oxford university visiting phd student

Visiting Doctoral Students

Wolfson College welcomes a handful of visiting doctoral students from around the world each year.  The purpose of this scheme is to enable doctoral students from other universities to work  with a Governing Body, Emeritus or Supernumerary Fellow on a specific piece of research in  Oxford. 

When Can I Apply To Be A Visiting Doctoral Student?

You are able to apply to come for periods of  3 months, up to a maximum of 9 consecutive months. 

The periods are:

• October - January (application must be received by 01 April)
• January - April (application must be received by 01 September)
• April - July (application must be received by 01 December)

Applications will be decided at the first meeting of the College's Fellowships & Members Committee (FMC) of the term prior to the desired start date. 

Dates outside these periods, including the summer vacation, may be considered on request.

Please note that v isits are not normally renewable immediately and an extension would require a full application and will be considered alongside other new applications.

How Much Does It Cost?

The college fee for Visiting Doctoral Students in 2022-23 is £1,201 per term OR £3,603 per 9-month academic year (October - June), to be pro-rated according to the length of visit. The fee for each visiting period is payable in full no later than 14 days prior to the start of the visiting period.

Please note that this rate will normally increase each year according to the percentage increase in standard student fees.

Visiting Doctoral Students are not eligible for any student funding from Wolfson College, including but not limited to: college bursaries, travel grants, language course grants, or hardship support. 

How Do I Apply?

All applications should be submitted via the online webform: 

Visiting Doctoral Student Scheme Application Form | Wolfson College, Oxford

You will need to upload the following documents to your application:

• Completed application form
• Curriculum vitae
• Supporting statement from Proposer (must be a Governing Body Fellow or Emeritus Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford)
• Evidence of current enrolment as a doctoral student at another university
• Evidence of current right to study in the UK, including appropriate visa (as applicable)*
• Evidence of sufficient funds to cover expenses whilst in Oxford**

*Wolfson cannot sponsor visiting students for UK student visas. If you are an international student who would ordinarily need a visa to study in the UK and you are not already enrolled at a UK university, please see the UKCISA website for guidance and contact your home university's international study office.

**This would normally be a letter from your bank which confirms that you have sufficient funds to cover your living and transport costs during your proposed visiting period. The letter should be on headed paper and should be written in English.

Applications should be submitted according to the following deadlines:

• 01 April (for a visiting period from October - January of the same year)
• 01 September (for a visiting period from January - April of the following year)
• 01 December (for a visiting period from April - July of the following year)

The data that you have supplied as part of your application will be managed in accordance with our Data Protection Policy, in line with the General Data Protection Regulation. For more information on the College data protection policy please see https://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/policies/data-protection-policy .

Will Accommodation Be Provided?

Should your application be approved, you may apply for accommodation in College.  Please note, that College accommodation is limited and so cannot be guaranteed. P riority for accommodation is given to full-time Wolfson students who are enrolled on a degree programme offered by the University of Oxford. More information on College accommodation can be found here:  Accommodation | Wolfson College, Oxford .

Oxford has a large selection of privately-rented houses and flats available for short-term and long-term lets. Oxford University Students Union (Oxford SU) provides  guidance on living out  and can help you if you have questions or concerns about accommodation. Oxford's Daily Info publication also offers guidance on accommodation in Oxford.

Can I Get Common Room Membership?

Visiting Doctoral Students will become members of Common Room. Members are permitted to purchase lunch and dine in College. They will be charged standard member rates for meals and information about meal prices and subsidies can be found here: https://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/food-drink . Common Room members can bring guests for meals; guests are charged full price for all food and drink purchased onsite.

Visiting Doctoral Students can also use the College facilities such as the library and gym. There is an additional cost to join the gym to cover the cost of the compulsory gym induction. Members can also chose to participate in sports and arts activities in College. All members are required to pay a termly Common Room subscription charge; this is in addition to the Visiting Doctoral Student fee.

Visiting Doctoral Students are not permitted to submit applications for partners or family to be considered for associate membership to the College. They are not eligible for membership of Common Room on the basis of their Visiting Doctoral Student status beyond their visiting student period. 

Do I Get Access To All University Facilities?

Visiting Doctoral Students are solely affiliated with the Common Room at Wolfson College (and any relevant Wolfson College research cluster) and are not permitted to make use of or granted access to any University facilities.  They are not enrolled at the University of Oxford and do not receive any formal qualification, certificate of attendance, or transcript following the end of their visiting student period at Wolfson. As Wolfson Visiting Doctoral Students are not members of the University of Oxford, they do not have access to University resources and facilities.

