College of Liberal Arts
skip to content The University of Texas at Austin

Visiting Scholars

There are two classifications of Visiting Scholars: Visiting Researchers and Visiting International Scholars. The status of Visiting Scholar is granted to individuals coming to Middle Eastern Studies to pursue their research. Visiting Scholar appointments are made for a minimum of one month and a maximum of one year with the possibility of extension.

Privileges granted with acceptance into the Visiting Scholar program include:

  • a University of Texas identification card
  • free access to public transportation (bus service) with identification card for the duration of your affiliation
  • the ability to check out books from any university library
  • access to online databases
  • an office space pending availability

Visiting Scholars do not receive payment or financial support from the University of Texas and are not eligible for the award of tenure at the University of Texas. They are expected to have their own financial support and should not expect to be able to supplement their income by teaching courses at the university. 

Any work published due to research conducted during your time as a Visiting Scholar must mention the support provided by Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

Visiting Researchers

Scholars are eligible to be Visiting Researchers if they match any of the following:

  • are American citizens;
  • are United States permanent residents (green card holders);
  • are citizens of a country with a visa free travel agreement (Canada, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, or British Overseas Citizens of Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos, or the Cayman Islands);
  • are holders of a valid U.S. visa that allows them to remain in the U.S. for the duration of their research period;
  • require no visa assistance;
  • are citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries and their appointment will be less than the 90 days.

Visiting Researchers may choose to work with a specific member of the faculty, or may work independently under the nominal supervision of the Chair or Director, while pursuing independent research.  

How do I apply?

If you are interested in becoming a Visiting Researcher, please fill out the Visiting Researcher application here.

Visiting International Scholars

Visiting International Scholars are those individuals who require visa assistance from the University of Texas.

Requirement: Faculty Sponsorship
If you are interested in becoming a Visiting International Scholar at UT, you must find a sponsoring faculty member to support your academic endeavors. You may find a list of faculty and their contact information here. 

Do I need a visa?

Foreign individuals seeking affiliation for more than a total of 90 days will need to apply for a J-1 visa. The application process for a J-1 visa takes 12-16 weeks. Individuals applying under the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program will be sponsored by MES. We strongly encourage individuals to apply early and reserve the right to dismiss applications that do not provide enough processing time. For additional information, please visit J-1 Exchange Scholars.

Due to the cost and time required to process visa paperwork, we can only accept a very limited number of Visiting International Scholars each year. Prority is given to international scholars working on joint projects with members of our faculty.  

How do I apply?

If you are interested in becoming a Visiting International Scholar and have found a faculty sponsor, please fill out the Visiting International Scholar application here.

Fellowships and Postdoctoral Researchers

Do you offer fellowships?

We do not currently offer fellowships.  

Can I do my post-doc at MES?

If you hold a postdoctoral position you are welcome to apply to one of the visiting scholar classifications.