Visiting Appointments
Stanford offers three classifications for visitors from other academic institutions, providing an immersive experience at CDR, one of Stanford's premier innovation labs:
Visiting Faculty
Visiting Scholar
Visiting Student Researcher
All visitors must be invited by a Stanford Faculty Host who will define a joint research program with the visitor; all visitor appointments require School of Engineering Dean’s Office approval. Most visitors are allocated CDR work space and access to the Faculty Host’s lab.
Visitor positions at CDR are in great demand. Priority is given to Visiting Faculty and Visiting Scholars from key institutions. Longer visits are encouraged to promote full engagement and immersion in the work and the community: preferred minimum stay is six months (which is two academic quarters).
Stanford University and CDR require visitors to pay a fee based on the visitor category which covers their SUNet account and email, internet, library services, access to athletic facilities, access to CDR and CDR administrative services such as printing and copying. See full fee information in the visitor categories below.
Faculty members at other colleges or universities may be invited by a Stanford Faculty Host to visit Stanford to share their expertise in research or teaching, or to pursue some other collaborative effort which may benefit Stanford, using the designation Visiting Faculty or Visiting Scholar.
Visiting Faculty Defined
Visiting Faculty appointments typically involve a role within the normal scope of a faculty appointment, i.e., they may teach a course or graduate level seminar, and participate in graduate research (but not as a primary advisor).
Visiting Faculty members must be on approved leave from the academic institution where they hold an appointment; the time period of the Stanford appointment must lie within the dates of this approved leave. Likewise, it is expected that the Visiting Faculty member’s appointment at their home institution will not expire prior to the end of the Stanford appointment.
Visiting Faculty appointments are often made for a year (but can be shorter) and are renewable.
Visiting Faculty fees: $1,923/month to CDR
This fee is for Academic year 2025-2026 and is subject to change in future years.
Visiting Scholar Defined
Stanford faculty may invite scholars from an outside institution or organization, (including faculty members, non-faculty members, and retirees), who have a doctorate degree, or who are recognized experts in their field, to be appointed as a Visiting Scholar. These appointments are typically for research or scholarship only, and will normally not have any responsibilities for teaching Stanford classes or advising Stanford students.
Visiting Scholar appointments are usually for one year and may be renewed for a second year. Extension beyond two years will be granted only for extraordinary and compelling reasons. CDR requests a minimum visit of six months and prefers a one-year visit.
Visiting Scholars are not Stanford employees and will not receive compensation from the University; they must be funded from external or personal sources.
Visiting Scholar fees: $1,923/month to CDR.
This fee is for Academic year 2025-2026 and is subject to change in future years.
Visiting Scholar Special Arrangement
At the request of CDR faculty, qualified individuals concluding a Stanford affiliation at CDR (PhD graduates, departing Postdoctoral Scholars, etc.) may be appointed as a Visiting Scholar in order to complete their research work. In this case, no fees apply. The maximum amount of time that can have passed from the affiliation end-date is two months. Per the University's Visiting Scholar criteria, the individual must be affiliated with an outside institution or organization for the duration of their Visiting Scholar appointment.
Visiting Student Researcher Defined
VSRs are persons enrolled in a graduate study program who have not yet obtained a PhD (or its foreign equivalent) and wish to engage in research at Stanford. CDR recommends VSR appointments of 6-12 months in order to fully integrate with CDR research and culture. Stanford VSRs use the J-1 Visa.
VSR fees:
All fees are for Academic year 2025-2026 and are subject to change in future years.
- $1,377/month to the University. This fee is posted to the bill on or shortly after the 15th of the month (for the current month). This fee cannot be pro-rated.
- $700/month to CDR: generally billed as a lump sum, invoiced 30 days before the visit end date.
- $271/quarter to the University. The quarterly Campus Health Service Fee ("Health Fee") is mandatory for all VSRs. It covers many of the services provided at Vaden Health Center including primary care visits, CAPS evaluation and short-term therapy, and health and wellness programs. Many of Stanford’s peer institutions charge a similar fee. It allows the university to maintain valuable health services for students.
VSRs must maintain health insurance to cover the costs of specialty care, prescriptions, emergency care, inpatient care, and off-campus health services. This requirement can be met either by purchasing Cardinal Care (Stanford’s student health insurance plan) or an alternative insurance plan that has comparable benefits to Cardinal Care.
More information on VSR fees, responsibilities, restrictions, and privileges.