Access to the Bodleian Libraries must be applied for separately on the grounds of enrolment as a doctoral researcher at a non-Oxford institution.  Visiting Doctoral Students will be responsible for obtaining access to the Bodleian Libraries, which is free of charge for UK doctoral students; charges may apply for non-UK students. Online access is available within libraries to e-journals and most databases, but remote access from outside is not permitted. More information can be found at: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/join-the-libraries/students-at-other-universities

For more information on the scheme and how to apply, please see the information below. If you have any further questions, please contact our Admissions Officer at: [email protected]   

Home > Articles > The University & Its Traditions

Oxford University Visiting Scholars: What to Expect & How to Prepare

Oxford University regularly receives academics for visits that can last from a month to a year. Academic visitors are usually provided with a University card, access to library services, printing facilities, and often with a workspace and University email address. Learn more about becoming a visiting scholar and how to prepare for your visit to Oxford.

Who Can Visit and Research at Oxford University?

The University of Oxford receives academics that are employed at universities overseas. For those who want to visit for less than a month, researchers also have the option of visiting Oxford’s libraries and attending seminars. Graduate students can also study under the supervision of an Oxford academic using the Recognised Student status .

There are two types of visiting researchers to the University:

• Visiting Scholars (meaning people who are staff or research-active in other institutions)
• Doctoral Researchers (who are registered as doctoral students at any other institution).

How do you Apply to Become a Visiting Scholar at Oxford?

The first step towards visiting Oxford as a scholar is determine the sort of visitor you are. Undergraduates and master students should start by contacting the Study Abroad Office at their current institution for advice on how to apply. Doctoral students can contact the  department and professor they would like to visit directly. Once they have agreed on the visit, they can officially apply online here: Graduate Admissions . Most departments will ask you to send them a programme application form, a resume, a letter of support from the academic supporting your visit, and evidence of funding.

Faculty members should consult  Oxford’s divisions and departments are listed  here , arrange a visa , look for accommodation, and check how to open a bank account , arrange  healthcare  and  make connections with other researchers .

Can you Apply for Funding for your Visit to Oxford?

Most Oxford Departments and research centres will charge a small fee to cover the administrative and practical costs of visitors (such as assisting with your visa, providing you with desk space, etc).

You can apply for funding to help you plan your visit to the University. You can find information on potential funders is here:  External funding schemes .

The following organisations have funding schemes for academic visitors:

• British Academy Visiting Fellowships (for international visitors)
• Leverhulme Visiting Professorships

Why do Scholars Visit Oxford?

Oxford University has a thriving international community that includes academics, researchers and students. There are normally about 140 countries represented and engaged in research at Oxford. Its cosmopolitan environment offers a supportive and fascinating atmosphere for academics. 

Useful Links for Visiting Scholars

You might found these useful if you’re staff:

• The  Staff Gateway : This site provides information about working at the University of Oxford.
• The  People and Organisational Development Team (POD): It offers an excellent on-line induction course for staff.
• The  Centre for Teaching and Learning : It offers an Oxford Essentials course for new academic staff.
• The  Research Staff Hub  and the  Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS): They provide support and networking opportunities for those employed by the University for research purposes, in particular people on fixed-term contracts.

There’s also a club for new members’ partners:

• Newcomers’ Club : For partners of University members.

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Privacy Overview

Academic Visitors

The Faculty of Philosophy welcomes Academic Visitors. In principle, Academic Visitor status is available to holders of an established teaching or research post in the Philosophy department at another university who wish to spend a period of up to 12 months at Oxford for the purposes of undertaking private research.

With effect from 12th October 2021, prospective Visitors must:

(a)    hold an established teaching or research post in a Philosophy department at another university. This can include holders of distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships (on a par with British Academy, Royal Society, or Wellcome Trust Fellowships) but does not normally include those who hold a temporary university position or a university position while completing a doctorate;

(b)    have obtained the support of a member of the Philosophy Faculty Panel  at Oxford;

(c)    meet the Home Office criteria for the appropriate visa route for the visit (if applicable); and

(d)    pay an administration fee of £250 per term, should their application be approved. 

Information about the application procedure can be found below. Approved Academic Visitors are then entitled to attend lectures and seminars organised by the Philosophy Faculty, register with the Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library at Radcliffe Humanities and with the University’s Bodleian Library, and make contact with members of the Faculty as they wish. However, they are not entitled to accommodation, an office, secretarial facilities, or supervision by a member of the Faculty’s academic staff.

How to Apply

Prospective visitors must follow the application process outlined below. The Philosophy Faculty reserves the right to reject applications at its discretion.

