Thank you for your interest in becoming a visiting scholar at the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) at UC Berkeley. Please note that the entire application process may take as long as four months to complete.
Step 1 — Determine whether you meet the UC Berkeley criteria to become a visiting scholar. Applicants for visiting scholar appointments must satisfy all of the following specifications:
1A. Possess a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent conferred more than 5 years ago;
or
1B. Possess a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent conferred less than 5 years ago but is currently holding a professorial tenure-track position, e.g., Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor;
or
1C. Does not possess a Ph.D. but has substantial professional experience beyond a master's degree which permits the Center for Japanese Studies to certify to the authorizing unit that the individual functions at the level of a Ph.D. scholar;
and
2. Pursue a program of research which is of mutual interest to and endorsed by the Center for Japanese Studies;
and
3. Length of stay must be at least one month in duration.
Step 2 — Contact a faculty member with whom you share compatible research interests and secure his or her agreement to act as your faculty sponsor. Please provide the potential faculty sponsor with as much information as possible — including a curriculum vitae and research proposal — in order for him or her to determine whether or not to support your application. Please consult http://ieas.berkeley.edu/cjs/faculty.html for a list of CJS-affiliated faculty members.
Step 3 — Email the Center for Japanese Studies — cjs@berkeley.edu — expressing your interest in becoming a visiting scholar at the Center. Please attach 1) a current English-language curriculum vitae and list of publications; and 2) a one-page English-language research proposal which details the human and material resources the scholar wishes to make use of at Berkeley, and includes specific dates the scholar wishes to be in residence and the name of the faculty member who has agreed to act as your sponsor.
Step 4 — The CJS Visiting Scholar Committee will review your application. If your research proposal, length of stay, and academic background are compatible with the Center's academic mission, we will notify you of your preliminary acceptance by e-mail. After you received preliminary approval, please complete and mail the following documents to: Center for Japanese Studies, University of California, Berkeley, 2223 Fulton Street, 5F, Berkeley, CA 94720-2318.
a) Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) application form.
b) Information for DS-2019 form.* Applicants intending to become a visiting scholar for six months or less need to decide which J-1 visitor category to apply for: Short-Term Scholar or Research Scholar. For more information, see 24-Month Bar for J-1 visitors.
c) A financial statement verifying that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents while you are a visiting scholar at Berkeley (required amount: minimum $1,600/month for scholar, plus $500/month for spouse and $200/month for each dependent child.) The document can be a Letter from Department Chair or Dean on university letterhead stating approved sabbatical leave verifying and detailing funding for entire period of desired affiliation (see Sample Letter of Financial Proof), or a financial statement from your bank showing a sufficient balance.
d) Photocopy of the biographical page of your passport.* If family members will accompany you, please include photocopies of their passports.
* Not required for U.S. permanent residents and citizens.
Step 5 — After receipt of the completed application form, CJS will petition the Dean of International and Area Studies for your appointment for the dates specified. This process takes one to three weeks. The Dean's approval will grant you visiting scholar status at the UC Berkeley campus. For non-US residents, CJS will then submit to the Berkeley International Office an application for a DS-2019 form, which will allow you to apply for a J-1 (Visiting Scholar) visa. The Berkeley International Office will issue the DS-2019 form two weeks after receipt of application. CJS will then mail the DS-2019 form and an official invitation letter to you.
Step 6 — After receipt of the DS-2019, you must pay a one-time Homeland Security processing fee of $100, which can be done online. Once this fee has been paid, you may take your (and accompanying family members') DS-2019 and passport to a local U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your country to apply for your visa. You MUST bring your DS-2019 form with you when traveling to the United States. For more information, see Understanding Your DS-2019.
Step 7 — Email CJS to establish a date to meet with a CJS-representative within the first week of your arrival to the United States.
Step 8 — Meet with a CJS representative. Please bring your (and accompanying family members')
a) DS-2019 form
b) Passport (in order for CJS to copy current visa stamp and the 1-94 form attached to passport upon entering the United States)
c) Proof of health insurance, if purchased in home country. This proof of insurance should consist of a health coverage booklet (with English translation) and/or letter, written in English, from your insurance company that details your health coverage. Click here for more information regarding health insurance.
d) An international money order or check drawn on a U.S. bank — made payable to "U.C. Regents" — in the amount of $1,110, for the following fees:
| Fee | Description |
|---|---|
| $410 | J-1 Visa Processing Fee (not applicable to US residents) |
| $200 | University Services Fee. This entitles you to use the library facilities of the nine-campus UC library system, to audit classes with professors' permission, to use the university's wireless internet service, and to establish an e-mail account. |
| $500 | CJS Visiting Scholar Program fee. This entitles you to CJS-related privileges including office space, copy privileges, and English-language assistance for presentations. |
At the meeting, the visiting scholar will also sign a Patent Acknowledgement Form, which is required by the University of California.