Information for Prospective Visiting Scholars and Visiting Student Researchers

The Department of Linguistics accepts a small number of Visiting Scholars (Stanford's designation for those who have earned a PhD or equivalent) and Visiting Researchers (the designation for visiting graduate students) each year. The Department is unable to offer those who are accepted as visitors any salary or tuition support.

Visiting Scholar

"Visiting Scholar" is an official University designation, which extends the privileges of the University to scholars established in their fields who wish to be in residence at Stanford for a limited period of time (usually from 3 months up to a year). This is a courtesy appointment for scholars with a PhD that comes without Stanford salary support; those who are still working towards a PhD must apply for visiting Student Researcher status outlined below. Visiting Scholars are expected to find their own support from their own universities, grants, or other sources. See also Stanford's official policies regarding this designation.

Application Procedure and Deadlines

Those who are interested in being considered as a Visiting Scholar, should write a letter to the Chair describing their research interests and plans for research and study during their visit to Stanford, indicating the faculty members and research groups they expect to interact with and any classes they expect to attend. The letter should indicate the proposed length of stay and the name of a regular faculty member in the Department who would serve as sponsor (see below). The letter should also discuss the ways in which the visitor's research and educational objectives will enhance the Department's. Please include your CV with your letter of application.

The application materials must reach the Department by January 15th prior to September 1st of the academic year to be spent at Stanford. Because the Department receives more applications than it can accommodate, it is very important that applications arrive by the appropriate deadline; late applications are unlikely to be accepted. Notification of appointment will be made in the spring. Those who are applying for postdoctoral grants which require that the institution which they propose to visit be listed must obtain the Department's approval before submitting the application. In this case, the Department should receive the materials detailed above at least two months before the application due date in order to give the Department enough time to decide whether it will support the application. The Department has limited resources for visitors, and is unable to accept all who express interest.

All Visiting Scholars must be nominated by a sponsor on the Department's regular faculty and then be approved by the Department faculty as a whole. It is recommended that prospective visitors contact a potential sponsor from the regular faculty before submitting a formal application. Any contact with the sponsor or other faculty members should be mentioned in the letter of application. Please be aware that no faculty member in the Department can sponsor more than one Visiting Scholar in a given academic year. For finding a sponsor, please write to the Department Manager, Nikhila Pai (), indicating the dates you would like to visit and describing your research interests.

Please send applications by regular mail or by fax (and preferably not by e-mail) to the following address.

Tom Wasow, Chair
Department of Linguistics
Stanford University
Margaret Jacks Hall
Stanford, CA 94305-2150 USA

Fax 650-723-5666

Application-related Fees

Stanford charges a $125 fee for preparation of the initial and transfer DS-2019 (formerly IAP-66) documents for J-1 Visiting Scholars and family members. A fee of approximately $25 is also charged for mailing of the documents via international courier. These fees are payable to the Department of Linguistics upon the visitor's arrival.

Privileges and Associated Fees

Visiting Scholars will have the benefit of the title "Visiting Scholar" and will be accorded library privileges at the University Libraries and sports privileges at the University's sports facilities. Health benefits are not provided.

The Department regrets that it has no office space for visitors. It is also unable to provide computers for visitors. It is recommended that visitors who need regular access to a computer for writing or research bring one with them or buy one here. Visitors must pay for copying, postage, long distance telephone calls and faxes, and their own secretarial services. Visitors are welcome to attend classes and seminars during their stay.

Visiting Scholars are eligible to apply for a full-service University e-mail account upon arrival at Stanford. There is a modest cost to the visitor of $16.50/month.

Spouses do not have library or other privileges, though individual arrangements can on occasion be made for access to sports facilities.

Housing Information

The Department staff is unable to assist visitors with finding housing. Visitors are able to view the University Housing office's on-line listings once their names and e-mail addresses are forwarded to the University Housing Office personnel by the Department. See also Stanford area housing information.

Questions

Questions about becoming a Visiting Scholar can be directed to the Department Manager, Nikhila Pai ().

Visiting Student Researcher

Graduate students enrolled in PhD programs at other universities may also apply to visit the Department for periods ranging from one academic quarter to a year. Visiting students will have the benefit of the title "Visiting Student Researcher" (or "Exchange Scholar" for those students from participating schools; see "Exchange Scholar" section below). The Department has limited resources for visiting graduate students, and is unable to accept all who express interest.

Normally, Visiting Student Researchers have completed their coursework and are engaged in dissertation research. Visiting Student Researchers cannot register in Stanford University courses for academic credit, but they are welcome to attend Department seminars. Students interested in attending Stanford courses for academic credit must apply for non-matriculated student status, which necessitates a separate application, associated fees, and deadlines.

Application Procedure

The application procedure for visiting students is the same as for Visiting Scholars; the same application materials are required and must be submitted to the Department by January 15th prior to September 1st of the academic year to be spent at Stanford. Like Visiting Scholars, visiting students must also have a regular faculty member to serve as sponsor, as described above. The same visa application fee of $125 is required for non-US citizens, and a fee of approximately $25 is also charged for mailing of the documents via international courier. These fees are payable to the Department of Linguistics upon the visitor's arrival.

Tuition Rate and Other Fees

Potential visiting students should be aware that in order to have a formal status, the University requires that visiting students, or "Non-Matriculated Graduate Students - Visiting Researchers" as the University designates them, pay a "Permit for Services Only" (PSO) tuition rate, which in AY 2006-07 is $2760/quarter. They will also be charged for student health insurance, unless they document that they have comparable coverage with another carrier. Students in this category are not permitted to enroll in classes for credit. See also the University policy regarding this status.

Privileges

Those registered as Visiting Researchers are entitled to receive a student photo identification card, which permits use of the University Library at the same level as other non-matriculated students, use of recreational facilities, and use of Vaden Student Health services. Visiting Researchers are eligible for an email account at no charge; they are also eligible to open full-service computer accounts, at a cost of $12/month or $36/quarter. These services are only available during the quarters when the PSO tuition has been paid. The Department cannot guarantee office space for Visiting Researchers.

Housing Information

Graduate student housing is available for Visiting Researchers only after all matriculated Stanford students have obtained housing. Given that student housing is extremely tight, for planning purposes, it is best to assume that student housing will not be available. Visitors are able to view the University Housing Office's on-line listings once their names and e-mail addresses are forwarded to the University Housing Office personnel by the Department. For further housing information see Stanford area housing information.

The Exchange Scholars Program

Doctoral students at universities that participate in the Exchange Scholars Program are able to spend up to a year at Stanford under the auspices of this program. The home page for this program describes it as follows: "The Exchange Scholar Program enables a graduate student enrolled in a doctoral program in one of the participating institutions to study at one of the other graduate schools for a limited period of time so as to take advantage of particular educational opportunities not available on the home campus. The academic experience, including courses taken and/or research conducted with particular faculty at the visited institution, will be registered on the academic record maintained by the student's home institution." Currently, this program includes Brown, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, University of California, Berkeley, the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University as well as some other universities. This program allows students to be registered and pay tuition at their home university, while visiting Stanford.

Graduate students who wish to visit Stanford under the Exchange Scholar Program should follow the regular application procedures for Visiting Students Researchers, but indicate that they would like to participate in this program. Once the Department has accepted their application, the official forms for the program can be filled out and processed.

Questions

Questions from graduate students about visiting Stanford can be directed to the Department's Student Services Officer, Gretchen Lantz, at .