In order to apply to become an Academic Visitor, you will need to complete an Academic Visitor Application Form (Word) and return it to the Administrative Assistant on  [email protected]  along with a Curriculum Vitae, a list of publications and a copy/scan of your current passport. Applications will be considered at three points during the year after the end of each term, and therefore must be received by us by the last day of term. Applications received after the relevant deadlines will be considered at the next available gathered field. Details of Oxford University term dates can be found  here . The gathered fields for the academic year 2023/24 are as follows:

Deadline 1: Saturday 2 December 2023

Deadline 2: Saturday 9 March 2024

Deadline 3: Saturday 15 June 2024

On arrival you will be invited to attend a brief induction to the Faculty with the Administrative Assistant.  You will be shown around the Facilities available to you in the Philosophy Faculty and provided with any paperwork that you might need.

Academic Visitors from overseas may need to obtain a visa to enter the UK. In the event that a visa is required, the faculty will provide you with an appropriate supporting letter for your visa application, but please be aware that we are unable to assist with any aspect (financial or administrative) of the application process. Applicants are required to ensure that they have obtained in advance of their visit any visa which is required in order to enable them to enter the UK under the appropriate status. A formal letter of invitation will be issued by the Faculty.

Current Academic Visitors

Application Forms

Academic Visitor Application Form (MS Word)

Useful Links

University Term Dates

If you have any further queries regarding Academic Visitor status in the Philosophy Faculty, please contact the Administrative Assistant .

Recognised, Visiting and other student forms for 2021/22 entry

Updated application forms, student guidance notes and correspondence templates are available for students joining the University in the 2021/22 academic year.

•    Recognised Students: forms are available on the  Graduate Admissions website  and correspondence templates are available via the download page of the GAF Handbook: Recognised and transferring students | University of Oxford .

•    Visiting Students: forms and guidance are available via the download page of the GAF Handbook: Visiting and Matriculated Non-Award Students | University of Oxford .

•    Matriculated Non-Award (MNA) Students and Matriculated Award Bearing (MAB) Undergraduate Students: there are now separate application forms for these categories to better meet the needs of applicants. Contractual information is available on the  Oxford Students website .

Wording for colleges/departments to include in any offer to Visiting/MNA or MAB students is available in the GAF Handbook Documents SharePoint site. For more information contact [email protected].

BACK TO ALL NEWS

• Academic Visitor Programme

The Faculty of Law welcomes applications from academics holding a full-time position in another institution who wish to participate in the Academic Visitor programme at Oxford. This programme is intended for visiting scholars with a clearly defined research agenda, who wish to spend a minimum of four months (maximum twelve months) in Oxford to make use of the Faculty’s research facilities.

Application

Applicants may arrive at any point during the year and visits will not be restricted to University term time.  An application may be submitted at any time, but should be made at least one full term before the proposed start of the visit.

The applicant will need to complete an application form which is available for download.  In addition to this application form we will also require an up-to-date curriculum vitae and a letter signed by the visitor’s Head of Department (or equivalent) confirming that the visitor is a full-time member of the academic staff of that institution and that the proposed visit has his/her support.

Application does not guarantee acceptance, and we can only offer places within the Faculty to visitors under the sponsorship of a Faculty member.

Approved applicants will be informed in writing of their visiting status, along with confirmation of the dates of the visit and information with regard to practical elements of being a visitor in Oxford.

The completed application form and accompanying documents must be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]

There will be a minimum charge of £700 for a four-month visit, and a further £175 per month or part month thereafter, up to a maximum of twelve months. The full payment must be made in advance of arrival in Oxford (details will be supplied upon acceptance to the programme).

For a more detailed description of the programme please download the Policy and Procedure document.

Those wishing to visit Oxford to undertake reseach for less than four months should apply directly to the Bodleian Library for a Reader's Card .

The Faculty has 5 research centres and institutes; each with its own academic visitor programme.  For more information on visiting one of these research centres/institutes, please refer to their websites:

• Bonavero Institute of Human Rights
• Centre for Criminology
• Centre for Socio-Legal Studies
• Institute of European and Comparative Law
• Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre  - Please make an application through the Faculty's Academic Visitor programme and indicate in your application that you are interested in applying for affiliation with the centre.
• Access and Outreach
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

On this page

Related information, related websites.

If you have any questions about the Academic Visitor programme please contact the Visiting Programmes Administrator Phone: +44 (0)1865 271457 E-mail: [email protected]

Visiting Professors / Visiting Lecturers

Please go to the page about our visiting academic programmes

Visiting Students

Policy information on visiting students.

Provision for Visiting Students is covered by a number of regulations and policy documents.

