Visiting Scholars Program

Los Angeles and UCLA are enormously rich intellectual environments, and the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies encourages faculty and students from other universities to visit UCLA. In encouraging visitors to our program, we seek to foster a diverse intellectual environment of interaction among scholars from a wide variety of disciplinary and geographic backgrounds. UCLA operates on the academic quarter system and visitors are welcome for a minimum of one, but no more than twenty quarters. Most teaching and student activity occur during the fall, winter, and spring quarters; the summers are quieter and devoted mostly to research. Visiting scholars are established scholars who (1) hold a doctoral degree or the foreign equivalent (2) have appointment comparable to that of a UCLA faculty member, and (3) are in most cases on temporary leave from their universities or research centers. Visiting scholars are in residence for relatively short periods of time-usually no longer than one year. Visiting scholars usually conduct research conceived and funded prior to coming to UCLA. While in some cases they collaborate on research projects and publications with UCLA faculty members, these collaborations are in all cases established prior to their arrival at UCLA. Visiting Scholars are largely independent and autonomous. Visiting Scholars interact with faculty sponsors, students, and other UCLA faculty, but they receive no formal mentoring or guidance. Ordinarily, visiting scholars are self-supported, or have adequate support funds from sources outside the University of California and are considered peers of the faculty, unlike postdoctoral scholars who enroll with the Graduate Division for an approved postdoctoral research and training objective under faculty supervision. For more information, regarding postdocs, please visit the UCLA Graduate Division website: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/visiting.html Fees: The Graduate School of Education and Information Studies charges a Visiting Scholar fee. These fees cover costs currently charged by the University to process visa applications, for Faculty and Staff time in facilitating and advising visiting scholars with their research/study program, for the administration of the departmental Visiting Scholar program and overhead charges on facilities and equipment. There will be additional fees for Health Insurance if your insurance does not meet the University of California, Los Angeles requirements. Privileges: Visiting Scholars and Visiting Affiliates are invited to participate in departmental lectures, seminars, and other activities. They may audit classes, with the permission of the instructor. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide Visiting Scholars or Affiliates with computers or office space. How to Apply. Visiting Scholar must be sponsored by a faculty member within the Graduate School of Educational and Information Studies. Please visit our “Find an Expert” http://gseis.ucla.edu/people/expertise for a list of faculty and their area(s) of expertise to find a GSE&IS Sponsor. After a faculty member has agreed to sponsor you, Please contact Anna Avila at aavila@gseis.ucla.edu to begin the Visiting Scholar process.