Visiting Scholars Program
The Visiting Scholars Program of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute is designed to enable faculty and scholars from or with ties to East and Southeast Asia to enrich their academic careers by engaging in research and scholarship related to East and Southeast Asia at Columbia University. The Institute provides Visiting Scholars with access to Columbia University facilities and libraries. Scholars may audit courses throughout the university, conduct research, and participate in the activities of the Institute.
Visiting Scholars may affiliate with the Institute for six months to one year and must be sponsored by an Institute faculty member during their stay.
Working knowledge of spoken and written English is necessary. We require English language test results no older than two years and with the following scores:
Internet-based TOEFL (minimum score of 79)
Paper-based TOEFL (minimum score of 550)
IELTS (minimum score of 6.5)
PTE Academic (minimum score of 53)
Cambridge Assessment English (minimum score of 180)
Other acceptable evidence to prove English language proficiency:
Proof of citizenship, e.g. passport ID page, from a country where English is an official language
Official diploma from an academic institution where English is the language of instruction
Testing via English3 https://english3.com/
An Institute faculty member must sponsor your visit during the duration of your stay. Our faculty cross many interdisciplinary areas of study and make us a strong and vibrant institute. We encourage you to reach out to our faculty members, who are listed here:
https://weai.columbia.edu/content/faculty-scholars
That individual will act as your mentor during your stay and advise you on your research and other academic pursuits.
Visiting Scholars 2025-2026
Hiroki Tsukiyama
March 2026 – March 2027
Professor of Political Science and Faculty of Law at Keio University
Research Interest: Natural experiments in Japanese local elections
Faculty Sponsor: Nobuhisa Ishizuka
Contact Information: [email protected]
Yao Lin
September 2025 – August 2026
Assistant Professor, New York University, Shanghai
Research Interest: Authoritarianism and its resistance in China
Faculty Sponsor: Andy Nathan
Contact Information: [email protected]
Do-wook Kim
January 2025 – January 2027
Researcher at the Institute for World Buddhist Studies, Dongguk University
Research Interest: Buddhism and its application for healing addiction
Faculty Sponsor: Seong-Uk Kim
Contact Information: [email protected]
Zhen Yang
February 2025 – February 2026
Associate Professor at the Institute of Tibetan Studies, Minzu University of China
Research Interest: The social and cultural history of Tibet since the Qing Dynasty (1642-1959)
Faculty Sponsor: Gray Tuttle
Contact Information: [email protected]
Shuyun Li
September 2025 – June 2026
Lecturer at the Henan University of Science and Technology
Research Interest: China and human rights law
Faculty Sponsor: Andrew J. Nathan
Contact Information: [email protected]
Akinobu Matsumoto
August 2025 – July 2026
Assistant Professor at Waseda University
Research Interest: A Comparative Study of Radio Documentaries in East Asia During the US Military Occupation
Faculty Sponsor: Takuya Tsunoda
Contact Information: [email protected]
Jarmila Ptackova
September 2025 – December 2025
Research Fellow at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Research Interest: The Eastern Tibet (PRC)–Nepal border and the Walung community
Faculty Sponsor: Lauran Hartley
Contact Information: [email protected]
Xue Qiao
September 2025 – August 2026
Lecturer from Lanzhou University
Research Interest: Flying Apsara Visual Images and Aesthetic Cultural Reproduction on the Silk Road
Faculty Sponsor: Lauran Hartley
Contact Information: [email protected]
Aram Hur
October 2025 – October 2026
Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts University
Research Interest: Democratic Ceilings: The National Roots of Democratic Weakness
Faculty Sponsor: Ruth Barraclough
Contact Information: [email protected]
Shougang Liu
January 2026 – July 2026
Professor, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
Research Interest: Fiscal history and politics in China and the evolution of Western fiscal thought
Faculty Sponsor: Xiaobo Lu
Contact Information: [email protected]
Application
Sponsorship of an Institute faculty member
Current affiliation with an academic institution and a Ph.D. in respective area or field
Proficiency in written and spoken English
$500 visa processing fee
$100 administrative application fee (by check made payable to Columbia University; or by money order)
Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of stay
If you meet the above requirements, please submit the following items to be considered for the program:
Curriculum vitae
Research proposal. Your research proposal should adequately convey your research aims and goals and why the visiting scholar exchange at Columbia University is important.
English language proficiency score and certificate
Conferred Phd degree
Letter of recommendation
Passport copy as well as any for accompanying dependents
Headshot photo
In addition to the $500 visa processing fee and $100 application fee, you will need at least $3000 per month for yourself to cover living expenses. If your family intends to accompany you, an additional $1,000 per month for your spouse and $500 per month per child is required.
If you require a visa, the coordinator will work with you on that process. Please allow at least three months from the start date of the program to begin the visa process. Please note that B visas are not accepted.
To begin research on January 1st (Spring Semester) applications to be submitted by* September 1st of the preceding year.
To begin research on September 1st (Fall Semester) applications to be submitted by* May 1st of that year.
*The fall semester generally runs from September 1 to December 20, and the spring semester from January 15 to May 15.
It is strongly recommended that inquiry and application begin at least six months prior to your anticipated start date to allow for approvals and paperwork.