — and which may need attention.

Page RankUsage Insights
👤

Unique Sessions & Visitors

Three headline metrics at a glance — Total Page Views, Unique Sessions, and Unique Visitors (by IP). Gives an instant snapshot of platform activity for the selected time window.

SessionsUnique IPs
🖥️

Browser & OS Breakdown

See which browsers and operating systems visitors are using. Helps ensure compatibility decisions are grounded in actual usage data — not assumptions about what devices stakeholders use.

BrowserOS
⚙️

Access

Available at Admin → Analytics. Admin-only. Traffic is tracked automatically on every page request — no external analytics service or script injection required.

🗂️
Flyer System New
Profile flyers for Schools, Host Families, LCs, and Students — with branded PDF output
📄

4 Entity Types, One Consistent System

Admin staff can create and maintain profile flyers for each entity type: School, Host Family, Local Coordinator, and Student. Each flyer has its own rich content editor, photo/logo upload, and a branded PDF export page accessible from the admin panel.

🏫

School Flyer

Mission statement, community overview, founding year, grades served, enrollment, mascot, school colors, AP courses, sports, clubs, nearby airports and cities, and weather summary. Includes photo and logo upload.

Admin → SchoolsPDF Export
🏠

Host Family Flyer

Family introduction, home description, neighborhood, activities, pets, and a profile photo. Published flyers are visible to matched students via their My Placement page.

HF ProfilePDF Export
👨‍💼

LC Flyer

Local Coordinator bio, region coverage, contact info, and a profile photo. Accessible to students through their placement page so they know who their coordinator is before arrival.

LC ProfilePDF Export
🧑‍🎓

Student Flyer

Marketing card for available (unmatched) students — bio, hobbies, language skills, and a profile photo. Published flyers can be browsed by Host Families via the HF portal to express interest in a student.

RecruitmentBrowse by HF
🖼️

Photo & Logo Upload

Each flyer supports separate photo and logo file uploads. Files are stored under /static/uploads/<entity>/<id>/ for clean per-entity organization.

Secure Storage

Publish Control

Each flyer has an is_published toggle. Only published flyers are visible to students and host families — unpublished drafts remain private until ready.

Draft → Published
📍
My Placement New
Student portal page showing confirmed school, host family, and LC assignment
🎯

One Page — Full Placement Picture

Once a student is assigned a school, host family, and local coordinator in the admin panel, they can view all three placements from a single page in their portal at /my-portal/placement. Each card shows the entity's published flyer details and includes a link to download the full PDF profile.

🏫

School Card

Displays the assigned school's name, address, website, and if a school flyer is published — mission, community info, grades served, mascot, colors, AP courses, sports, and clubs. Includes a View School Profile PDF button.

School FlyerPDF Link
🏠

Host Family Card

Shows the host family's name, region, and published flyer content. Students can download the HF profile PDF to learn about their host family before departure.

HF FlyerPDF Link
👨‍💼

LC Card

Shows the assigned Local Coordinator's name, contact info, and published flyer bio. Students know exactly who their coordinator is and how to reach them before they arrive.

LC FlyerPDF Link
🔒

Access Control

Only accessible to logged-in Student role users. Pulls from the student's active Application record — if no placement is assigned yet, the page shows a friendly "not yet assigned" state.

Student OnlyLogin Required
✈️
Travel Release v2 Updated
Mandatory handwritten signature, 4 submission paths, extended status flow
✍️

Handwritten Signature Now Mandatory

All signing steps — Host Family, Local Coordinator, Parent/Guardian, and Admin — now require a handwritten canvas signature in addition to the printed name. Typed name alone is no longer accepted. This applies to all new approvals going forward.

Status 1
Pending
Submitted by Student or LC
Status 2
HF Approved
HF signs (or auto if HF submitted)
Status 3
LC Approved
LC signs (optional step)
Status 4
Approved
Admin final sign → notifications sent
🖊️

Canvas Signature Required

The signature pad must contain a drawn signature before any approval action is accepted. If the canvas is empty, the system shows "Handwritten signature is required." and blocks submission.

Policy Change
4️⃣

4 Submission Paths

Student → via My Portal · Host Family → auto HF-approved on submit · LC → submits on student's behalf · Admin → can create directly from the reports panel.

Flexible
📧

Final Approval Notifications

When Admin gives final approval, automated emails are sent simultaneously to the Student, Host Family, and Local Coordinator — confirming the travel is approved with destination and dates.

Auto Email ×3
👥
HF Student Card View New
Host Families browse published student profile cards to express interest
🔍

Browse Available Students

Host Families can browse a gallery of published student profile cards at /hf-portal/students/browse. Each card shows the student's bio, hobbies, language skills, and profile photo from their published Student Flyer. This allows HFs to proactively identify students they'd like to host before formal matching by admin.

🧑‍🎓

Published Student Flyers Only

Only students whose flyer has been marked as is_published = true appear in the browse gallery. Unmatched/available students are shown — already-placed students can be excluded by admin.

Published OnlyUnmatched
🖼️

Profile Card Contents

Each card displays the student's profile photo, name (or anonymous if not published), home country, grade, language proficiency, hobbies, and a brief bio — enough for HFs to make an informed interest expression.

Student Flyer Data
🔒

HF Portal Only

Accessible only to logged-in Host Family users. Visibility can be toggled via Admin → Settings → Portal Access (menu key: hf_portal_students).

HF Login RequiredAdmin Controlled

Recruitment Tool

Combined with the Student Flyer system, this creates a self-service recruitment loop: staff publishes student flyers → HFs browse and identify candidates → admin finalizes matching and updates placement.

