Sponsoring Visitors

UMSI is dedicated to building and strengthening its research. Inviting visiting scholars or students aims to facilitate collaborative research and enhance networking. It also provides opportunities for professional development and cultural exchange, both for the visiting scholar/student and UMSI faculty and students. 

Effective November 5, 2025, all visitor activity must also comply with SPG 601.42 – Covered Visitors, which establishes university-wide requirements for hosting certain visitors who engage with U-M’s non-public resources.

If you would like UMSI to sponsor visitors (faculty, students, or other collaborators) for any length of time, please contact umsi.human.resources@umich.edu at least 3 months in advance. Visitors must not purchase flights or secure housing before receiving formal approval from UMSI HR. 

Covered Visitors

What Is a Covered Visitor?

Under SPG 601.42, an individual is considered a Covered Visitor if they:

• Are invited or permitted by a U-M sponsoring unit, faculty sponsor, or staff sponsor

• Engage with U-M’s non-public resources (e.g., facilities, data, equipment, systems, research materials)

• Do so for 14 or more consecutive calendar days

• Do not hold a U-M appointment

• Do not meet one of the listed policy exclusions (below)

Covered Visitors may engage with U-M for up to two (2) years at a time (renewable).

Covered Visitor Categories

Covered Visitors may fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Covered Visiting Researcher/Scholar – Faculty member or postdoctoral fellow from another institution

• Covered Visiting Student – Student enrolled at another institution

• Covered Visiting Affiliate/Colleague – Individual from industry, government, another institution, or unaffiliated organization

Policy Exclusions 

The following are generally excluded unless their activities independently meet the Covered Visitor definition:

• U-M employees, including those appointed in the HR system under SPG 201.34-1, individuals holding "dry" faculty appointments (i.e., 0% effort) under SPG 201.34-2, and those granted an emeritus or emerita title by the Board of Regents (see, e.g., SPG 201.80 and Regents Bylaw 5.20)

• U-M students

• Individuals engaging with U-M as volunteers are excluded, unless the volunteer activities meet the Covered Visitor definition listed above

• The following individuals are also excluded, unless they meet the Covered Visitor definition for a separate set of activities:

  • • Non-U-M students enrolled in U-M courses

    • Minors engaging with U-M 

      • Minors are covered under other university policies and requirements (see, e.g., SPG 601.34 and "Children on Campus"

    • Individuals invited to engage with U-M in patient care, teaching activities, and/or field placement activities

      • Individuals engaged in these types of activities are subject to other university policies and requirements (e.g., credential certification)

    • Individuals engaging with U-M for occasional meetings, seminars, workshops, and/or other similar activities

    • Individuals participating as subjects in research studies (i.e., providing research data/information through interaction or intervention)

    • Individuals engaging with U-M under contracts executed through procurement services and/or pursuant to SPG 601.24

    • Government and other officials (e.g., law enforcement, federal agency inspectors, and non-governmental accreditors) engaging with U-M in the course of their official duties

Visa Considerations

If they need a visa, please note that the purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is  “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges." This means the visit must include meaningful educational and cultural exchange components, such as academic collaboration, participation in seminars or workshops, mentoring, presentations, or other structured engagement, that demonstrate reciprocal benefit to both the visitor and the University. The program objective must clearly articulate these exchange elements and cannot be structured solely to complete a specific work assignment.

If they are coming to work on their own research for a couple of months and want to come on a B or tourist visa, that is different. HR doesn't need much notice for them and doesn't have to do anything related to their visa.  

Who is a Visiting Scholar?

Departments, programs and other academic units of the University of Michigan may invite faculty researchers from other universities as Visiting Scholars. This status is reserved for scholars who are invited to pursue a program of research during a limited term of residence. Visiting Scholars may have access to certain limited services and resources outlined below. Current faculty, staff and students of the University of Michigan are not eligible for this status.

Visiting Scholars are individuals who:

• Have an earned PhD (or equivalent) or other comparable terminal graduate or graduate-professional degree (i.e., JD, MD, MFA, etc.), and hold a faculty or other permanent research position at another accredited university, college, or research organization or;

• Have a Master’s or equivalent intermediate degree and substantial professional experience that the host unit affirms to be equivalent to that expected of a member of the University of Michigan faculty; and

• Are pursuing a program of research as their primary purpose; and

• Are formally invited and ‘sponsored’ by a department, program or other University of Michigan academic unit; and

• Will be in residence for a term of not less than one month and not more than three calendar years.

Who is a Visiting Graduate Student?

Departments, programs, and other academic units of the University of Michigan may invite graduate students from other universities as Visiting Graduate Students. This status is only for graduate students who are invited to pursue a program of research during a limited term of residence. These visitors may have access to some limited services and resources (below). Students visiting under student exchange agreements are not eligible for Visiting Graduate Student status. Current students, staff, and faculty of the University of Michigan are also not eligible for this status.

Visiting Graduate Students are individuals who:

• Are conducting research related to the graduate degree requirements of another university as their primary purpose; and

• Are invited by a department, program or other University academic unit; and

• Will be in residence for not less than one month and not more than two calendar years.

• The term of the appointment can be a maximum of one year; a renewal application must be submitted for the second year.

PROCESS:

• • • • • Email umsi.human.resources@umich.edu with the following information to start the process:

          • NOTE: UMSI HR will email the Associate Dean for Faculty to obtain approval if the visitor will need space, and also the Associate Dean for Research for UMSI research awareness purposes. UMSI HR will also draft an invitation letter to ensure it contains all of the required information. This letter will be signed by the Associate Dean for Research.

        • The visitor's current CV

        • Program start & end dates

          • Important! Confirm that the EV's proposed start date allows sufficient time for processing the DS-2019 request and for the EV to obtain a J-1 visa from the U.S. consulate. A lead time of at least 4 months is recommended.

        • Program objective

          • Be prepared to describe the purpose of the EV visit, with details about what they will do in support of it, including cultural and educational exchange objectives.  Will there be any sort of sharing of information, collaboration, or any benefit to the University? How does their visit benefit U of M?  What benefits does the visitor receive from coming to U of M?  At what frequency will they be attending workshops, meetings, attending lectures, meeting other students, professors, or UMSI faculty?  What will the extent of your communication be with them (ie, showing them around Ann Arbor only, or frequent interactions)? This information will be used to prepare the Department of State (DOS) letter. Please be very descriptive and provide as much information as you can. 

        • Let us know if you expect to employ them in any capacity (i.e., Research Asst temp).

        • Also let us know if they will be supporting your research, or conducting their own. If yours, what particular research and/or project? If they are conducting their own, what UM resources will they need?

        • UMSI HR will initiate the process with the Shared Services Center. 

          • NOTE: Only UMSI HR can handle this step. 

For more information:

• Overview of the U-M Visiting Scholars and Students Process

• J-1 Visa Request Process

• Overview of the J-1 Exchange Program

• Your Responsibilities When Sponsoring an Exchange Visitor

• International Center: J-1 Scholars and Professors

• Shared Services Center: J-1 Visa Coordination