Faculty – Initiating the Visitor Process

Visiting Graduate Researcher or Visiting Scholar

* indicates required field


Visiting Graduate Researchers are students currently enrolled in a graduate program. If the visitor is a registered student, their paperwork must be processed as a Visiting Graduate Researcher.

1. BASIC DETAILS

Expected dates of visitation:

Will the VGR be a Short Term Scholar or Research Scholar?
2. SALARY

3. MANDATORY FEES
  • BruinCard: $7.50
  • Mandatory JPath Orientation Fee: $59 (Exchange Visitor J-1 Visa only. Only required for new DS-2019 requests and for programs that are more than 3 months long.)
  • Visa Processing: $340 + $40 per dependent (per year of appointment)
    Note: VGRs pay this fee, but the department pays for Visiting Scholars

*Effective April 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of State will allow DS-2019s to be submitted electronically by email to all exchange visitors (students and scholars). A physical form DS-2019 will no longer need to be mailed to the exchange visitor. This applies to all DS-2019s issued for new, extension, amendment requests, or any other updates that have been made to the form.


VGR campus fees are listed here.




4. DESCRIPTION AND BREAKDOWN OF DUTIES
Example of description: Expected to perform scholarly research in the areas of: (i) Area A, (ii) Area B, and (iii) Area C. Research collaboration will likely lead to fruitful scientific outcomes. Expected to publish several journal papers with [Faculty] as a result of research collaboration and visiting appointment.

Example of breakdown of duties:
Teaching: 0%
Research: 70%
Publications: 30%
Observation: 0%
Training: 0%
Attending Conferences: 0%



5. LOCATION AND KEYS

If the visitor will need keys, the visitor must request them using the process described here.



What Happens Next?

Visiting Scholar

  1. CEE SAO contacts the visitor to request necessary materials to create Visiting Scholar and DS-2019 applications. Faculty may also provide visitors with the Visiting Scholars – Initiating the Visitor Process link. (time varies)
  2. CEE SAO creates Visiting Scholar and DS-2019 applications. (1 week)
  3. CEE SAO obtains faculty and department chair signatures on all documents. (time varies)
  4. Visiting Scholar application sent to the HSSEAS Dean’s Office for Approval. (1-2 weeks)
  5. If approved, CEE SAO sends DS-2019 application to the Dashew Center. (10 business days)
  6. CEE SAO ships DS-2019 to visitor. (1 week)

Visiting Graduate Researcher (VGR)

  1. CEE SAO contacts the visitor to request necessary materials to create VGR and DS-2019 applications. Faculty may also provide the visitor with the Visiting Graduate Researchers – Initiating the Visitor Process link. (time varies)
  2. CEE SAO creates VGR and DS-2019 applications. (1 week)
  3. Faculty Advisor and Department Chair electronically sign VGR application and physically sign DS-2019 application. (time varies)
  4. VGR application sent to the UCLA Graduate Division for Approval. (1-2 weeks)
  5. If approved, CEE SAO sends DS-2019 application to the Dashew Center. (15 business days)
  6.  If approved, the UCLA Dashew Center will email the exchange visitor a link to the DS-2019 form. The exchange visitor will need to print their DS-2019s and sign in blue ink.  The printed DS-2019 is required when applying for a J-1 visa stamp at a U.S. embassy and when entering the U.S.