• Eligibility Requirements
• Admissions Criteria
• Program Requirements
• Fees
• Benefits
• Deadline
• Application Requirements
• Download Application
• Orientation
• Summer Institute
• Housing

Visiting Scholars Program

Download PDF directory of 2007-2008 Visiting Scholars and Professors

Eligibility Requirements

The University of Washington School of Law is distinguished by a vibrant Visiting Scholar Program. The Program attracts researchers and legal policy makers from around the world who wish to participate in the Law School’s research and teaching programs, and conduct comparative research using the law library. The Program is designed for senior legal career professionals from legal institutions such as courts and eminent academics who have an extensive background in their given fields. Visiting Scholars may continue their research for up to one year, and may apply to extend the period for a maximum of one additional year.

The Law School hosts a maximum of 35 Visiting Scholars at any one time and receives many more applications than there are places available. Most successful applicants are current law faculty, public legal officials or experienced attorneys who already hold an LL.M. or Ph.D. in law.

Admissions Criteria

Admission to the Visiting Scholars Program is highly competitive. An appointment as a Visiting Scholar is made by the voting faculty and is not automatic. A member of the faculty must express an interest in working with a Visiting Scholar applicant before the application can be considered for approval. Where an applicant does not have a preexisting relationship with a faculty member, the Visiting Scholar Program Coordinator will, where possible, match an applicant with a faculty member who is willing to act as an academic host for the visit.

We require a 3-5 page detailed description of the applicant’s proposed research project and its relevance for educational, policy or practice purposes.

We also require two letters of recommendation from someone who is able to assess the applicant’s suitability for this kind of research project.

There is no minimum TOEFL requirement for this Program, but a working knowledge of English is required. Visiting Scholars with insufficient English language ability are strongly encouraged to enroll in a UW or similar ESL course during their stay. Separate fees apply for ESL courses. Additional information about UW’s ESL courses is available at http://depts.washington.edu/uwelp/aep/program.shtml. International Visiting Scholars may also be interested in participating in the Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice.

Fees

Visiting Scholars pay a fee (currently $8,000 per annum or $800 per month), which will cover the costs of their visit, Law School, and library facilities. In addition, the UW International Students and Scholars Office (ISS) charges a fee of $130 (effective July 1, 2008) per person to process visa requests.

Fee waivers will be available in limited circumstances and are generally limited to Visiting Fellows. Visiting Fellows are legal academics and professionals invited by Law School Faculty and Centers to engage in research projects at the Law School each year. As invitees, Fellows are not subject to program fees except visa processing fees.

Benefits

1. Faculty: Discuss research and common interests with law faculty who have agreed to work with the Visiting Scholar. Access to faculty is at their discretion; there is no guarantee that a particular faculty member will be available.
2. Gallagher Law Library: Access to and checkout of library books including our large international and comparative law collection and access to databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis. Access to databases on the Web may require a UW NetID. Borrowing books from other libraries (interlibrary loan) will be offered but if there are charges, the user will have to pay. Visiting Scholars are entitled to the same reference services as UW J.D. and LL.M. students – that is, reference librarians will help them use the print and online resources. Visiting Scholars are not entitled to faculty-level research services, including preparation of bibliographies and memoranda.
3. University Library: Library privileges as provided by library regulations and eligibility for assignment of faculty study in the Henry Suzzallo Library and access to University study and non-classified research facilities.
4. Research Space: Ample research space is available in the Law Library. Research carrels cannot be reserved but study and discussion rooms may be reserved on a short-term basis. Office space is not available.
5. Computer Access: Computer access is available from terminals in the library and from the workstations in the Computer Lab. Visiting Scholars are provided with the information to establish a UW NetID for computing privileges such as e-mail and internet access.
6. Law Courses: Attend law courses and seminars as an observer with permission of the individual instructor.
7. Academic English Program: Eligible for courses for non-native English speakers at an additional fee. Matriculated students have priority, thus enrollment is limited to a space available basis (contact the AEP advisor at 206-543-6242 or e-mail ).
8. Copying:For-pay copiers are available to the law school community in the library.
9. Special Activities: Participate in special activities connected with the Law School Graduate Programs.
10. UW Facilities: Access to recreational and other facilities of the Associated Students of the University of Washington (contact the ASUW at http://depts.washington.edu/asuweb/index.php or 206-543-1780 ).
11. Bus Pass: Eligible for a special University bus pass (U-Pass) at a nominal cost (contact Parking Services).
12. Parking: Eligible for University campus parking for a fee (contact Parking Services).

