Visiting Scholars Program

The USC U.S.-China Institute welcomes applications from distinguished faculty, scholars, and professionals to join its Visiting Scholars Program. In addition to fostering international partnerships, the program supports its scholars in their research projects and pursuits. The institute offers access to USC's vast online resources, borrowing privileges at USC's libraries, and the opportunity to experience the Trojan network firsthand. Scholars are also invited to participate in the many activities of the institute, including seminars, conferences, and the online magazine US-China Today.  

The affiliation fee for the 2023-2024 academic year is $3,500 USD.

It takes approximately 3-4 months to process an application. Please take this into consideration when determining the start date. 

Before you apply, please review the information below to determine your eligibility to obtain a DS-2019: 

• Faculty sponsorship - Although most participants are invited by a USC faculty member, scholars are welcome to reach out to an Annenberg faculty member with similar research topics.
• Funding guidelines - All applicants must have outside funding sources or be self-funded.
• Medical insurance coverage - All visiting scholars and accompanying J-2 dependents are required to be covered by adequate health and accident insurance while in the U.S.

To apply, please submit the following documents to uschina@usc.edu: 

• Curriculum vitae in English 
• A detailed description of proposed research project, including how being at USC would help achieve the research objective. 
• Copy of passport for scholar and dependents 
• Proof of funding must adhere to USC Office of International Services' funding guidelines available here: https://ois.usc.edu/j1-exchange-visitors/obtaining-a-ds-2019/funding/

Please allow 2-3 weeks for application review. If it is approved, the institute would then provide an invitation letter to the scholar and apply for a DS-2019 on his/her behalf. For questions, please contact the institute at uschina@usc.edu or call 213-821-4382.