International Student and Scholar Services

Visiting Scholars

SUNY Oswego welcomes international visiting scholars on a J-visa to our campus. Visiting scholars are a resource in providing an international perspective for students, faculty and staff.

J visa categories: Below is information on categories for visiting scholars.

Professor: The professor category is for a foreign national who enters the United State for the primary purpose of teaching, lecturing, observing or consulting at accredited post-secondary academic institutions, museums, libraries or similar types of institutions. A professor may also conduct research, unless disallowed by the sponsoring organization.

Research Scholar: This category is for a foreign national who enters the United States for the primary purpose of conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with research projects at research institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic institutions, or similar types of institutions. A research scholar may also teach or lecture, unless disallowed by the sponsor. The research scholar or professor’s appointment to a position shall be temporary, even if the position itself is permanent.Incidental lectures or short-term consultations are permitted with the approval of the responsible officer so long as they are directly related to the objectives of the participant's program and do not delay the exchange program’s completion date.

Professors and research scholars must not be a candidate for a tenure track position, not have participated in and completed a professor or research scholar program within the last 24 months preceding the beginning date of their new program’s commencement, not have participated in a J-Visa program for all or part of the 12-month period immediately preceding the start date of a professor or research scholar program unless the participant is currently in a professor or research scholar program and is transferring to another institution in the United States to continue their current J-1 program, the participant's prior physical presence in the U.S. on a J-visa program was less than six months in duration, and the prior participation was as a short-term scholar.

A short-term scholar must be a professor or research scholar or someone with similar education and or experience. Participants collaborate on special research projects, teach a semester at a college or university, or lecture, consult or observe in a variety of settings in education and research in the United States. The maximum duration of stay is six months . No program extension will be considered and no change of category will be considered.

Eligibility: The visiting scholar must send a research plan and curriculum vitae to the faculty contact at SUNY Oswego. After the chair and Dean has reviewed the proposal and issued a letter of invitation, a copy of the research plan, curriculum vitae and Dean's letter of invitation must be sent to the ISSS office.

The ISSS office will contact the scholar to request the following documents to be sent to their office:

1) Visiting scholar application can be downloaded at this link

2) Documentation evidencing academic accomplishment

4) Documentation evidencing employment at a college

5) Copy of passport page with photo and passport holder information

6) Proof of effective English language ability for research scholar category applicants and either TOEFL 95iBT or 7.0 IELTS for professor category applicants

7) Documentation evidencing financial support for the duration of the residency at approximately $1200 per month for the scholar and approximately $500 a month additionally for each dependent.

Upon review of the application and supporting documents, the ISSS office will issue the DS-2019 and mail it to the visiting scholar alongwith instructions and pre-orientation materials.

Insurance: Visiting scholars are required to purchase mandated SUNY HTH insurance for themselves and their dependants. You are strongly encouraged to purchase dental and vision insurance as these can be very costly without insurance and you will be personally liable to pay the costs.

Dependents: Visiting scholars may bring their dependents. The dependents would have to provide documentation to the ISSS office and be covered by SUNY HTH insurance.

Housing: There is limited housing available on campus. There is no campus housing for scholars who bring children. If there are no rooms available on campus it would be the visiting scholar's responsibility to find off campus accommodation with the assistance of your faculty host.

Meals: Visiting scholars can purchase on campus meal plans and/or cook their own meals in the residence hall kitchen. The ISSS office provides cooking and eating utensils.

Faculty host: As a visiting scholar you will have a faculty host who will arrange your office space, arrival, and needs during your residency.

SEVIS Fee: Visiting scholars are required to pay a SEVIS fee as well as a visa application fee in their home country.

SEVIS Responsibilities: Visiting Scholars are responsible for complying with U.S. federal laws and regulations governing the J-visa.

1) Upon your arrival on campus, please visit the ISSS office to receive the signature of the RO or ARO and orientation materials.

2) Report your change of address to the ISSS office within 10 days.

3) Depart the U.S. within the 30 days after the end of the program

5) Apply for extension before the expiration of the program

6) Maintain required health and accident insurance

7) Keep your passport valid at all times

8) Carry your original documents when traveling outside of Oswego City

Please notify the ISSS office if you plan to:

1) depart unexpectedly from the U.S.

2) apply for an extension

3) bring your dependents for a visit

4) lose any of your travel documents

5) travel to countries that may require a visa

For information on applying as a visiting scholar to SUNY Oswego, please send an email to intled@oswego.edu