Prior to receiving an invitation letter, the University requires that all potential visiting scholars/scientists and their home institutions undergo a “restricted party” screening before the request for the visiting designation is submitted to Columbia's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
Step 1: Identify and confirm a faculty sponsor
The sponsor should agree to assist with reading and evaluating the proposal and confirm their availability for collegial support during the term of the visit. The sponsorship agreement should be confirmed via email exchange. This is an academic advisory role and not a financial one. Ideally, the faculty member will not be on research or other leave during the period of the visit.
Find a faculty sponsor here.
Step 2: Application submission
For the applicant: The following information must be first submitted to your faculty sponsor (Subject Line: “Visiting Scholar Application, [Name], [Desired Term]”) to be included with the initial screening request:
- the proposal outlining the specific research the visitor plans to do within the context of their overall research project while using the University’s libraries or other research facilities and its relevance to the department’s larger mission;
- the proposed visitor’s curriculum vitae;
- the name of the faculty member who will serve as the visitor’s sponsor.
- The dates of the proposed visit
- Indication of whether a visa will be necessary
For the faculty sponsor: please review the proposal and make suggestions if appropriate and then forward the application to the Chair and the DAAF. In your email, please confirm your support and your availability to the visiting scholar for collegial (rather than collaborative) support during the term of the visit and include a brief discussion of the benefits of the VS designation for the scholar.
Step 3: Department Review
This information will be submitted by the department to a committee for review. If approved, applications will then move on to the Vice Provost's Office for review.
Step 4: Review
Foreign nationals and their home institutions will need to undergo “restricted party” screening using Visual Compliance before any commitment is made to the individual and before the request for the designation is submitted to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Once an application is approved, Visiting Scholar status is dependent on the ability of the scholar to meet the requirements set out by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) for either J-1 sponsorship (the only visa type accepted for the visiting scholar designation) or non-J-1 sponsorship (for domestic scholars who are US citizens or Permanent Residents).
Foreign nationals cannot hold the designation of visiting scholar/scientist if they have a visitor visa status (B-1 or B-2 visa or are traveling under the ESTA Visa Waiver Program). Upon submission of all the documentation required by the US government, the International Students and Scholars Office will issue the DS-2019 form needed to support the J-1 application. Federal regulations require that the applicant for J-1 status have sufficient funds for the period of stay at Columbia and that the applicant meet the health insurance requirements of the Exchange Visitor Program while in the US.
After Visual Compliance screening, applications are sent to the Office of the Provost for approval. Please note: this process can take several months.
Upon approval from the Office of the Provost, formal notification will be issued by the Department, along with next steps.
Please note: all Visiting Scholars are processed via the International Students and Scholars office, regardless of whether visa sponsorship is or is not requested.
Supporting documents required by ISSO for Visiting Scholars without visa sponsorship are listed here.
Supporting documents required by ISSO for Visiting Scholars with visa sponsorship are listed here.
*Information drawn from guidelines in the Faculty Handbook and the Institute for the Study of Gender and Sexuality