VAR Frequently Asked Questions

Advanced graduate students who are degree candidates at another university and who have made arrangements with a specific School of Medicine (YSM) faculty member at Yale to conduct research under his or her direct supervision may be admitted to the Program in Biomedicine as Visiting Assistants in Research (VARs).

Undergraduate students in combined or simultaneous BS/MS, BA/MA, or similar programs are not considered advanced graduate students. Student research to be conducted at Yale must relate to the visiting student’s thesis or dissertation. Students enrolled in programs that do not require a thesis are not eligible for admission as VARs.

Contact the YSM VAR team in the Program in Translational Biomedicine:

• If you are currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program and the faculty member who has agreed to be your adviser has a primary appointment in YSM and does not have an appointment in the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), you would apply for VAR status through YSM.
• If the program at your originating institution is in a school of medicine and the faculty member who has agreed to be your adviser has a primary appointment in YSM, you would apply for VAR status through YSM.

Contact the GSAS VAR office:

• If you are currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program and the faculty member who has agreed to be your adviser has an appointment in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

This program is a research opportunity. If you are seeking guidance for appointments of non-Yale medical students who will be engaged in clinical rotations, please contact Nickia Corley in the Office of Visiting Student Programs.

VAR applicants must provide a transcript from their current institution showing continuing enrollment during the period of study at Yale, along with all other graduate school transcripts. All transcripts must be in English or translated into English and must be uploaded to the online application prior to submission.

Mail sent to us via post or email cannot be accommodated and will be discarded.

As a VAR, you must be currently enrolled at a degree-granting institution at the graduate level. An official proof of enrollment letter on institutional letterhead must come from the office of a university registrar or from a similar institutional office charged with administering enrolled student records. You will be prompted to upload this required letter to your online application.

Initial enrollment may be for any length of time up to twelve months. After the initial enrollment period, students may apply to extend their enrollment for a cumulative total of up to two years. To apply for an extension, the student must contact Susan Sansone in the Program in Translational Biomedicine at least 30 days in advance. Once an extension has been approved by the program and YSM, the student will receive a new letter of admission.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to identify and contact a YSM faculty member who agrees to be your adviser during your proposed stay at Yale.

• Students seeking a compatible adviser are encouraged to review the research descriptions posted by most faculty members on their departmental websites.
• Faculty members are under no obligation to advise VAR applicants.
• Students will not be admitted without a faculty adviser.

Once you identify a YSM faculty member who agrees to serve as your adviser, you may enter that information in your application.

• If your YSM adviser offers to provide any funding during your stay, you should enter the designated amount as a Yale Source of funding. The amount of funding should also be explicitly outlined in the letter of support from your YSM adviser that is part of your application.

VAR students are required to show proof of sufficient financial resources to cover living expenses while at Yale. This may include:

• financial support from your home institution
• an external award agency
• personal and/or family funds

Applicants must provide documentation for each source of funds.

• For each fellowship, grant and stipend, students must provide an official award letter detailing the amount and duration of each award.
• For personal funds, students must provide an official bank statement.
• For family support, students must provide a signed and dated letter from the family member indicating the amount and duration of the promised support, along with a corresponding bank statement showing sufficient funds.

For international students, the J-1 visa requires that you have substantial funding from sources other than personal or family funds. International students are required to have non-personal (non-family) external funding support of at least 51% of total costs (monthly living expenses for the duration of the planned visit).

All documents uploaded showing support for resources or awards, including bank statements, must be in English.

Once your application and application fee are submitted, review of your VAR application may take anywhere between two to four weeks.

No. Visiting Assistants in Research are responsible for their own housing arrangements and living expenses. Information about housing options can be found at Yale Graduate Housing.

Please do not contact the Program in Translational Biomedicine or the YSM Dean's Office regarding housing or accommodations, as they will not be able to assist you.

No. Visiting Assistants in Research are not eligible to take or audit Yale classes.

Non-degree students who wish to take classes must apply as Visiting Students, not Visiting Assistants in Research.

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) will typically contact you by email within 6-10 business days after you formally accept an offer of admission. At that time, you will be asked to fill out a mandatory survey. Once you complete the survey, OISS will prepare your DS-2019 immigration document and mail it to you via courier. This document will include your SEVIS ID number, which is required to pay the SEVIS fee and book a visa appointment. All questions regarding the visa process can be directed to OISS.

If you are not able to come to campus in time for your intended start date, or your visit must be shortened, please first notify your Yale adviser and their departmental representative. If you are an international student, you should also inform the Office of International Students and Scholars. Finally, contact Susan.Sansone@yale.edu at the Program in Translational Biomedicine. You must complete this form to notify us of any change of dates so that a revised letter of admission and immigration paperwork may be issued.

Your YSM adviser is expected to provide funding for the tuition fee. There is no monthly Yale tuition fee paid by the VAR to participate in this program.

If you need a J-1 visa, your proposed Yale adviser may be asked to attest to your English language proficiency when they complete the letter of recommendation form on your behalf. No separate form or letter is necessary.

To apply for an extension, the student must contact susan.sansone@yale.edu in the Program in Translational Biomedicine and submit an extension application. Once an extension has been approved by the program and YSM, the student will receive a new letter of admission. Extension requests must be made at least 30 days in advance.

If you are an international student, you should first bring your passport and immigration documents to check in with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). Next, inform your Yale department and adviser that you have arrived. On your official start date, go to the Yale ID Center to obtain your ID Card.

If you are a domestic student or permanent resident, please first inform your Yale department and adviser that you have arrived. On your official start date, go to the Yale ID Center to obtain your ID Card.