Overview

Visiting scholars are individuals coming to Beloit College for the temporary purpose of teaching, research, consulting or otherwise sharing special skills at the college. Most visiting scholars come to Beloit College as J-1 Exchange Visitors. The college is authorized to host visiting scholars under the following three J-1 categories of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Status: Short Term Scholar , Professor , and Research Scholar .

Resources on this page

• Available Categories for inviting Beloit’s visiting scholars
• Eligibility Requirements  for inviting a J-1 Exchange Visitor. 
• Steps for inviting a visiting scholar

Available Categories

Beloit College is approved to invite visiting scholars in the following J-1 Exchange Visitor categories.

Short Term Scholar

A professor, research scholar, or person with similar education or accomplishments who enters the United States for a short-term visit for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills at research institutions, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic institutions, or similar types of institutions (22 C.F.R. 62.4(b)).

Minimum Program Duration: None

Maximum Program Duration: 6 months

Professor

Exchange visitor’s primary purpose is teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting at post-secondary accredited academic institutions, museums, libraries, or similar types of institutions (22 C.F.R. 62.4(e)).

Minimum Program Duration: 3 weeks

Maximum Program Duration: 5 years

Research Scholar

Exchange visitor’s primary purpose is conducting research, observing, or consulting in connection with a research project at research institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic institutions, or similar types of institutions (22 C.F.R. 62.4(f)).

Minimum Program Duration: 3 weeks

Maximum Program Duration: 5 years

Eligibility

In order to invite an individual to be a J-1 Exchange Visitor at Beloit College, the college must establish all of the following:

• The program is suitable to the exchange visitor’s background, needs, and experience (22 CFR 62.4 (a)(1))
• The Exchange Visitor possesses sufficient proficiency in the English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis (22 CFR 62.4 (a)(2))
• The Exchange Visitor possesses adequate financial resources to participate in and complete his or her exchange visitor program; and (22 C.F.R. 62.12(b)(1)(ii))
• The Exchange Visitor possesses adequate financial resources to support an accompanying spouse and dependents, if any. (22 C.F.R.  62.12(b)(1)((iii)
• The Exchange Visitor and any dependents 

Steps for Sponsoring an Exchange Visitor

The immigration component of inviting a visiting scholar involves three parties: the inviting department, the Office of International Education (OIE) and the scholar.  Follow the steps below to complete the process.

Inviting departments must also consult with Human Resources and other relevant departments to ensure that all proper institutional procedures are followed regarding hiring and access to the institution.