A Visiting Scholar is an individual who is invited or sponsored to engage with Pratt Institute for a defined period in support of research, creative practice, teaching, collaboration, or scholarly exchange.
Visiting Scholars enrich Pratt’s academic and creative community through research, public programming, interdisciplinary collaboration, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and/or engagement with faculty and students. Appointments are temporary, non-degree, and unpaid, and do not constitute employment at Pratt Institute.
Pratt welcomes both domestic and international scholars, whose contributions strengthen the Institute’s commitment to global engagement and the exchange of ideas across disciplines and cultures.
At Pratt, Visiting Scholar appointments are guided by six core principles:
Department-Led: Visiting Scholars are sponsored by an academic department or school, which determines whether a proposed appointment aligns with its academic priorities, interests, and capacity.
Institutionally Supported: Once a department agrees to sponsor a scholar, the Office of Academic Affairs coordinates the appointment process and institutional requirements. When applicable, the Office of International Affairs assists with visa and immigration documentation for international scholars.
Externally Funded: Visiting Scholar appointments are unpaid and do not constitute employment at Pratt Institute. Most scholars are supported through fellowships, grants, government-sponsored exchange programs (such as Fulbright), their home institutions, foundations, or other external funding sources.
Flexible in Scope: Visiting Scholars contribute in many ways—including collaborative research, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, critiques, mentoring, and public programming. Teaching is separate and occurs only when appropriate and approved by the sponsoring department.
Mutually Beneficial: Visiting Scholar appointments are intended to advance the scholarly and creative work of both the scholar and the Pratt community through meaningful collaboration and intellectual exchange.
Tailored to the Appointment:Each Visiting Scholar appointment is unique. The activities, duration, resources, and expectations are determined collaboratively by the sponsoring department and the scholar, based on the goals of the appointment.
How Visiting Scholars are Hosted at Pratt
Visiting Scholar appointments are initiated and sponsored at the department or school level. Because Visiting Scholars work closely with faculty and participate in the intellectual life of a specific academic community, each department determines whether a proposed appointment aligns with its academic priorities, available resources, and capacity to support the visit.
Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost supports departments throughout the appointment process by providing institutional guidance, coordinating appointments, and facilitating administrative requirements. For international scholars, Academic Affairs, in the Office of the Provost, partners with the Office of International Affairs to coordinate visa and immigration-related documentation, as needed.
Process Diagram:
FAQs
There is no central application process for becoming a Visiting Scholar at Pratt. Most Visiting Scholar appointments begin through conversations between a scholar and a Pratt department or faculty member whose research or creative interests align with the scholar’s work. If a department determines that hosting the scholar supports its academic priorities and has the capacity to do so, it may sponsor a Visiting Scholar appointment.
Scholars who are seeking institutional affiliation for external funding opportunities, such as the Fulbright Program, may also initiate contact with Pratt. Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost can help direct inquiries to the appropriate academic department for consideration.
If your department is interested in hosting the scholar, begin by discussing how the proposed visit aligns with your department’s teaching, research, or creative priorities.
Departments have considerable flexibility in determining the nature of a Visiting Scholar appointment. Visiting Scholars are not required to teach courses. Many contribute through collaborative research, public lectures, workshops, critiques, exhibitions, or participation in departmental activities.
Once your department has determined that it would like to move forward, contact Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost. We will assist with institutional sponsorship, appointment procedures, and coordination of any required documentation.
Visiting Scholar appointments are not paid positions. Pratt does not provide a salary or funding for Visiting Scholars.
Most Visiting Scholars are supported through external fellowships or grants (such as the Fulbright Program), funding from their home institutions, government agencies, foundations or other sponsoring organizations.
Departments may choose to provide support—such as workspace, access to facilities, or other resources—when resources are available, but funding decisions are made locally and vary by department and project.
The sponsoring department serves as the Visiting Scholar’s academic home during the appointment. Because Visiting Scholars are integrated into the life of a department, the sponsoring department plays the primary role in ensuring that the visit is productive and mutually beneficial.
Depending on the nature and length of the appointment, sponsoring departments are generally expected to provide the following:
Academic Engagement
Designate a faculty member or administrator to serve as the scholar’s primary host.
Introduce the scholar to faculty, staff, and students.
Provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with the department, such as research collaborations, critiques, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, or other scholarly activities.
Maintain regular communication with the scholar throughout the appointment.
Encourage the scholar to share their work with the Pratt community through a public presentation or other appropriate event, when feasible.
Administrative & Logistical Support
Work with Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost to complete the Visiting Scholar appointment process.
Identify appropriate workspace, such as shared or dedicated office space, when available.
Coordinate the creation of a Pratt email account and Pratt ID card, as appropriate for the appointment.
Assist the scholar in accessing campus facilities, libraries, studios, labs, or other resources needed to support the approved activities.
Notify Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost of any significant changes to the appointment or if the appointment concludes earlier than anticipated.
Because departments differ in their facilities, staffing, and available resources, the specific arrangements for each Visiting Scholar appointment may vary. Departments are encouraged to discuss expectations with the scholar before the appointment begins to ensure a successful visit.
