URA Visiting Scholars Program (VSP)

About this program

The Universities Research Association (URA) Visiting Scholars Program funds faculty, research scientists, postdocs, and graduate students from URA-member universities to conduct short visits or extended research stays at Fermilab, covering travel and local lodging for short visits or salary support plus round‑trip travel for extended stays. Awards are paid from URA member‑university contributions, judged on scientific merit and cost‑effectiveness, have a maximum of $50,000 per 12‑month period (and lifetime limit of $50,000), are awarded twice yearly with online submission (last Monday in February and August; Fall 2026 deadline Aug 31, 2026 by 6:00 pm EDT). Applicants must be employed by or enrolled at a URA member institution during the award, submit their own proposal and secure a Fermilab sponsor, and their home institution must agree to waive indirect costs; required application materials include a project description (up to 8 pages), budget spreadsheet, biosketch, and mandatory letters of support (Fermilab sponsor and faculty advisor for students/postdocs).