Visiting Graduate Students (Non-UC)
A Visiting Graduate Student (VGS) at UCSD is a pre-doctoral graduate student registered at an educational institution outside of the University of California system pursuing research related to their degree program. Prior to the visitor's arrival, the appointment must be approved by a faculty sponsor, the department chair or organized research unit (ORU) director, and the Dean of Graduate Studies (See Full Policy).
I. TITLES AND APPOINTMENT CRITERIA:
A. Non-Salaried Visiting Graduate Student
A non-salaried VGS receives financial support for their visit from their home institution (grant, fellowship/scholarship) or personal funds. See "Compensation" below for support level requirements.
B. Salaried Visiting Graduate Student (Academic Miscellaneous Title Code 3999)
A salaried VGS may receive partial or full support from their UCSD faculty sponsor via the Academic Miscellaneous Title (3999). Approval for this title must be requested in advance by submitting an Appointment Packet to the Office of Graduate Studies. See "Compensation" below for support level requirements.
C. Terms of Service
VGS should normally be appointed for periods of no less than three months and may be appointed up to one year at a time. Appointments may be extended up to an additional year with a break in service for a total of two years maximum with appropriate justification.
II. COMPENSATION:
All VGS engaged in research activities at UCSD, and appointed for six months or less, must have financial support that meets the J1 visa requirement of $1700 per month (effective 7/1/09).
All VGS appointed for more than six months must have financial support comparable to that available to UCSD graduate students enrolled in similar disciplinary programs for the duration of their appointment. The source of support may come from their home institution (fellowship/scholarship or grant), personal funds, and/or salary from UCSD. Please see the following chart for a list of financial support levels by degree major: VGS Compensation Levels.
Regardless of the source of support, under no circumstances will the appointment of a VGS be approved if the student will receive support less than the minimum requirement for J1 visa holders. In addition, the involvement of a VGS should not detract from financial support and/or resources that would otherwise be available to registered UCSD graduate students. whether domestic or international.
III. NEW - VISITING GRADUATE STUDENT PROCESSING FEE:Each Visiting Graduate Student (VGS) whose appointment begins on or after October 1, 2010 is required to pay a $100 processing fee. This is a one-time fee that covers a period of stay up to two years. (Two years is the maximum stay currently allowed for a VGS without an exception to policy.) If the period of stay extends beyond two years and/or there is a 30-day break in the appointment period and a new appointment packet is required, an additional $100 processing fee will be charged.
There are two options to pay the processing fee: 1) upon arrival at UCSD, the VGS may pay the fee directly at the UCSD Cashier's Office, or 2) the Sponsoring Department may pay the fee via UCSD recharge. In all cases, the Sponsoring Department must supply an index number when submitting the original VGS paperwork to the Office of Graduate Studies.
The processing fee is due on the 15th of the month following the appointment start date. For example, if the appointment begins October 1, 2010, the fee must be paid no later than November 15, 2010. If the VGS does not pay the fee by the deadline, the fee will be automatically recharged to the Sponsoring Department. For this reason, it is imperative that OGS is notified of any changes to the appointment period.
IV. APPLICATION PROCEDURE/APPOINTMENT PACKET:
All VGS must have a UCSD faculty sponsor who will host the visit. Prospective VGS should first contact the department chair or faculty with whom they would like to work and request an invitation. The host faculty and/or department are responsible for preparing and submitting the appointment packet three months prior to the visitor's arrival, in addition to preparing for the arrival (arranging for office space, if applicable). VGS may not enter the lab or university facility without an official approved appointment.
Please send the following "Appointment Packet" to Shelley Weisel, Office of Graduate Studies, Mail Code 0003:
1) *VGS Appointment Form (For Salaried or Non-Salaried Appointees)
2) *UC Patent Acknowledgement Form (Non-Salaried only)
3) Current Curriculum Vitae
4) Proof of Registration (i.e. copy of current transcript or letter from home institution) as a graduate student (PhD, Masters, or MD)
5) Proof of Health Insurance, or a copy of the completed UCSD International Center "Form C: Health Insurance Memorandum of Understanding"
*If at all possible, the VGS Appointment Form and Patent Acknowledgement Form with original signatures should be submitted. Copies may be submitted in lieu of the original to expedite the review process, with the condition that the originals will be submitted as soon as the visitor arrives. The original forms must be submitted no later than 30 days after the appointment begin date to prevent delay/denial of future appointments.
For International Visitors: once the VGS Appointment Form has been approved, the sponsoring department or ORU will submit the appropriate visa paperwork to theInternational Center.
Upon arrival, an approved visiting graduate student may obtain a UCSD Campus ID Card. Information on how to obtain a UCSD Campus ID Card is available on the Blink website.
V. APPOINTMENT EXTENSION:
The following documents are required when the VGS is requesting an appointment extension:
1) Updated VGS Appointment Form
2) Current proof of registration and/or transcript from the home institution
VI. HEALTH INSURANCE:It is required that all VGS have health insurance coverage that provides coverage 24 hours a day, including time spent at UCSD conducting research. To meet this requirement, the visitor may enroll in the Visiting Academic Benefit Plan (VABP) offered through Garnett-Powers and Associates VABP website.
The VGS appointment must be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies prior to enrollment in the VABP. Enrollment must occur within the Period of Initial Eligibility which is 31 days from the appointment begin date.
To enroll in the VABP, visit the VABP website or call toll free 1-888-441-3719.
Salaried VGS are eligible for Workers’ Compensation at UCSD if injured in the course and scope of their employment.
Workers Compensation coverage is not provided to a Non-salaried VGS.
In some cases a Salaried VGS employed on title code 3999 may be eligible for UCSD benefits based on their appointment percentage and duration. Please contact Office of Graduate Studies, to determine benefits eligibility.
