International Visiting Scholarship

International Visiting Scholarship (IVS) Program

 The 2026 program application will open early in the new year. 

Every year, the AAO-HNSF offers a limited number of scholarships to junior academics from outside the United States in order to attend the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM and participate in an academic observership at a U.S. otolaryngology department or institution (arranged independently by the candidate). The IVS is open to all candidates who meet the eligibility requirements.

Program Eligibility

Unless otherwise stated, all International Visiting Scholarships are for international otolaryngologists in full-time junior faculty academic positions, under 40 years of age on October 1, (OR within the first eight years of professional practice after residency or fellowship training).

The following are NOT eligible for these grants:
• Citizens of the U.S. or of countries deemed ineligible by the terms of the award
• Foreign nationals who have previously attended an AAO–HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO
• Individuals who are in residency training
• Individuals who have previously received an IVS scholarship from AAO–HNSF

      Available IVS Opportunities:

  • Drs. Sonali and Rajesh Kakani International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with Indian citizenship who reside in India in full-time junior faculty academic positions
  • The American Association of Otolaryngologists of Indian Heritage International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with Indian citizenship who reside in India
  • Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility:  Otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons with Indian citizenship who reside in India.
  • Dr. Dinesh and Pravina Mehta International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with Indian citizenship who reside in India
  • Roy R. Casiano, MD International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with citizenship of a country located in Latin America with an interest in rhinology
  • Antonio De la Cruz, MD International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with citizenship of a country located in Latin America
  • IVS for Koreans
    Eligibility: Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons with Korean citizenship who reside in Korea. Sponsored by the Korean American Otolaryngology Society

     

  1. Nancy L. Snyderman, MD International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Meritorious international female otolaryngologist
  2. IVS for Women International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Meritorious international female otolaryngologist. Award preference will be given to applicants from low and lower middle-income countries (as designated by the World Bank). Made possible by the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Endowment.

  • Baxiram S. and Kankuben B. Gelot International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: International otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon (of a country other than the United States or Canada)
  • Eiji Yanagisawa, MD International Visiting Scholarship
    Eligibility: Meritorious international otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon (of a country other than the United States or Canada)

  • General International Visiting Scholarship / Low and Lower Middle Income Countries (designated by World Bank)
    Made possible through the generosity of AAO-HNSF donors, the AAO-HNS Foundation has a limited number of general IVS scholarships available.  
    Eligibility: International otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon (of a country other than the United States or Canada). Award preference may be given to applicants from low and lower middle income countries (as designated by the World Bank).

Each grant of USD $2,000 is not expected to fully cover the expenses of attending the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO and the observership. The grant includes a waiver for AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO registration fees and a one-year membership in the AAO-HNS. The grantee will bear all other costs.

Application Directions:

The 2026 application will open in mid-January 2026.

Application Steps:

  • Complete and submit the online application form with required document uploads, described below.

 

Required Application Documents:

  • Up-to-date curriculum vitae (three pages or less)
  • A personal statement of 500 words or fewer, describing i) your career interests and goals, ii) the reason you are interested in attending Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, and iii) the opportunity for an observership. Please be specific about your clinical interests and your goals for the observership, including the types of surgeries you wish to observe. Present your most compelling argument on why an IVS to attend this meeting and observership are essential to your otolaryngology-head and neck surgery training. How would this experience impact the community in which you work?
  • A letter from your department chair that certifies you are in good standing in your department, that the chair will allow study leave to attend the Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO plus an observership of at least two weeks, and describes your strong qualifications for the scholarship.
  • An invitation letter or email from the U.S. otolaryngology organization, department, and/or program where you will spend your observership. NOTE: Observerships must be arranged independently by the candidate.
  • Copy of your passport photo page.
  • If you plan to travel to the U.S. as part of grant funding, you will also need to provide proof of your current visa to enter the country or documentation showing visa appointment availability.
  • Color headshot photo (.jpg 300 DPI or higher resolution). NOTE: If you are selected for this program, this photo will be used on our website and in marketing materials.

Reporting: 

  • Within 60 days of using the grant funds, grant recipients will be required to submit a report to the AAO-HNSF highlighting their experience at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO and knowledge gained through the observership process. Awardee reports may be featured in an AAO-HNS publication, on the website, or in fundraising materials.

 

Questions? Please email [email protected]

 

IVS: Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in applying for an International Visiting Scholarship (IVS). Here are some questions and answers, but if you have more questions, please email [email protected] and we will be glad to help.

Complete the 2025 IVS application and upload required application documents to this Dropbox link.  ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ENGLISH TOGETHER AS A SINGLE PDF FILE. The deadline is April 14, 2025.

IVS applications can be forwarded to the awards review team without the formal observership letter (tentative observership letter or an email chain will be accepted in the review process). Once the review team selects the award recipients, the applicant will receive a formal letter of notification stating that he/she is receiving an award contingent to receiving the observership confirmation prior to the Annual Meeting.

The International Visiting Scholarships program is open to otolaryngologists from outside the United States, in full-time junior faculty academic positions, under 40 years of age on October 1, or within the first eight years of professional practice after residency or fellowship training.  Some IVS grants have specific criteria regarding nationality, specialty, etc.; please read the grant descriptions carefully.

The following are NOT eligible to apply to the IVS program:
• Citizens of the U.S. or of countries deemed ineligible by the terms of the award
• Foreign nationals who have previously attended an AAO–HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO Experience
• Individuals who are in residency training
• Individuals who have previously received an IVS scholarship from AAO–HNSF

 

No, if you are still studying in an otolaryngology program you are not eligible.

Your meeting registration fee is waived. You will also receive a one-year membership to the AAO-HNS and a monetary award of USD $2,000 which will be wire transferred to your banking institution after the Annual Meeting. All this is contingent upon being selected to receive an IVS award.

All costs related to travel, hotel accommodations, and the observership are covered by the awardee. The monetary award of $2,000 can be used at one’s discretion and is intended to defray costs of travel.

Yes, please select all that you believe you are eligible for.

No, you are not eligible for a second IVS grant.

The applicant is responsible for securing their own observership at a U.S. medical institution. The AAO-HNS is not affiliated with the medical institutions in the U.S. and a requirement for the IVS is that the applicant pre-arrange the observership. Many times, the IVS applicants get a great deal of information from the members of their professional societies, and that also includes ideas/suggestions for observerships in the U.S.

Click here for a list of U.S. institutions that have previously offered observership opportunitites.

The panel gives weighted scores to personal statement, letters of support, and curriculum vitae. The panel looks for your prior experiences, preparedness, ability to make an impact, and motivation/plans for observership.

You will receive confirmation that you application was received once you have completed the online form and document uploads. Please note that late applications or incomplete applications cannot be reviewed because the selection committee will be working to finalize the grantees quickly.  If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

The applications go to the panel for review immediately after the deadline, and the notifications are sent out in early June.

After notification, you will be given a wire transfer form to complete. The funds will be handled by our accounting department and disbursed to you after the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO Experience.

The IVS program has become highly competitive, so not every applicant is successful. You are welcome to apply again at a future date.

The IVS program would not be possible without the ongoing support from Foundation Donors.  If you would like to support this valuable program, visit https://www.entnet.org/get-involved/international-programs/international-visiting-scholarship/support-the-ivs-program/

If you have questions about the International Visiting Scholarship, please email [email protected].

To learn about recent IVS Award Winners, click here. 

International Observership Directory

The AAO-HNS is not affiliated with the medical institutions in the United States.  All IVS applicants are responsible for arranging their own observership. Click here to access a list of some U.S. otolaryngology organizations or departments that may offer international observerships. Institutions have different eligibility requirements, so please contact each institution directly for more information

U.S. otolaryngology institutions that wish to be included on the list or update their information, please contact [email protected].

Support the IVS Program
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