In the sections below are descriptions of the various appointments and the terms associated with them.
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Visiting Engineer, Visiting Scientist, and Visiting Scholar titles designate visitors working at MIT for a specified period from one week to one year.
Appointments to this rank are temporary by definition.
Appointees to these ranks must report their outside professional activities to their department heads annually, as described in Section 4.4 Conflict of Interest and Section 4.5 Outside Professional Activities.
Appointees to this rank are required to sign an Invention and Proprietary Information Agreement.
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The academic appointment of Research Affiliate recognizes the status of an individual with whom the Institute wishes to acknowledge some degree of association.
Appointments to this rank are not normally intended to be long-term or of indefinite duration.
Appointments to this rank are without salary. Research affiliates are not employees of the Institute and do not participate in staff benefits programs.
Appointees to this rank must report their outside professional activities to their department head annually.
Appointees to this rank are required to sign an Invention and Proprietary Information Agreement.
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Staff Affiliate: Because of the unique relationship that the Institute has with both the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the Broad Institute, there are individuals who are employed by HHMI or the Broad Institute and its partner institutions who work exclusively in MIT-assigned space. The appointment of staff affiliate is reserved for those individuals. Individuals appointed as staff affiliates are usually administrative or technical staff. Postdoctoral scholars supported by HHMI or the Broad Institute are appointed as fellows.
Staff Affiliates receive their salary from either HHMI, the Broad Institute or other non-MIT Broad Institute partner institutions. They are not employees of the Institute and are not eligible for MIT employee benefits.
Ownership of intellectual property is governed by collaboration agreements between the Institute and each organization.
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Visiting students are individuals who are enrolled in degree-granting programs at their home institution either in the US or abroad and are approved to conduct research on campus for a set duration. Visiting students are ineligible to enroll in or attend classes and, therefore, are distinct from cross-registered students.
Students who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution of higher education other than MIT and have been invited by an MIT department, laboratory, or center (DLC) to do research in their fields of study may apply for Visiting Student status. Visits must be approved by the dean of the school or college where the DLC is located.
Visiting student appointments are limited to 12 months. Faculty hosts must pay a processing fee using discretionary (non-sponsored) funds. In addition, Visiting Student Fees must be paid in the Visiting Student Portal in full, prior to the student’s arrival. Additional policy information can be found in Policies and Procedures §5.5 and the Visiting Students Process page (requires Touchstone) and at the MIT International Students Office website, which includes a detailed DLCI Guide to the Visiting Students Program.
The International Students Office handles all visiting student applications (including those of US citizens). Details on the process and appropriate forms can be found at the International Students Office website.
Appointees to this rank are required to sign an Invention and Proprietary Information Agreement.