New Scholars

We are always pleased when we welcome a new international scholar to campus and help them to settle into their new home, but our involvement really begins well before their arrival at BU. We need to partner with both the department and the scholar to make appropriate determinations on sponsorship classification, complete any required paperwork, and provide pre-arrival and travel information and guidance to insure that your new scholar arrives at BU as anticipated.

If you’re inviting an international scholar to come to BU for work, research, or teaching, you will need to obtain approval from the dean or the independent research center director and then work closely with the ISSO so we can determine the most appropriate way to get your scholar here. This process can vary greatly as there are many factors to consider.  You can find information about general scholar sponsorship policy and procedures as well as more detailed information about the process and timeline for specific immigration classifications.  In addition, we have provided guidelines if you are planning on employing a recent BU graduate.

Once you have reviewed the procedures and timelines, you can work with your prospective scholar to complete the required paperwork to initiate the processing at the ISSO.  Upon arrival at BU, you can remind them to check-in with our office so that we can insure that they are ready to start their teaching, research or other employment here at BU.

We look forward to working with you and encourage you to contact us if you have any questions.