Visiting Scholar Information

Applications: How to apply

We invite you to apply to Indiana University School of Education as a Visiting Scholar. However, it is important for you to know that we are able to accommodate only a certain number of scholars each academic semester due to limitation of office space and availability of an academic faculty host. We annually host between 15-20 scholars from all over the world. Your appointment as a visiting scholar at the University does not provide compensation or financial assistance, there, you must provide proof of your financial support. The Office of International Services requires at a minimum, the following figures to issue a J-1 visa certification: $1200 per month for the J-1 scholar; $783 per month for the first J-2 dependent; $300 per month for each additional J-2 dependent.

As a Visiting Scholar, you will have access to the Indiana University Library system and all its resources.  When possible, we will provide you with a work space, computer, and telephone access in the Wright Education Building.  Due to space limitations it may be necessary to find work space elsewhere on campus.

Academic Departments

The School of Education at Indiana University has five academic departments. We invite you to look at the Web site for each of these academic departments to find the department that most nearly reflects your academic interests.

The departments are:

Initial Contact

Please apply to the School of Education as a Visiting Scholar two semesters or more ahead of the time you wish to arrive at Indiana University. We recommend you apply well in advance as Visa applications may take from six months to one year.

Please complete the Personal Interest Form and submit it to the department Chairperson (see the department website for their names and e-mail addresses). Your Personal Interest Form should be accompanied by a one or two page proposal for study or research. Please also include a copy of your resume or curriculum vita with your Personal Interest Form and research study proposal. After we receive your CV and if it is possible for the academic department that you are interested in to accept you as a visiting scholar in the time period you require, you will then receive a letter of invitation from the Office of the Dean of the School of Education. The departments and the School will respond to your request as soon as possible.

We also require you to complete the form, Personal Profile Form (PS) and Personal Profile Form (DE). You may attach your resume or curriculum vita with the completed Personal Profile Form and mail to:

Conney Freese-Posthuma, Office of the Dean
201 N. Rose, Room 4105
School of Education, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

Length of stay

The length of your stay will depend on your funding and the release time from your University. Generally, the length of time visiting scholars spend at Indiana University is from six months to one year. Once the School of Education has agreed to host you as a Visiting Scholar, the School will request Visa Certification (Form DS2019) on your behalf to allow you to apply for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa (any accompanying dependents must apply for the J-2 Visa).

Academic Host

Each visiting scholar is required by the University and by the School of Education to have a Faculty Academic Host. Upon receiving your completed Personal Interest Form, the Chairperson in the academic department you apply to will request a Faculty Academic Host for you. We ask that you do not initiate requests to individual faculty members as this will not expedite your application, but rather it will delay it. If it is possible to find an academic host for you, it is appropriate for you to initiate contact at that time, if you so desire.

If there is a faculty member who shares your research interests and is available to serve as a host for you, you will receive the previously mentioned letter of invitation from the Office of the Dean of the School of Education. If however, there is not a faculty member available, your request cannot be considered for that time period, and therefore, it may be necessary to wait until the following academic year.

Official Invitation

Once you have successfully completed the on-line application process and a suitable faculty host is determined by the Department Chair, you will receive an information packet by mail with an official letter of invitation from the Office of the University Dean. Included in this packet will be additional information you will need to know regarding your stay here at Indiana University. Marie Edwards, Assistant to the Dean will be your initial contact person. Ms. Edwards will initiate and oversee the process of obtaining your visa. If you should have any questions or concerns during this time she will be available to assist you.

Initial contact:

Conney Freese-Posthuma, Office of the Dean
201 N. Rose, Room 4105
School of Education, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

Required Legal Forms

Once the School of Education has agreed to host you as a visiting scholar, we will request form DS-2019 that allows you to apply for your J-1 Exchange Visitor visa. Form DS-2019 is used to apply for your J-1 visa (J-2 form is for accompanying dependents). The School of Education will then request J-1 visa certification on your behalf.

Participation

Visiting Scholars have many opportunities on our campus to participate in classroom activities. Please discuss this with your academic host on your arrival.

Contacts

You may also contact a currently enrolled graduate student by e-mail from your country at our Goodwill Ambassadors Home Page. They may be of assistance with general information about the community, the School, and their own area of study.

Housing

The School of Education does not secure housing for Visiting Scholars. It is necessary for each scholar to make his or her own living arrangements. Web sites with housing information available from the following sites:

The university offers a variety of housing options on campus. Housing applications and costs are available at the website of Division of Residential Programs and Services at: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/guesthousing.cfml This type of housing does not require a lease to be signed. Visiting Scholars can share rent and it is also possible to find a roommate to share the rental expense but Residential Programs will not do that for you. No contract is necessary for guest apartments and they will rent for short periods of time. Additional information about both on-campus and off-campus housing can be found at Dean of Faculties housing information.

Off-Campus Housing: Information about off-campus rentals can be found in the campus newspaper, The Indiana Daily Student, and the local newspaper, The Bloomington Herald Times.

In order to determine the proximity of these apartments to campus, you can use Mapquest online.

For apartment listings please see: Bloomington Apartment Guide at www.apartmentguide.com

Off-campus apartments become most readily available in May and in August. Property owners expect renters to sign a one year's lease. A lease is a legal agreement to occupy and pay monthly rent on that property for a period of a least 12 months. Some scholars plan to stay at IU for less than 12 months. Therefore, renting off-campus apartments can become very expensive. In addition, there is usually a "damage deposit" that must be paid. This additional month's rent covers any damage done to the apartment during your stay there and is not refundable if you leave the apartment any time prior to the agreed time of occupancy. We urge our visiting scholars not to sign a lease without consulting with either their academic host or the Office of Student Legal Services. An additional source of information regarding temporary housing arrangements is sometimes possible by contacting the student association from your home country. Shared accommodations may sometimes be available in that way.

Health Insurance

Health insurance coverage is mandatory for all international visitors and their families. Insurance coverage can be arranged by the Student & Scholar Insurance Office, Poplars Building, Room E165, after you arrive on the IU Bloomington campus. Costs for health insurance can be found on their Web site.

If you have health insurance provided by your home institution it will not be necessary to arrange insurance here. However, you will need to provide documentation in English of that insurance upon your arrival. This information should include the amounts covered (money available and the extent of the coverage.) Maternity coverage is required for women.

English Language Classes

English language assistance is available from many sources for Visiting scholars and international students.

Travel Arrangements

When making airline ticket reservation, your final airline destination should be Indianapolis, Indiana. Indianapolis is the state capital, located approximately 50 miles north of Bloomington.

Transportation from Indianapolis to Bloomington:

Upon Arrival

Once you are in Bloomington, please visit the Dean’s Office, room 4105, and speak to Marie Edwards.  Ms. Edwards will help you find the appropriate contact person in your host department. You will also need to visit the Office of International Services to take the initial necessary steps to obtain your IU identification card and to open a bank account at the Indiana University Credit Union.

Conney Freese-Posthuma, Office of the Dean
201 N. Rose, Room 4105
School of Education, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405