Offices & Services
Office for Faculty Affairs

Visiting Scholar

Description and Eligibility

Visiting scholars are paid or unpaid visitors who carry out their own work in association with a Harvard faculty member or members; ordinarily tenured or tenure-track faculty member on leave from a scholarly post elsewhere.

  • Individuals may hold this appointment for no more than two consecutive years
  • If paid a salary, the position may be benefits eligible.
  • Three month minimum appointment

Please see the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook  for additional details and policies and procedures regarding Visiting Scholar appointments, which are governed by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

Appointment Checklist (for Administrators)

For new appointments of visiting scholars, the following information should be provided to the relevant Academic Appointments Manager:

Visiting Scholars will be required to sign a Visitor Participation Agreement and the Acknowledgement of Risk and Release ( if unpaid) before their appointment can begin.

Visa Information

See the Harvard International Office Visa Information page