Placement Pipeline
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Orientation Confirmation System New
22 CFR 62.10 — LC documents HF and Student orientations, with digital signatures from all parties
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End-to-End Orientation Workflow

LC creates the orientation confirmation record (date, location, linked host family and student). The record is then pushed to both the HF portal and Student portal for digital signature. Once all parties sign, the record is marked Submitted and a branded PDF is available for audit inclusion as Doc 2.2.

✏️

LC Creates Record

LC logs into their portal and navigates to Orientations → HF or Orientations → Student. They fill in orientation date, location, the linked host family or student (auto-filled from assignments), and upload an optional pre-signed form image.

LC Portal/lc-portal/orientations/hf
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HF Signs via Portal

Host family logs into their portal and goes to Orientation Confirmation in their sidebar. They see the record created by their LC, print their name, draw a canvas signature, and submit. Up to two adult HF members can sign. Status changes from Draft → Submitted on signing.

HF Portal/hf-portal/orientation
🧑‍🎓

Student Signs via Portal

Student logs into their portal and goes to Orientation Confirmation. They review the record (date, location, LC name), print their name, draw a canvas signature, and submit. Status changes to Submitted on first signature.

Student Portal/my-portal/orientation-confirmation
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PDF Export

LC, Admin, and PM can export a branded orientation confirmation PDF at any time. The PDF includes all signatures as embedded images, orientation date, location, and both party names. Used as compliance Doc 2.2 in the audit ZIP.

Audit Doc 2.2PDF
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Program Documents Panel

When completing an orientation form, LC sees all shared Program Documents (handbooks, orientation slides, reference materials) uploaded by admin in Settings → Program Management. These can be referenced during the orientation session.

Settings → Program Management
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Admin Review

Admin can view and manage all HF and Student orientation confirmation records at Admin → Orientations → HF and Admin → Orientations → Student. Search by name, filter by status. Edit or override any field directly.

Admin Access
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Program Documents — Admin-Managed Reference Library

Administrators can upload shared documents (orientation handbooks, checklists, CFR reference sheets) at Settings → Program Management. These documents appear automatically in every orientation form view for LCs, HFs, and Students — no per-record attachment needed.

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Placement Change Tracking New
22 CFR 62.13 — Post-arrival host family and school changes, logged in real time for audit compliance
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What This Feature Does

When a student must change their host family or school after arrival, DOS requires this to be documented in a separate record for the auditor. This feature automates that process — Admin and Program Managers log each change in real time, and the system automatically generates a compliance-ready PDF included in the audit ZIP under 7_Placement_Changes / 7.1 — Placement Change History.

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Where to Enter Changes

Go to the student's profile → Placement Changes tab. The current placement (host family, school, LC, agent) is shown at the top. Click + Add Change to log a new post-arrival change.

AdminProgram Manager/students/[id]?tab=placement_changes
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What Gets Recorded

Each change record captures: change date, old and new host family, old and new school, reason for the change, and notes (e.g., SEVIS termination context). Old values are automatically pulled from the student's current assignment — no manual entry needed.

Auto-captures old values
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Assignment Updates Automatically

Saving a placement change also updates the student's active assignment (host family, school, LC, agent) in real time. The current placement card on the tab always reflects the latest assignment.

Updates Application record
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Audit PDF — Doc 7.1

A PDF of the full placement change history is accessible via the J-1 Compliance page for each student. Click 7.1 PDF in the ⑦ Placement section of the compliance sidebar to preview or download.

Audit Doc 7.1PDF
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Included in Audit ZIP

When downloading the full audit ZIP for any student, the placement change history PDF is automatically included — even if there are no changes (the PDF will state "No changes recorded"). This ensures consistent ZIP structure across all students.

7_Placement_Changes/7.1_Placement_Change_History.pdf
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Edit & Delete Records

Each logged change can be edited (date, names, reason, notes) or deleted from the Placement Changes tab. Only Admin and Program Manager roles have access to this tab — it is not visible to LC, HF, or Agency portals.

AdminProgram Manager
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Compliance Note

Per 22 CFR 62.13, sponsors must notify DOS within 5 business days of any host family or school change. Log each change promptly and include the reason. This record serves as your documentation trail in the event of a DOS or CSIET audit.

⚙️
System Settings Reference
All configurable settings at Admin → Settings
Setting What It Controls Location
Audit Document Template Organization name, logo, and primary color for all compliance PDFs. Changes apply to every PDF export immediately. Settings → Audit Template
Report Automation Schedule automatic email reminders for monthly and semester report due dates. Configure recipients and timing per report type. Settings → Report Automation
Portal Menu Access Toggle which sidebar items each role (HF / LC / Student / Agency) sees in their portal. Settings → Portal Access
Email Templates Customize the content of notification emails for each event (submission, approval, reminder) per stakeholder role. Settings → Email Templates
Notification Recipients Set which email addresses receive each type of notification (CBC submitted, report submitted, etc.). Settings → Notification Email
Brand Assets Upload the organization logo used in portal pages and all PDF headers. Settings → Brand Assets
SMTP Configuration Outbound email server (host, port, credentials). Test connection from this page before enabling automation. Settings → SMTP
Broadcast Email Send a one-off email to all users in a selected role group (e.g., all LCs, all HFs). Settings → Broadcast Email
Program Management Upload and manage shared program documents (orientation handbooks, slides, CFR references). Documents appear automatically in all orientation confirmation forms for LC, HF, and Student portals. Settings → Program Management
Database Backup Manual full database backup with download. Keep off-site copies for disaster recovery. Settings → Database Backup