Visiting Scholar Policy

The Visiting Scholar Program in the Humanities Center at the University of Pittsburgh offers scholars the opportunity to visit the University of Pittsburgh, conduct research, and be affiliated with the Center’s research community of Fellows. That research community is rejuvenated each year with Faculty, Co-Teaching, Graduate, and Undergraduate Fellows, and each year’s cohort of fellows is in dialogue with an annual theme announced by the Center each Fall - for the following academic year. You can find those themes here. A Visiting Scholar should be based in Pittsburgh for the time of their visit and cannot be affiliated with the Center for more than two years. The Center works through the University’s processes for Academic Visitors described here and follows eligibility guidelines set out here.

Scholars may apply at any time by submitting the materials described below by email to humctr@pitt.edu. The Center encourages prospective applicants to consider affiliations to academic departments at Pitt in the first instance, as they are often better equipped to integrate visiting scholars. If an applicant would require a visa, they must secure a sponsoring department able to assist them with that part of the process.

To apply, please submit the following:

  • Completed Application Form (click here for blank form) containing the following fields:
    • Name
    • Highest Qualification
    • Institutional Affiliation
    • Home Discipline
    • Name of Sponsoring Faculty
    • Name of Sponsoring Department (if a visa is needed)
    • Title of Proposed Research Project
    • Start Date of Proposed Visit
    • End Date of Proposed Visit
  • CV
  • Description of Proposed Research Project, including a statement explaining why Pitt is an appropriate setting for the work (no more than three pages)
  • Letter of Recommendation from Sponsoring Faculty (must be a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh)
  • Email confirmation from Sponsoring Department (if a visa is needed)

When considering applications for Visiting Scholar affiliation, the Center will look at the following:

  • Eligibility per University guidelines set out here
  • Completed application form
  • Significance of the research project
  • Strength of the rationale for Pitt and the Humanities Center as a research base
  • Likelihood that the visiting scholar would enrich the Humanities Center research community
  • Support of Sponsoring Faculty
  • Support of Sponsoring Department (if applicable)

If the application for Visiting Scholar status is approved, benefits include:

  • Access to University Library Services
  • Access to WiFi
  • A Pitt ID (without access to Port Authority bus pass)
  • A Pitt email account
  • An invitation to join the Humanities Center research community

Note that being a Visiting Scholar is an unpaid affiliation, that the Center does not provide or assist with housing, and that for assistance with visa matters Visiting Scholars should contact the Sponsoring Department and Office for International Services.

If you have questions about this program, please contact the Center at humctr@pitt.edu.