Visiting Foreign Scholars and Research Fellows

Prospective Visiting Foreign Scholars and Research Fellows must complete the online application form below.

The following supplemental information is required as part of the application. Please have these materials ready to upload in order to successfully submit your request:

1. English-language resume or curriculum vitae;
2. Statement of research plan, of approximately 1,000 words in length;
3. Professional digital photograph of the type that would be used for a passport or state identification;
4. Proof of English-language proficiency (a TOEFL or IELTS report) if you are seeking a visa based on documentation provided by Fordham University.  Please note that this is a new requirement imposed by the U.S. Department of State.
   • This requirement does not apply for candidates who hold a university-level degree from the United States, any Caribbean Island where English is the sole official language, Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, or the United Kingdom. 
   • Visitors applying pursuant to our Cooperation Agreements with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea and the European University Institute are entitled to meet this requirement with a phone interview.
5. Two academic or professional references who can speak authoritatively about the applicant's abilities, specifically as they relate to the applicant's research proposal. If the applicant is currently in a doctoral program, one of these letters must be from an academic source.

Application Deadline

Space in this program is limited. Applications should be submitted at least six (6) months in advance of the proposed visit.

Apply

Administrative Fees

The charge for each Visiting Foreign Scholar or Visiting Foreign Researcher is set forth below.  Payment may be made by cash, credit card, wire transfer or U.S. check, and upon arrival.

Duration                        Doctoral Students              Others

Up To Three Months         $1,000                                $2,000

Three-Six Months             $2,000                                $4,000

Six Months-One Year        $3,000                                $6,000

*Waiver Policy:  Prospective visitors who would like to be considered for a waiver of the administrative fee must submit a notarized affidavit certifying that you will receive no outside financial assistance, and documenting assets, debts, etc., with accompanying documents (i.e., last two years of your income tax return, translated into English).  Please note that submitting these materials does not guarantee that the administrative fee will be waived.  Waiver requests are granted on a very limited basis.  Requests for fee waivers made after arrival in the U.S. cannot be considered

Welcome to our vibrant community of Visiting Foreign Scholars and Visiting Foreign Research Fellows! Each year we welcome numerous visitors from around the world to pursue research at our Law School.

Visitors are welcome to participate in the intellectual life at the law school, to attend public events, and, space permitting and with the permission of the professor, to audit law school courses.

Visitors are required to attend a seminar series designed especially for them.  Please refer to your invitation letter for the attendance policy, as it is of great importance to your continued visa sponsorship and participation in the program.  Upcoming lectures are listed in the Visiting Scholar and Research Fellow Program eNewsletter.  All visitors are encouraged to present their research at this seminar series.  Research Scholars and Fellows are invited to email [email protected] in order to schedule a presentation of their work.

Additionally, participants in the program have formed study groups for Constitutional Law, Contract and Commercial Law, Criminal Law, and International Law.  Please see the eNewsletter for information about how to join or moderate these groups.

Important Welcome Materials

As a Visiting Foreign Scholar or Visiting Foreign Research Fellow, we want to ensure that your experience of Fordham Law School and New York City are comfortable and convenient. Below, please find a Welcome Guide which contains information both about the Law School and New York at large, as well as a packet of information from the Library to aid you in your research.  We will work with the library to regularly schedule information seminars on utilizing the research materials available at the Law School.

Welcome Guide

Library Guide

The primary purpose of the Visiting Foreign Scholar and Visiting Research Fellow Program is to provide an academic community for our visitors to pursue their independent research. Visitors occasionally request permission to audit classes at the Law School. This is permitted to the extent consistent with the visitor’s research goals, space permitting, and with the permission of the professor.

Please see the Registrar's schedule of classes, and contact [email protected] with the course(s) in which you may be interested. 

All visitors are welcome to attend Introduction to the U.S. Legal System in the Fall semester. In addition, visitors may choose one additional course that they wish to attend. The Office of International and Non-JD Programs will ascertain whether there is space in the class and whether the professor will permit you to audit. Please do not contact professors directly.  We will try to secure the necessary approvals for you.

Please note: Legal Writing, Drafting, Externship, and other skill courses are not available for auditors.