Visiting Student Process

presented by

Cheryl Charles

10/14/2014

Who can come to MIT as a Visiting Student (VS)?

 Eligibility  Students who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution in the US (other than MIT) or abroad  Students must be enrolled in a degree program for the entire duration of the VS stay at MIT  Length of Stay  Minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 12 months 2

Visiting Student Restrictions

 Restrictions  No course participation allowed    No on or off campus employment allowed All research must be conducted ON MIT campus ONLY VS status is NOT available for:  Current MIT Degree Students   Current MIT Special Students Students who have withdrawn or are on a leave of absence  Must be on J-1 (Non-degree) Student Visa  Except for US citizen, Perm. Resident, Int’l from other US institution  Substantial funds (51% or more) must come from Non-personal source (Non-Personal funds could be government, home university funds, MIT funds, or private organization). It cannot be family funds.

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Visiting Student Checklist

 What does RLE need? Send to: [email protected]

 1) Completed MIT Visiting Student Request Form  All fields completed with accurate dates of visit  Registration and Student Activity Fees (will PI or student pay?)  2) Invitation Letter  Template provided, please ensure accuracy  On PI’s letterhead. Follow sample letter provided  3) Copy of inside biographical page from VS’s passport.

(If your request is returned for edits, additions, etc… - re-submit entire package (items # 1 & 2 together) to speed up the process.) 4

Visiting Student Request Process

 Complete MIT Visiting Student Request Form  Completed and submitted to: [email protected]

at least

75 days to 90 days in advance

of arrival date.

`  Processing Fee  Mandatory $1,000 must be paid by Professor from a discretionary account.  Reason for Visit  3-4 sentences- explain why the student is visiting, and benefit to lab  Registration and Student Activity Fee  Can be paid by student or Professor. If PI is paying, a discretionary account must be used.

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MIT Visiting Student Request Form

 The Form (handout) 6

Visiting Student Invitation Letter

 Follow the format of the sample invitation letter.

 Action items are indicated in bold.

 Apply that format on the PI’s letterhead. If your PI typed up the letter, edit to comply with the format provided.

 Send finished documents to: [email protected]

. 7

Sample Invitation Letter - use your own letterhead

 The letter (handout) 8

Visa Extension

 Must be requested

at least 1 month before

the appointment end date- at least 40 days recommended.

 End date cannot exceed the 12 month limit from a student’s original start date.

 Required documents  DS-2019/VS Extension Request Form – visiting student should contact Mayoka Takemori, [email protected]

directly for form.

 Letter from host faculty including new end date, signed off by Professor – revise the original VS letter with new end date –send to [email protected]

.

 Letter of Enrollment from the Home University  Proof of Funding 9

Immigration Issues

 PIs, Visiting Students, and or, Administrative Assistants must contact Mayoka Takemori, [email protected]

for all immigration issues.

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Resources

 Visiting Student website: https://web.mit.edu/iso/iso/visiting/visitor.shtml

     Training site: https://stellar.mit.edu/S/project/rle-aa/materials.html

RLE online fillable forms: http://www.rle.mit.edu/services/online-services/ Handouts; a.

Who can Come to MIT as a Visiting Student b.

c.

d.

Estimated Monthly Expenses for a Visiting Student MIT Visiting Student Request Form Sample Invitation Letter 11