Application and Admission Process for International Special Student Program (ISSP) and International Visiting Research Program (IVRP)

The Office of International Affairs (IA) is the intended first point of contact for people from around the world who seek to study or do research at Gallaudet on a non-degree basis. People who seek to become special students are handled through the International Special Student Program (ISSP), while researchers, specialists, and other short-term scholars fall under the International Visiting Research Program (IVRP). A program that provides special support to selected international visitors to the Gallaudet campus is described in another document.

Operating Principles

Given the University's Strategic Goal A to grow enrollment, and Goal E to make Gallaudet the epicenter of research and outreach for deaf and hard of hearing people worldwide, the University should be closely engaged with qualified individuals living in other nations who are interested in Gallaudet. That is, Gallaudet should seek to ensure an approach that is responsive and sensitive to the interests of those from other nations who seek to study here, and in being resourceful in creating plans of study that benefit them and our campus.

Major operational changes in the handling of the ISSP and IVRP programs include:

  • Designating a single "point of contact" for responsive communications with the applicants and ensuring that needed information is collected prior to consideration of the application.
  • Relying on a collaborative TEAM to plan the individual's plan of study at Gallaudet. This team may be called the Intercultural Exchange Planning Team so as to emphasize the TWO-WAY nature of learning between visiting scholars and people at Gallaudet. The plan of study will be recorded in a "learning agreement." The team has a permanent membership: Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures (Lawrence Musa), International Liaison Specialist (Danilo Torres) and Senior Research Associate/International Academic Coordinator (Senda Benaissa). As needed, the team will include and/or engage involvement from faculty and campus experts (e.g., academic advisors). This is an ad hoc membership and these people may meet face-to-face, virtually, or by asking for their input on academic planning for the ISSP student.
  • Collaborating with Enrollment Management to ensure that applicants are considered for degree study, and that a path to degree study is shown to the applicant if desired. For example, Admissions will be asked to screen applications for degree eligibility.

Steps for handling ISSP and IVRP applications

**Please note that ISSP and IVRP applications are valid for up to one year from date of submission.

  1. Interested person finds options to study and research at Gallaudet, as well as forms, here.
  2. Submission of ISSP or IVRP application packet to intlsuport@gallaudet.edu.
  3. If submitted for admission, the Admissions Office screens the applicant for degree eligibility and refers the application to intlsupport@gallaudet.edu for admission under the ISSP with a note of the applicant's degree eligibility.
  4. The International Liaison Specialist reviews the application packet for completeness.
    1. Oversees queries about the ISSP or IVRP.
    2. Refers the application to Admissions for degree eligibility.
    3. If the ISSP/IVRP application is screened by Admissions prior to submission to intlsupport@gallaudet.edu, the International Liaison Specialist refers it to the Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures to verify eligibility for admission under the ISSP/IVRP.
    4. Admissions screens the application for degree eligibility.
    5. Refers the application to intlsupport@gallaudet.edu for eligibility under ISSP with a note of the applicant's degree eligibility.
  5. Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures screens the application for admission eligibility under the ISSP or IVRP.
    1. Verification of finance statement for admission under ISSP if the Admissions Office confirms degree eligibility at Gallaudet.
    2. Screen for admission eligibility under the ISSP if the applicant is not eligible for undergraduate or graduate admission.
  6. The International Liaison Specialist coordinates and engages ad hoc members' involvement in Intercultural Exchange.
    1. AS NEEDED - The International Liaison Specialist consults with Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures and Senior Research Associate/International Academic Coordinator to determine who is needed from campus to help with the planning for the ISSP applicant. That is, ad hoc members of the intercultural exchange planning team.
    2. Determine what Gallaudet can offer to the individual:
      1. Language - Screening for skills, Requiring courses or prior learning
      2. ASL, English
    3. Courses - Confer with faculty
    4. Mentoring
    5. Other viable activities while on campus
  7. Determine what the visiting student or researcher may offer to campus
    1. Give a talk, exhibit
    2. Mentor a student or faculty member who plans to go to that nation
  8. Implement plan as determined by the team
    1. Divide responsibilities among team member
  9. Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures submits the admitted IVSP student's information to admissions and prepares documents for visa processing.
  10. Admissions enters the ISSP applicant's information into PeopleSoft and reviews application for degree eligibility at Gallaudet.
    1. Submits Gallaudet ID to Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures.
  11. Coordinator of Immigration Compliance and International Procedures submits admissions packet and visa forms to the admitted ISSP student and refers him/her to the following units: Student Health Service, Academic Advising, Residence Life, and Student Financial Services.
    1. Oversees queries about visa processing.
    2. Immigration Compliance Officer/International Student Advisor (Mona McCubbin) is the secondary contact for visa processing.