Host a Scholar and Expand Your Research
Higher education is international and all faculty and departments are encouraged to consider hosting an international scholar in their department. International scholars come to SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ from around the world to study, research, and teach for three weeks to up to five years. Global Engagement supports SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ faculty as they invite and engage scholars through the J-1 immigration process.
Dr. Kai Lukoff, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, 2024-25 SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Faculty Host
Who are international scholars?
Scholars may be professors on sabbatical at their home institutions, or PhD students working on research for their dissertations. In some cases, postdoctoral fellows, who are SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ employees, may be sponsored as J-1 exchange visitors.
What can scholars do at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½?
Activities international scholars and visitors can engage in while at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ include:
- Conducting research in collaboration with the faculty host
- Teaching courses
- Running workshops
How does SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s immigration sponsorship work?
There are a variety of scholars that SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ can support through the University’s immigration license for J-1 sponsorship. The U.S. federal government immigration categories and options include:
- Research Scholar: This category allows scholars to come to SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ for a period of research, which could vary from 3 weeks to up to 5 years. While their main objective is to conduct research, Research Scholars can also teach courses while at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½.
- Professor: This category allows scholars to come to SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ to teach courses for a period of time which could vary from 3 weeks to up to 5 years. While their main objective is to teach courses, Professors can also conduct research while at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½.
- Short-Term Scholar: This newly-added category allows SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ faculty to host a scholar for a period of up to 6 months with less barriers on repeated participation, which makes it a great option for ongoing collaboration among SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ faculty and the scholar.
- Specialist: This category is a good fit for visiting scholars with more technical expertise, such as musicians or performers.
What are examples of research that international scholars have engaged in at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½?
Some of the topics international scholars have researched at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ include:
Where are scholars from?
Scholars come to SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ from all around the world.
How can I find an international scholar to host?
Departments can identify scholars to host through personal connections and partnerships.
Who can host a scholar?
Scholars work and research in every field across the university. Departments wishing to host must first identify a full-time SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ faculty/staff member to fill the role of Faculty/Staff Host. Faculty hosts are the main point of reference for the visiting scholars during their time at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½, and support them in their academic and daily life.
How does Global Engagement support SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ faculty in hosting?
The International Scholars Team in Global Engagement is dedicated to supporting academic and cultural exchange. At this time of challenges for global academic mobility, our team has expertise and immigration knowledge to support faculty hosts and international visiting scholars in their journey to obtain a visa and will support them during their program at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½. Our team is available to talk to faculty and potential scholars about visa eligibility and options. The Scholars Team also facilitates cultural exchange opportunities and organizes events for our international scholars community. Questions? Contact scholars@scu.edu.
Where do I start?
Review the SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Faculty Host Responsibilities and Resources. Obtain approval from your department chair and/or other relevant leadership, e.g., dean’s office, before starting the process. Reach out to Global Engagement at iss@scu.edu to discuss hosting amidst an environment where government guidance is highly changeable. We are experts and can advise on strategies.