Welcome to the College of Arts & Sciences.
Our International Visiting Scholars Program is aimed to provide a unique opportunity for select scholars around the world to pursue scholarly and intellectual development in the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences at the George Washington University.
Scholars will have access to resources such as the Gelman Library, the Brookings Institution, the Library of Congress, and much more. Our university's 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.
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.
Any questions can be sent to the CCAS Global Initiatives Team at ccasglobal@gwu.edu.
How to Apply
Visiting Scholars can conduct teaching and research in CCAS under short-term, semester-long, and year-long appointments with the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa.
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) online:
From Visiting Scholar Applicant — A Completed Application Form that includes:
- A Completed Teaching or Research Project Proposal
- A Current CV
- A Demonstration of English Proficiency with one of the following options:
- TOEFL or IELTS test scores - The test must have been taken in the past 12 months and meet your school's minimum requirement for student admission.
- The GW Sponsor can attest to the Scholar's English Proficiency by including it in their Letter of Endorsement.
If the applicant is in need of J-1 exchange visa sponsorship, the following documents will eventually be required:
- Proof of Personal Health Insurance Coverage (Please review the insurance coverage guidelines)
- Proof of Funding: Each candidate must demonstrate that he or she has the funds to obtain the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, if needed, and to cover medical insurance and any administrative fee to be imposed. Please note that the J-1 exchange 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]
From GW Sponsor — Please contact ccasglobal@gwu.edu for templates of the following:
- A Completed Letter of Endorsement
- A signed Routing Sheet with Department Expectations
All applications are reviewed by the academic departments where the hosting faculty member is located, in consultation with the CCAS Dean's Administration.
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 exchange visa.
Bench Fees (Subject to change)
There is a bench fee associated with the CCAS Visiting Scholar Program. As of June 1, 2023 our rates are $400 per month, $1,500 per semester or $4,000 per year for the duration of their time at GW, which are subject to change. Payment in full must be made by the invoice due date and prior to arrival to GW. If your fee needs to be prorated due to special circumstances, please contact ccasglobal@gwu.edu for an invoice.
