Visiting Scholars

NC State Sweetpotato expert Dr. Craig Yencho crouches in a field in Uganda with Ugandan trainees

International Partnerships Solve Grand Challenges

We welcome all international scholars to partner with CALS faculty!

Whether you are interested in learning new skills to further your research or creating new collaborative research partnerships, we welcome you.

As a NC State visiting scholar, you will be an integral part of our research community. You will have access to CALS state of the art on-campus research facilities and 29 field research sites located throughout the state.

See the CALS Research Facilities

Types of J-1 Visiting Scholars

Research Scholars and Professors

Research scholars engage temporarily in research, observation, consultation, or in some cases, teaching during their stay. Professors focus on teaching but also may engage in research, observation, and consultation. The duration of stay is up to 5 years (there is no extension beyond 5 years).
Professor or Research Scholars will be subject to 24-month bar on repeat participation. The 24-month bar does not go into effect if a Research Scholar transfers between institutions within the U.S. to continue their current J-1 program.
Departments which invite Exchange Visitors for 6 months or less and do not plan to extend them beyond 6 months should request the short-term Scholar category, especially if future visits to the U.S. in J-1 visa status are anticipated within the next two years.

Short-Term Visiting Scholars

Short-term visiting scholars must have a bachelor's degree that matches their corresponding research. The duration of the stay is up to 6 months.
Short-term scholars will not be restricted from making future visits to the U.S. in J-1 status to engage in a new program or activity.

Departments which invite Exchange Visitors for 6 months or less but anticipate extending their stay beyond 6 months should request either the Professor or Research Scholar category instead of the short-term Scholar category.

Become a Visiting Scholar

Are you interested in advancing your research by becoming a visiting scholar at NC State?
Follow the steps below to find a mentor in CALS and submit the necessary paperwork. This process takes at least 90 days to complete.

Find a mentor in your field of research:
1. Search our Faculty Directory
2. Complete our Google Request Form for assistance in finding a mentor.
Develop a research plan and set a start date with your mentor.
Work with mentor and departmental HR to complete and submit completed paperwork to Office of International Services (OIS) at least 45 days before start date:
1. Department Logs into Global Home portal
2. Mentor Provides:
  1. Invitation letter
  2. Confirmation English language proficiency
3. Scholar provides:
  1. CV in English
  2. Copy of passport
  3. Proof of funding ($2,000 USD per month)
  4. Copy of any previous DS-2019s issued in the past 3 years
  5. English proficiency documents
Mentor receives completed DS-2019 from OIS and mails a hard copy to the scholar.
Mentor works with departmental HR to attain log-in credentials for the scholar and submits WolfPack One ID request.
Scholar makes appointment at Embassy to attain J-1 visa
When scholar arrives at NC State, mentor schedules OIS check-in meeting and scholar provides:
1. J-1 visa
2. I-94
3. Proof of health insurance (see Health Insurance minimum coverage on Form A of DS-2019)

Visiting Scholar Highlight

Cross Pollination

A deepening partnership between NC State blueberry geneticist Hamid Ashrafi and North African small fruit scientist Ahlam Hamim is aimed at boosting blueberry industries in two very different parts of the globe. Hamim, a government scientist from Morocco, spent three months in Ashrafi’s blueberry genetics and genomics laboratory as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar.

CALS Visiting Scholars

Dr. Ahlam Hamim, Research Scientist, National Institute of Agriculture, Research, Tangier, Morocco
Dr. Hamim first came to NC State as a Borlaug fellow. Dr. Hamim returned to NC State as a Fulbright Fellow in the spring of 2020 where she continued working with Dr. Hamid Ashrafi to evaluate blueberry cultivars for their chilling requirements under controlled environments.

Katherine Quispe, Junior Research Assistant, Genetics, Genomics and Crop Improvement Science Division, International Potato Center, Peru
During spring 2020, Katherine conducted research with Dr. Craig Yencho in the Horticulture Department to enhance morpho-physiological and genetic knowledge of applied genomic selections to develop disease resistant and disease tolerant crops.

Elizabeth Penaloza Yaurivila, National Fund for Scientific and Technology Development and Technological Innovation, Peru
Elizabeth was at NC State University in Fall 2018 to conduct an internship in the Office of Technology Commercialization and New Ventures. Through this office, Elizabeth learned about protecting and promoting University research discoveries and intellectual property by working with university faculty, industry partners and startups.

Jorge Luis Tejada Soraluz, Professor, Department of Plant Production, La Molina Agrarian University, Peru
Professor Jorge conducted research with Dr. Katie Jennings in the Horticulture Department. While at NC State University in spring of 2018, Jorge focused on small fruit weed science and worked closely on weed control in sweetpotato production beds. Sweetpoatoes are an important cash crop both in North Carolina and Peru so Jorge’s research had wide-spread impacts.

CALS International Programs