Columbia University routinely hosts visitors whom it considers vital to its intellectual and educational missions. These people, who come for limited periods of time to teach, conduct collaborative research, pursue their own independent research, or receive training by observing specific research or clinical techniques, are categorized into five types, depending on the purpose of their visit:
⚠ Please note that all visitors who will be involved in research-related activities must comply with
Visiting Faculty
Faculty and researchers holding academic positions at other colleges or universities, whether in the United States or in foreign countries, or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities, whether located in the United States or abroad, whom a school, department, institute, or center wants to invite to Columbia to teach a course or courses for either a semester (including a “block week” or “mini-semester”) or an academic year, must be given an appointment as a “visiting” officer of instruction (“visiting faculty appointment”).
Visiting Officers of Research
Faculty and researchers holding academic appointments at other academic institutions, whether in the United States or in foreign countries, or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities, whether located in the United States or abroad, whom a school, department, institute, or center wants to invite to Columbia to do collaborative research with a Columbia faculty member or officer of research, must be given an appointment as a “visiting” officer of research.
Visiting Scholars/Visiting Scientists
Faculty and researchers from other academic institutions or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities who want to use University facilities to pursue their own independent research with no collaboration with or mentorship from Columbia faculty or officers of research should be designated a visiting scholar/visiting scientist, depending on their field.
In exceptional circumstances graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or certain professional fields at another academic institution who want to use University facilities to pursue their own independent research for their Master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation without any collaboration, training, or mentorship from Columbia faculty or officers of research may be designated a visiting scholar/visiting scientist, depending on their field.
Visiting Student Interns (VSIs)
Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program at another academic institution who want to conduct research training and/or engage in collaborative activities connected to their prospective degree with a Columbia faculty member or officer of research should be designated a visiting student intern (VSI) once the sponsoring faculty member or officer of research has obtained the necessary approvals.
Short-Term Visitors
Visitors who are not eligible for an appointment, designation, or formal affiliation but who need to come to the University for not more than three months to receive research training, observe research activities, or to train or observe within the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) clinical programs should be designated a short-term visitor. High school students, post-baccalaureates, people who need to observe, not practice, research or clinical techniques or processes, or people who need to receive training (“trainees”) in research or clinical techniques or processes, including practice with appropriate supervision are examples of those who could be considered short-term visitors.
Last Updated: 10/13/2023