Visiting Scholar Program

The University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law has a world-renowned program for the study of intellectual property law. Part of the school’s reputation for excellence in intellectual property stems from our community of visiting scholars from around the world who participate in the Visiting Scholar Program. This Program has served countless scholars for over fifty years.

The Visiting Scholar Program attracts scholars who wish to participate in the law school’s community, research, and curricular activities. They work with our faculty and Intellectual Property Librarian to pursue their scholarly agendas. They gain access to our IP Library, the largest collection of IP materials in the United States. The scholars may attend classes and may be asked to present on their research and writing projects. Visiting scholars are expected to engage in scholarly writing projects while affiliated with UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.

We welcome and encourage proposals from:

Academics
Visiting professors
Fulbright Scholars
Policymakers
Government officials
Legal professionals with substantial backgrounds in their given fields
Fulbright Scholars
Other persons with both relevant academic expertise and the capacity and desire to engage in research

Requirements are outlined below. The Program invites scholars on a rolling basis. To begin your request, email your resume and detailed research proposal to Professor Jon Cavicchi, J.D., LL.M., Faculty Coordinator of the Program.

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Selection Process

You can directly contact a member of our faculty they wish to work with. We encourage you to review our faculty bios and indicate who they would like work with as their faculty mentor. You must send a current CV and research proposal.

You can also directly contact Professor Jon Cavicchi, J.D., LL.M., Faculty Coordinator of the Program. You must send a current CV and research proposal.

Please include in your proposal the subject, goal, and purpose of your research, as well as any intended publication resulting from your visiting scholarship at UNH Franklin Pierce. We also need to know what resources you desire to meet your goal. Please describe primary, secondary, interdisciplinary, or statistical information resources you anticipate needing while at UNH Franklin Pierce. In addition, please inform us of the duration of your visit with a proposed start and ending date. This allows us to analyze the commitment of our resources required to help you meet your goals.

The Faculty Coordinator will review your CV and proposal to assess compatibility and capacity for a successful visit. You will then be contacted by your Faculty Mentor who will assess subject matter fit and English language proficiency. Once the Coordinator has confirmed UNH has the resources and Faculty Mentor to support your proposal, UNH will send you a letter of invitation within thirty days.

Once you return your signed letter, you will need to contact the UNH Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) to process paperwork related to your visa.

Application Deadlines

UNH Franklin Pierce has rolling admissions, so applying early is very important. Late applicants are evaluated if time and space permit.

Tuition

The Visiting Program fee is $2,500 per semester.

Financial Aid

The law school does not assist scholars with program fees or living expenses. The school does not have the ability to assist scholars with the task of securing outside funding.

J-1 Visas

The majority of scholars will need to obtain a J-1 Visa to matriculate as a scholar at UNH Franklin Pierce. Approved candidates will receive an application along with other supporting documents. The process may take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Questions should be emailed to oiss@unh.edu or call (603) 862-1288.

Housing

There are a variety of housing options in the Concord area.

Living Expenses

Living expense costs are established each year, and currently valued at approximately $21,000-$24,000/year.

Health Insurance

J-1 Exchange Visitors (as well as their accompanying spouses and dependents) are required to purchase health insurance that covers them for the duration of their exchange visitor program.

Visiting Scholar Benefits

Faculty

Each scholar works with a Faculty Mentor who has expertise in the area of the scholar’s research.

Lectures, Special Activities & Workshops

Scholars are encouraged to attend regularly scheduled IP related events sponsored by the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property as well as the numerous IP related student organizations. These meetings facilitate social networking and community building.

Intellectual Property Library

Scholars have access to the only academic IP Library in the Western Hemisphere. They can use and checkout books, including our large international and comparative law collection, and can access databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis as well as a host of specialized IP databases. The IP Librarian and Reference librarians help Visiting Scholars utilize these print and online resources.

UNH University’s Dimond Library

Scholars may checkout materials from other UNH libraries, including the Dimond Library, a major interdisciplinary university library.

Scholars are encouraged to attend parties and other social/cultural events with students, visiting scholars and their family members. These social events include Chinese New Year and Diwali, both featuring food, presentations, music, dance and colorful decorations. Scholars are also encouraged to attend dinners and parties at faculty member homes, embracing both the international graduate program cohorts as well as the scholars. Occasional social events have included cruising around beautiful Lake Winnipesauke and apple picking in the many orchards around the school in Concord and Southern New Hampshire.