Visiting Scholar Program

This program provides an opportunity for scholars from around the world to further their studies supported by the resources of the University of Texas at Arlington.

About the Program

The University of Texas at Arlington is located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex. This diverse metropolitan area is home to over 7 million people, one of the fastest-growing tech economies in the United States, and a wide array of arts, entertainment, and cultural activities. With an enrollment of more than 40,000 students, UTA is the second largest in the University of Texas System. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has ranked UTA as the top school in North Texas and No. 6 in the state on its 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. list. Because of its combination or rigorous academics and innovative research, UTA is designated as a Carnegie R-1 “Very High Research Activity” institution. 

Responding to a high demand from international scholars who desire to visit the college, the College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA) offers a range of academic, research, and cross-cultural exchange activities.

Benefits to Visitors

  1. UTA ID card and UTA e-mail: Access the university facilities, such as libraries and computers
  2. Certification: From the college when concluding the visitation.
  3. Research support
    • Networking with CAPPA faculty members
    • Auditing CAPPA classes
    • Attending additional training and seminars
    • Reviewing studio projects
    • Participating in class field trips

Visiting Scholars

The status of Visiting Scholar is granted to individuals coming to the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) to pursue their research, which must be in collaboration with a faculty member. A product resulting from this collaboration is expected. A minimum of a master's degree is strongly preferred. Applicants with a bachelor's degree will be considered if they are prominent practitioners, or they provide a strong justification for their potential contribution to CAPPA. Appointments are made for a minimum of one semester and for a maximum of two years, with annual renewals possible.

What We Expect

Visiting scholars will:

  • Collaborate with the supervising faculty to produce scholarly works or project reports

  • Present their project to the supervising faculty member, CAPPA colleagues, and students to complete the program

Visiting scholars can give guest lectures to faculty and students upon invitation from UTA faculty.

Application Materials

  1. Curriculum Vitae or Resume, including the full name and contact information of the applicant.
  2. A cover letter, including a research statement (a description of the proposed research or project with a specific faculty member)
  3. A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s academic institution or from discipline-related professional associations, organizations, and institutions.
  4. Evidence of English proficiency, if English is not the applicant’s first language
    • University policy can be found on UTA website: J-1 exchange visitors
    • All candidates are required to have a video conference with a departmental committee 
  5. Digital portfolio (optional requirement for some programs)

Application Procedure

Submit your application materials to cappa@uta.edu. Please write “Visiting Scholar Application Materials” in the subject line of the email.

The research statement and letters of recommendation should be addressed to:
Associate Dean
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
University of Texas at Arlington

Please note that only digital application materials will be accepted.

Contact

Department of Public Affairs and Planning – Program Coordinator: Dr. Jiwon Suh (jiwon.suh@uta.edu)

Other questions: cappa@uta.edu

Visa

Depending on country of origin, foreign individuals seeking affiliation as a Visiting Scholar may need to apply for an appropriate visa. The application process for a visa takes 12-16 weeks. We strongly encourage individuals to apply early. For additional information, please visit the University of Texas at Arlington J-1 Scholar page. Please note that a successful background check result must be received by the college prior to initiating the visa process.

Additional Notes 

Visiting Scholars do not receive a stipend for their appointment, and should be prepared to be self-funded.  An appointment as a Visiting Scholar does not imply tenure or continuation at the university. Due to space limitations, CAPPA may not be able to provide a Visiting Scholar with office space.  On-campus wireless access will be provided, but a Visiting Scholar should plan to provide for his or her own computing needs via personal laptop or personal desktop computer.  Please note that privileges such as library access, ID cards, and keys will not be available until the Visiting Scholar assignment has received final approval from the Dean.

Deadlines

  1. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a continuing basis, but are subject to the following conditions:
  2. All application materials must be received before processing can begin.
  3. Once processing begins, all candidates need to allow 4 weeks for the relevant faculty committee to review the application packet and make a decision.
  4. Non-US residents need to allow an additional 12-16 weeks for visa processing.
  5. All candidates need to plan ahead so that their desired arrival date at UTA takes into account the time spans specified above.
  6. Application materials are received by the Associate Dean and forwarded to the academic program for faculty review.