Visiting Scholars
Springfield College has a long history of hosting visiting scholars from around the world. We welcome visiting scholars for the international perspectives they bring to our campus, and for the opportunity to share the expertise and culture of our respective countries. Exchange visitors have been professors, coaches, and administrators in various fields. The general purpose of the J-1 scholar program is to promote international education and cultural exchange in order to develop mutual understanding between people of the United States and other countries.
An exchange visitor can come to Springfield College to conduct research, receive mentoring from a coach, teach or lecture. Exchange visitors at Springfield College may come under the category of research scholar, professor, or short-term scholar. A research scholar may stay for a maximum of five years, and a short-term scholar may stay for a maximum of six months. Some J-1 exchange visitors are subject to a two-year home-country physical presence requirement. This requires a scholar to return home for at least two years after the exchange visitor program.
If you would like to come to Springfield College as a research scholar, professor or short-term scholar, you will need to be sponsored by a faculty member at Springfield in the department in which you are interested in working or researching. The faculty member will work with you to approve a plan of activity, which will be submitted with your application to the International Center. You may contact the International Center for a referral to a Springfield College department, or you may contact the faculty member directly if you already have a connection.
Eligibility
- Requires a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
- Priority consideration will be given to professors, lecturers, researchers or instructors from international partner institutions.
- A minimum stay of three weeks is required.
- A maximum stay of 6 months for short-term scholars and 5 years for researcher or professor.
- English Language Proficiency: Exchange Visitors are expected to begin their exchange programs with English abilities that are adequate to participate
successfully in their programs and function on a day to day basis. - Health Insurance: J-1 Exchange Visitors must purchase medical insurance for themselves and their dependents for the duration of their stay which meets U.S.
federal requirements:- J-1 and J-2 Health Insurance Requirements:
- Medical benefits of at least US$100,000 per accident or illness;
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of US$25,000;
- Expenses for medical evacuation of the visitor to his/her home country in the amount of US$50,000;
- A deductible not to exceed US$500 per accident or illness.
- J-1 and J-2 Health Insurance Requirements:
- Funding Requirements: J-1 Regulations require that a J-1 Exchange Visitor (EV) demonstrate sufficient funding for the duration of their J-1 program (plus
additional funding for any J-2 dependents). The International Center must collect proof of financial support prior to issuing or extending a DS-2019 form.- Exchange Visitor Fees: EV’s are responsible for paying the SEVIS fee and visa fee. EV’s will be charged a $250 international fee as well as a $1000 per semester exchange visitor fee by Springfield College. Scholars also are required to purchase U.S. Health Insurance for the duration of their stay. Annual Funding Amounts:
| J-1 Scholar | Cost of living, health insurance, scholar fees | $30,000 |
| J-2 Spouse | Additional cost of living, health insurance | $9,000 |
| J-2 Child (each) | Additional cost of living, health insurance | $9,000 |
- Immigration Status: Must provide information about previously held U.S. immigration statuses (if applicable)
The DS-2019
Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitors is the required document to obtain the J- 1 visa from the American Consulate or Embassy abroad to enter the U.S. The International Center at Springfield College will issue the DS-2019 to accepted candidates who meet the above eligibility requirements.
Application Process
- Please provide the following application materials to the International Center and the sponsoring department to assess whether
or not Springfield can sponsor your J-1 program and extend an invitation letter:- Resume or CV
- Plan of Activity/Research Plan for your time at SC: include type of scholarly activity (research, professor or short-term) and length of activity.
- Information on current and/ or previous immigration status in the U.S.
- An interview with the department chair, prospective faculty mentor and/or the International Center may be required.
- If sponsorship of your J-1 program is approved, you will need to provide the following materials for the preparation of your invitation letter and DS-2019:
- Completed J-1 Exchange Visitor Application Form
- Updated Plan of Activity/Research Plan (if applicable)
- Financial verification documents
All necessary documentation should be sent to: internationalcenter@springfield.edu
Note: Priority for J-1 scholar sponsorship is given to scholars coming from institutional partners.
Responsibilities and Expectations of Visiting Scholars
- Attend a weekly or bi-weekly meeting with his/her faculty sponsor.
- Engage in scholarly activities under the supervision of the faculty mentor. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Prepare and deliver a presentation or seminar on your area of expertise, research or cultural knowledge to your sponsoring department and/or the campus
community. - Submission of a research abstract or a program proposal co-authored with the faculty mentor for a presentation at a regional or national conference is highly
expected. - Submission of a manuscript co-authored with the faculty mentor to a refereed journal for review and consideration of publication during or at the end of the
exchange program.
- Prepare and deliver a presentation or seminar on your area of expertise, research or cultural knowledge to your sponsoring department and/or the campus
- Option to audit one class per semester that will support your research plan or cultural exchange experience.
- Cultural exchange is a required component of the J-1 program. All scholars are expected to actively engage in cultural and community activities on and off
campus. - Meet as needed with the Director of the International Center/Responsible Officer of the J-1 program.
- Submit a summary report of your academic, research, cultural, and community activities and experiences to the faculty mentor and the International Center at the
end of the exchange program. - Prepare and deliver an end of program presentation on your cultural exchange experiences for their mentor, the International Center and members of the
Springfield College community.
Exchange Visitor Resources and Support
If accepted as an exchange visitor, you will be provided with the following resources and support:
- J-1 Visa advising to help scholars maintain status from the International Center
- Pre-arrival support and arrival instructions from the International Center
- Limited scholar housing is available through the College on a first come, first serve basis for approximately $550/month. Scholar housing includes a private room
in a shared, furnished house with shared kitchen, living room and bathroom facilities. Housing is within walking distance to the center of campus. - College housing is not available for scholars with J-2 dependents. Visiting scholars coming with a spouse and/ or children are responsible for finding and
securing their own housing in the surrounding area. Housing can be very difficult to find. Scholars will also need to secure reliable and effective transportation to
get to the Springfield College campus if living off campus. Public transportation is limited in the Springfield, MA area. You will be responsible for many more
arrangements and daily costs of living if staying off campus with a spouse and/ or children. - Welcome and orientation services from the International Center including, a welcome packet, SIMCard, assistance setting up a US bank account and College
health forms, information about the College’s weekend shopping shuttle, assistance with setting
up a College ID and email account and support in adjusting to living in Springfield, MA and the U.S. - Mentors will provide course recommendations, research guidance and on-going support based on the scholar’s plan of activity and exchange visitor program
objectives. - Access to campus facilities and services including, Harold C. Smith Learning Commons, library, College archives, technology services, recreation and sport
facilities and classes, dining services, counseling services and the College Health Center. - Course registration to audit 1-2 courses per semester. This process is facilitated by the International Center in conjunction with the Registrar’s Office.
- Access to Springfield College community programming, lectures and cultural events.
- Upon program completion, EVs will receive a Visiting Scholar Certificate from the International Center.
