Who is a Buffett Visiting Scholar?

Buffett Visiting Scholars come to Northwestern for the purpose of research and engaging with the community at the Roberta Buffett Institute and Northwestern. Visiting scholars are typically individuals sponsored or employed elsewhere, by another university, a government agency, non-governmental organization, or industry. Visiting scholars typically hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent terminal degree in their discipline or have received equivalent professional recognition. They are most often at Northwestern for one year or less and paid by their sponsoring organization. Learn about current and past Buffett Visiting Scholars >>

Before applying, the prospective Buffett Visiting Scholar must have already established a relationship with two Northwestern faculty members who support their affiliation with the Roberta Buffett Institute or  Buffett's affiliated programs, centers, and initiatives. We welcome applications sponsored by faculty from any school or department at the university.

We will direct faculty to a different program if their prospective visitor is a:

• Threatened, displaced, or at-risk scholar: The Roberta Buffett Institute collaborates with campus partners to welcome visitors who have lost their academic or professional positions or cannot remain in their home countries due to threats or actions from authoritarian regimes, persecution for their views or identities or other risks. Learn more about this program >>
• Fulbright Visiting Scholar: Northwestern faculty members interested in hosting a Fulbright Visiting Scholar should consult the Fulbright Opportunities webpage and reach out to the Buffett Global Collaboration Team with specific questions.
• Doctoral student: This application is not open to doctoral students. Northwestern faculty members interested in hosting a doctoral student should contact their department or the Buffett Global Collaboration Team if they are a Buffett affiliate. Additional information can be found on The Graduate School's Visiting Predoctoral Fellows webpage and the Office for Research's Visiting Predoctoral Fellows webpage. 
• Postdoctoral fellow: This application is not open to postdoctoral fellows. Northwestern faculty members interested in hosting a postdoctoral fellow should contact their department or visit The Graduate School's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs webpage.  

Why sponsor a Buffett Visiting Scholar?

When a Northwestern faculty member sponsors a visiting scholar through the Roberta Buffett Institute, our team will manage some of the logistical processes to support the visitor, including:

• Processing appointment paperwork with the Office for Research
• Serving as the point of contact for the internal visa processing steps at Northwestern, and covering fees related to Northwestern's Office of International Student & Scholar Services
• Welcoming visitors and their families into the Buffett community and inviting them to participate in Buffett events

Northwestern faculty can also request the following supplemental forms of support for Buffett Visiting Scholars through the application process: 

• Office space at the Buffett Institute 
• Housing at the McManus Center in Evanston (extremely limited)

In addition, some Northwestern faculty may want to apply for a Buffett Global Collaboration Grant to support cost-of-living expenses for the Buffett Visiting Scholar. Applications for Buffett Global Collaboration Grants are due October 15 and April 15 annually.

Visiting scholars' obligations

If the application is approved by the Roberta Buffett Institute, the faculty host and/or the visitor will be required to submit the additional documentation outlined below in support of the research appointment:

• Sponsoring Entity Letter from Your Visitor's Home Institution
  This should be on official letterhead from the visitor's home institution and confirm (1) their position and status within the institution and (2) the intention of the institution to continue their affiliation through the duration of their specified appointment period. If they are self-employed, retired, or unsure of how to provide this documentation, please email BuffettVisitors@northwestern.edu for assistance.
• Proof of Health Insurance
  Visiting scholars must either demonstrate proof of outside insurance that meets Northwestern's requirements or seek enrollment in the Northwestern Visiting Scholar Plan. In either case, the Buffett Global Collaboration Team will submit a waiver or application, respectively, on behalf of the visitor as a mandatory part of their research appointment and visa application.
• U.S. Visa and Financial Requirements
  All prospective visitors who are not U.S. citizens or residents must obtain proper visa documentation. Most visiting scholars will travel to Northwestern on a J-1 visa, of which there are different types. To obtain a visa, visitors must demonstrate to the U.S. government that they meet minimum financial requirements via proof of funding, either personal or institutional, for the period of their visit. This can be in the form of a bank statement for personal funding or a letter of financial support from their home institution. The following per-month minimum funding requirements apply to all J-1 visitors:
  • $2,470 for each individual
  • $610 for each J-2 dependent

Visiting scholars...

• Must have already established a relationship with two Northwestern faculty members who support their affiliation with the Roberta Buffett Institute and are willing to serve as their faculty hosts
• Must maintain affiliation with their sponsoring entity throughout the duration of their visit
• May not be paid by Northwestern University in exchange for activities performed in their capacity as Visiting Scholars. However, in some cases, Visiting Scholars may be offered cost-of-living support, typically in the form of reimbursement for expenses after the visit has concluded.

How to apply:

Northwestern faculty members who wish to sponsor a visiting scholar with the Roberta Buffett Institute's support should complete the online application and specify objectives and plans for the visit. Applications are due October 15, January 15, and April 15 annually. 

Please submit the application three to six months in advance of the intended start date, making sure to take visa processing times into account, including U.S. Consulate Appointment Wait Times (if necessary).

In addition, some Northwestern faculty may want to apply for a Buffett Global Collaboration Grant to support cost-of-living expenses for the Buffett Visiting Scholar. Applications for Buffett Global Collaboration Grants are due October 15 and April 15 annually.

To see all steps in the Buffett Visiting Scholars program application and pre-arrival process, view our step-by-step guide >>

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Questions?

Please email the Buffett Global Collaboration Team at BuffettVisitors@northwestern.edu.