Visiting Colleague Program

Visiting Colleague Program

The Department of Second Language Studies accepts a small number of Visiting Colleagues, usually for a period of three months to a year. Visiting colleagues are officially affiliated with the University through the Department and work directly with a faculty member who has a shared area of academic interests. Visiting colleagues work with their sponsoring faculty members to develop their research while also contributing to the scholarly life of the Department. They are welcome and expected to participate in graduate courses, attend weekly seminars, and join social events sponsored by the Department.

Visiting Colleagues should have a PhD and either a faculty position or postdoctoral researcher status. (See lists of current and previous Visiting Colleagues.) Applications must be sponsored by a member of the SLS Graduate Faculty. Prospective visitors should first contact the faculty member(s) with whom they wish to work before submitting a formal application.

When a faculty member and an applicant have arrived at an initial agreement concerning the applicant’s research project, the applicant should submit a formal application to the SLS Department Chair. The following items should be sent as email attachments to slschair@hawaii.edu:

  • A letter of request specifying the projected dates of arrival and departure, the name of the faculty sponsor, and the source of funding
  • A curriculum vitae
  • A description of a specific research project that the Visiting Colleague applicant intends to carry out during the sojourn

Appointments as Visiting Colleagues are non-compensated. Benefits include a UHM ID, entitling the visitor to library services, internet access, sports facilities, and a discount at the UHM Bookstore. While the Department cannot provide a computer or supplies, office space may be offered as available.

Visiting Colleagues who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents participate in the U.S. Exchange Visitor Program P-1-1793 sponsored by the University of Hawai‘i. The process for obtaining Form DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” may take around six months. In order to allow for sufficient time between the initial request and date of arrival, applicants should contact their prospective sponsor a year in advance of their intended visit. Besides other documents that will be needed, it is necessary that a prospective Visiting Colleague show evidence of financial support of US$3,000 per month. Please consult the UHM Faculty and Scholar Immigration Services website for this and other pertinent details.

The Visiting Colleague Program is not appropriate for visitors whose primary purpose is to learn more about  current developments in second language studies. For such scholars, the Department offers a different program: the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Second Language Studies. Please contact the Graduate Chair (grdchr@hawaii.edu) for further information about the AGC in SLS program.