Deadline Information

Visiting Scholar Program applications are accepted year-round.

However, recent changes in the U.S. immigration procedures mean that all Visiting Scholar applicants should submit the application at least 6 months prior to the applicant’s anticipated arrival in the United States.

Assessment of applications takes about 4 weeks from the date of receipt, and may take longer if the application is incomplete. The faculty votes on pending applications on the first Thursday on each month (October-June); To be considered for vote, complete applications must be submitted to the Program coordinator at least 2 weeks before the faculty meeting for that month.

Application Requirements

The following application form and supporting documents are required:

• Visiting Scholar Application form: Microsoft Word Doc or Adobe PDF (requires Adobe Reader)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research Proposal: The research proposal should be between 3-5 pages long and outline the area on which you intend to focus your research during the Program.
• Faculty Advisor Approval: A UW Law School faculty member who has expressed interest in working with the Visiting Scholar in an advising capacity must communicate such interest to the Visiting Scholar Coordinator for inclusion in the application file. If no faculty member is noted on the application, we will assign faculty advisors on the basis of faculty availability, and will try to match a faculty member with your research interests.
• Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation are required. They should come from law faculty or other professionals in law who can best evaluate your capacity for research in the United States. The letters should be addressed to the Visiting Scholar Coordinator and signed on the seal of the envelope by your referee. You may have the letters mailed/e-mailed directly by the referee or send them with your supporting documents.
• Letter of Financial Support from Sponsoring Institution/Employer: Required for all non-U.S. applicantz to process visa requests.. Support required currently stands at $1800 a month minimum.
• Proof of Highest Academic Degree (photocopies sufficient) is required to process visa requests.

Please send all application materials in hard copy or electronically to:

Visiting Scholar Coordinator
Law School, University of Washington
Box 353020, Seattle, WA 98195-3020

(206) 616-5321 office
(206) 543-2164 fax

Download Visiting Scholar Application Form

Choose one of the following formats:

• Application in Microsoft Word Doc
• Application in Adobe PDF (requires Adobe Reader)

Orientation

New Visiting Scholars orientation takes place every Tuesday at 1:30pm at the Law School (443 William H. Gates Hall). It is timed to allow new Visiting Scholars to attend the mandatory visa check-in with ISS at 3pm. If this day and time is inconvenient, the Visiting Scholar may call (206) 616-5321 in advance to schedule an appointment.

Visiting Scholars are also invited to participate in our international programs orientation events during the 3rd week of September, prior to the start of fall quarter classes.

Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice

All international Visiting Scholars are welcome to participate in the Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice at the University of Washington School of Law for an additional fee.

The Summer Institute is a two-week intensive non-credit program at the Law School specifically designed to introduce international law students and attorneys to the structure, culture and thinking of the American Legal System. The program focuses on three areas—Introduction to the American Legal System and Practice, Legal Skills and Methodology, and Legal English. Sample topics include the United States Constitution, government branches and sources of law, the criminal and civil court systems and procedures, how to read and brief cases, and persuasive legal writing and argumentation. All will be taught by law faculty and practitioners who are experienced in cross-cultural communication.

Details about the Summer Institute, schedule, accommodation, registration and visa procedures are available at the Summer Institute for Transnational Law and Practice website at: http://www.law.washington.edu/AsianLaw/Teach/SI.html

Housing

UW affiliated housing: Housing on campus is typically for students only. As a visiting scholar you are considered faculty, which makes you eligible to rent an apartment in Radford Court off campus. It’s a very nice complex not to far from the University and on the bus route.

Visiting Faculty Housing Service: Many Visiting Scholars make arrangements through the visiting faculty housing office.  Please look at their website or contact them directly by e-mail at . This is where faculty on sabbatical and other individuals nearby the University will typically list their houses, and visitors seeking housing would list their needs. The office will then try to match up directly.

Off-campus housing: you can obtain current price information from any of the following sources that show apartments to rent. You can go online to any of several Seattle newspapers and look in the classified section (select Northeast Seattle under “Area” for neighborhoods closest to the University).

• The Daily: UW campus newspaper
• Seattle Times: Seattle daily newspaper
• The Seattle Weekly
• The Stranger
• Craig’s List
• Northwest Classified Advertisements Online

Homestay - If you would like to live with a host family for a short time before finding permanent housing or prefer to rent a room in someone’s home you can contact our homestay referral center or the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS).