Practical guides for your research stay
The handbook visiting researchers wish they had — clear, practical guidance for the parts of a research move nobody hands you a manual for.
Your first weeks: transit, banking, phone, and settling in. See the Arrival & setup landing page →
Moving to the DC area for a research stay
A practical first-week checklist for arriving researchers: where to land, how to get around, and what to set up first.
For: Anyone arriving for a 1-month to 1-year research stayRead guide →Arrival & setupGetting around without a car near NIH/NIST
Transit, biking, and car-share options so you can skip buying a car.
For: Car-free visitors in the Maryland science corridorRead guide →Arrival & setupOpening a bank account and phone plan basics
The two setup tasks that unlock everything else — what to bring and what to expect.
For: Newly arrived international researchersRead guide →Arrival & setupDC-area guide for visiting scholars
A one-page orientation for visiting scholars in DC: housing, getting around, what to set up first, and how to find community.
For: Visiting scholars, fellows, and academic researchers in DCRead guide →Arrival & setupBaltimore / UMB visiting scientist guide
Orientation for visiting scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and nearby campuses: housing, commute, setup, and community.
For: Visiting scientists, fellows, and trainees in BaltimoreRead guide →Arrival & setupWhat to do during your first week in the DC area as a visiting researcher
A day-by-day first-week checklist for arriving researchers: badge, bank, phone, transit, housing, and finding people.
For: Researchers in their first days in the DC/Maryland areaRead guide →Arrival & setupDC-area research hubs: a guide for visiting researchers
A practical directory of the DC/Maryland research hubs visiting scholars, fellows, postdocs, and interns live around — federal campuses, universities, and corridors — with where to look for housing near each.
For: Visiting researchers, scholars, fellows, postdocs, and interns choosing where to liveRead guide →Have a room? Post researcher-friendly housing
GuestResearcher is where visiting scholars, postdocs, fellows, interns, and grad students look for a place near the DC-area research campuses. If you have a room, sublet, or short-term rental, you can list it for free and reach people arriving on a clear timeline — often with a host-institution appointment behind them.
What makes a listing work for this audience:
- Furnished — most visitors arrive without furniture and can’t resell it on the way out.
- Short- or flexible-term — appointments often run 3–12 months, not a standard year.
- Metro- or transit-accessible — many researchers live car-free, so the commute matters.
- Clear and honest — real photos, the full monthly cost, and exact dates get the most genuine interest.
Contact details stay private by default. We can’t promise a renter — but a clear, well-priced listing reaches the right people.
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