International Visiting Scholars Program: Prospective Visiting Scholars
The International Visiting Scholars Program provides a unique opportunity for select scholars from around the world to pursue scholarly and intellectual development in the GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
Scholars will have access to resources such as the Gelman Library, the Brookings Institution, the Library of Congress and much more. Our prime location in Washington, D.C., provides scholars with rich opportunities to engage all the government agencies, institutions, foreign embassies, and intellectual communities located in the U.S. Nation's capital.
As the first step, any scholar should be in contact with his or her faculty mentor to confirm research interests and a mutual desire to collaborate. After, CCAS would be able to review and provide sponsorship after receiving the international scholar’s request from the selected hosting academic department. View academic departments in the Columbian College.
How to Apply
Visiting Scholars can conduct teaching and research in CCAS under short-term, semester-long, and year-long appointments.
Visiting Scholars to the College of Arts & Sciences (CCAS) must be sponsored by a faculty member within an academic department in CCAS who is willing to act as an advisor to the proposed research project. Applicants who wish to become a Visiting Scholar at GW are required to submit a detailed plan for conducting his or her independent research for review.
In order to be considered, the applicant must submit the following application package (all in English):
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A Completed Application Form
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A Completed Teaching or Research Project Proposal
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Current CV
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Demonstration of English Proficiency
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One Letter of Recommendation
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Proof of Personal Health Insurance Coverage (Please review the insurance coverage guidelines)
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Proof of Funding: Each candidate must demonstrate that he or she has the funds to obtain the J-1 visa, if needed, and to cover medical insurance and any administrative fee to be imposed. Please note that the J-1 visa requires that the documentation, written in English, show funding in the amount of US $1200 per month for the principal visitor, US $600 per month for the spouse, and US $300 per month of each child plus medical insurance coverage. [Subject to change by the US Department of State]
All applications are reviewed by the academic departments where the hosting faculty member is located, in consultation with the CCAS Dean's Administration.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and only complete applications will be considered. We encourage people to apply as early as possible, as the processing may take up to 5 months.
If accepted as a Visiting Scholar, the candidate will receive a formal notification letter and a request for additional information. The additional information will concern the application for the J-1 visa.
Any questions can be sent to the CCAS Global Initiatives Team at [email protected].
Visiting Scholar Fees
Please DO NOT pay until your application has been approved and you have been directed to pay. If you need further assistance (for pro-rates, payment policy questions, etc.), please contact [email protected]. All fees are paid online and in USD.
- Monthly Visiting Scholar Fee is $300
- Semester Visiting Scholar Fee is $1,000
- Academic Year Visiting Scholar Fee (Fall & Spring Semesters) is $2,000
- Calendar Year Visiting Scholar Fee (Fall, Spring, & Summer Semesters) is $3,000