Affiliates and Visiting Scholars

The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS) welcomes researchers, scholars, and practitioners from around the world to engage with our community and utilize Georgetown University’s rich resources. The University extends its resources on a selective basis in the spirit of institutional collegiality and to foster the further development of knowledge. To accommodate different research goals and geographic needs, CCAS offers two distinct tracks:

• The Visiting Scholars Program: Designed for researchers, writers/journalists, Ph.D. candidates, and independent scholars whose projects are directly engaged with the Arab world. Visiting scholars must live in the Washington, D.C. area, participate in campus life, and may access shared office space as availability permits.
• The Affiliates Program: Tailored for established scholars, independent writers, and practitioners who require university library and network resources but need geographic flexibility. Local residency is not required, and physical workspace is not provided.

Fees & Funding

Both the Affiliate and Visiting Scholar tracks require a fee of $400 per semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer are each considered individual semesters). CCAS does not provide stipends, living adjustments, housing assistance, or any other funding for these programs. The $400 fee must be paid at the start of each semester to maintain your university affiliation and resource access. The academic semesters at Georgetown are:

• Fall: Late August (first day of registration) to early January
• Spring: Early January (first day of registration) to June 1st
• Summer: June 1st to late August For specific operational dates, please refer to the University Academic Calendars on the Georgetown University Registrar website.

Deadlines & Review Process

Applications for both Visiting Scholars and Affiliates are considered on a rolling basis by the CCAS Faculty Executive Committee. Details on the application process for each track are below. To ensure sufficient time for visa processing (when applicable) prior to your arrival, we highly recommend submitting by the following dates:

• For Fall Semester: Apply by March 1st
• For Spring Semester: Apply by November 1st

Please see below for program-specific details and application requirements.

Visiting Scholar Program Details

Benefits & Expectations

CCAS provides Visiting Scholars with:

• Georgetown University e-mail address and NetID
• Access to the Georgetown University Library System
• Georgetown University Identification Card (GOCARD)
• Shared office space at CCAS (subject to limited availability)

Visiting Scholars are expected to reside in the Washington D.C. area and actively participate in the intellectual life of the Center. During their stay, scholars must present a lecture relating to their research topic as part of the Center’s Public Affairs program. In lieu of a formal presentation, scholars may choose to make themselves available to students for academic advising in their field of study.

Visiting Scholar Application Requirements

To apply, please submit the following materials to CCAS Editorial Director Vicki Valosik at ve44@georgetown.edu:

1. Visiting Scholar Application Form
2. 1-Page Research Project Description (must explicitly demonstrate relevance to the Arab world)
3. Complete Curriculum Vitae (CV)
4. Letters of Recommendation (Required for Ph.D. student applicants only). If the applicant is a graduate student doing dissertation research, a supporting letter from the student’s department Chair or Dean is also required.

For non-U.S. citizens, please also provide the following information for visa purposes:

• Date, city, and country of birth
• Country of legal residence and country of citizenship
• Planned dates of arrival in and departure from the United States
• Documented source of funding while in the U.S.
• Names, dates of birth, city/country of birth, legal residence, and citizenship of any accompanying family members

Related Resources

• Graduate School Info for Visiting Researchers
• Scholars in J-1 Status Info

Affiliate Program Details

Benefits & Expectations

CCAS provides Affiliates with the following:

• Georgetown University e-mail address and NetID
• Access to the Georgetown University Library System
• Georgetown University Identification Card (GOCARD) (Note: Affiliates who are not in residence but would like to request an ID card must still do so in person at the campus GOCARD office)
• Public “Affiliate” title and scholar profile in the Georgetown Directory and CCAS website

Even though Affiliates are not required to reside in the Washington area, CCAS expects those participating in the program to contribute meaningfully to Center activities at least once per semester. This requirement can be fulfilled by giving a talk, serving as an academic discussant, writing an article for the CCAS newsmagazine, or serving on a graduate thesis committee.

Appointment Disclaimer: Affiliate appointments are temporary by definition. They do not carry any entitlement, either explicitly or by length of service, to tenure, tenure eligibility, or subsequent university appointment. Access and privileges extend only through the duration of the approved affiliation and may be suspended at any time by the University.

Affiliate Application Requirements

To apply, please submit the following materials to the CCAS Editorial Director Vicki Valosik at ve44@georgetown.edu

1. Affiliate Application Form
2. Complete Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Inquiries for both the Affiliate and Visiting Scholars program may be directed to CCAS Editorial Director Vicki Valosik at ve44@georgetown.edu.