The University of Iowa School of Planning and Public Affairs has a strong commitment to working with foreign scholars. Half of our faculty were born outside of the U.S. and each of them, as well as other faculty, have worked with scholars from other countries. We therefore welcome visiting scholars from other countries to spend time working with our faculty here at Iowa. We also welcome domestic scholars to spend time here. Visiting scholars will be assigned a workspace, access to faculty, and the opportunity to visit classes. 

Periods for Research Stays

Visiting scholars typically spend a semester or an academic year (two semesters) at the University of Iowa. Our semesters run from late August to mid-December and then from mid-January to mid-May and it is usually best to time your arrival to fit this schedule, especially since these are the times during which our faculty will be teaching their courses and be available for working with visiting scholars. Additionally, rental housing in Iowa City follows the academic year.

How to Apply

Applications are to be submitted to sppa-info@uiowa.edu and should include:

• Your curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
• Your proposed dates of stay
• A brief description of your intended research project and its purpose (for example, doctoral dissertation, journal article, book)
• Information about your level of English language competence, including a TOEFL or IELTS score, if you are a non-native English speaker. This is a U.S. government requirement and therefore cannot be waived.

Application Deadlines

Applications are due no later than June 1 preceding the fall semester or October 1 for the spring semester.

Fees

Fees are charged on a semester basis:

• The standard fee is $2,500.00 per semester.
• The fee for students who are enrolled at their home university is $1,000 per semester.
• Under conditions of extreme hardship, the fee will be reduced or waived

For questions about our visiting scholar program, please e-mail sppa-info@uiowa.edu.