• Regulations for Visiting Students
• Code of practice for Visiting Students
• Policy statement on Visiting Students' access to lectures

Education Policy Support University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD

Tel: 01865 270091

Related links

• Examination Regulations
• Oxford Students website

Academic Visitors at the Faculty of History

For the purposes of the following page we use the term ‘academic visitor’ to refer very loosely to any externally-funded postdoctoral scholar who wishes to apply to work with an academic sponsor* at the Faculty of History.

*Only current postholders of the Faculty are eligible to act as sponsors to academic visitors. Please consult the faculty people pages to see a list of Faculty postholders.

If you wish to visit the Faculty as a student who does not currently hold a doctorate please refer to the University’s pages about recognised studentships . Applications from current doctoral students will only be accepted if the applicant expects to have finished their doctorate before the proposed date of their visit.

Faculty visitor applications fall broadly into two categories:

Category A: Applications to major funding bodies for substantial postdoctoral awards and fellowships (BA, Leverhulme, Newton).

Prospective applicants to major fellowships and postdoctoral awards should engage an academic sponsor before getting in touch with the Faculty’s research office via [email protected] .

Fellowships and larger grant-holders are substantively more engaged with the Faculty administration throughout both the process of application and the period of their grant award. Fellowships will typically be administered by the Faculty. They will also usually come with a college affiliation, which might be arranged by your sponsor, the Faculty administration, or through the applicant applying directly to the college (such as for a non-stipendiary Junior Research Fellowship).

This category of visitor does not need to complete an Academic Visitor’s Application Form alongside their external application.

Category B: Anything else: sabbatical; smaller funding body awards (SNSF, Wiener-Anspach, Rubicon); internal University research grants; self-funded, etc.

You will need to fill in this visitor application form.

Details of our fees for visitors of this type are available in the Academic Visitor’s application form.

You will need to include:

• A sponsor who is a current postholder(*see above) of the History Faculty.
• Statement/proposal of intended activities, including rationale for association with the Faculty
• An up-to-date CV

Completed applications will go to the Chair of the Faculty Board and/or the Head of Administration of Finance for consideration.

Once approved, visitors are welcome to request letters of support for their funding body.

You should expect to receive a response within three weeks.

• OII >  

Summer Doctoral Programme

The annual Summer Doctoral Programme (SDP) brings together outstanding doctoral students from around the world for a fortnight of study at the world-leading University of Oxford.

The programme is structured around daily lectures, seminars and tutorials with leading academics in the field of Internet Studies, and provides an academic framework in which to share and discuss students’ current research.

Since 2003, hundreds of doctoral students have been brought together for two weeks of intensive teaching and learning. The international networks established endure over the years and deliver concrete examples of collaboration .

Key Information

Details in brief.

Unfortunately we will not be running the Summer Doctoral Programme in 2024.

Details for future years will be announced in due course on this page.

Each year in July, the OII Summer Doctoral Programme (SDP) brings together up to 30 advanced doctoral students engaged in dissertation research relating to the Internet and other digital technologies. By sharing their work, debating topics of mutual interest and learning from leading academics in the field, we hope that participants can enhance the quality and significance of their thesis research. Our multi-disciplinary approach means that students are exposed to new ways of thinking about their topics, whilst the strong focus on diverse methodologies encourages renewed focus on effective research design. The programme’s emphasis on generating positive interactions and providing safe spaces to talk through research problems also serves to create a tightly-knit peer network of excellent junior researchers, many of whom go on to collaborate academically, or just to support each other as friends.

The course was established in 2003 as the OII’s first foray into teaching, and was intended to help us think about where we could add value in developing our own graduate degree programmes, as well as providing an early opportunity for our faculty to teach. It remains one of the highlights of the OII academic year and we are proud to have worked with the hundreds of wonderful alumni who have passed through the programme, many now in tenure-track positions as field-leading academics.

The Summer Doctoral Programme will build upon the research strengths of the OII, involving many of our faculty from across multiple disciplines as well as bringing in excellent guest speakers from other institutions. It will emphasise methodological innovation and good practice in research design and will expose students to the benefits of discussing their research in a multi-disciplinary teaching environment. There will also be an opportunity to connect with several alumni from previous years, ensuring that the benefits of the OII SDP network are passed on to this year’s cohort.

How to Apply

Up to 30 places are available and will be awarded on a competitive basis. Only students at an advanced stage of their doctorate who have embarked on writing their thesis will be eligible to apply. All teaching will be in English, so all applicants should be able to demonstrate their competence in this language.

All applications must also be supported by at least one academic reference. This should usually be provided by a dissertation supervisor, but we can also accept references from other faculty with close knowledge of your work. Similarly, students should be able to clearly explain how their doctoral studies will benefit from the programme.

Fees and Funding

The cost of the course is £1,950, and includes accommodation and breakfast at Christ Church College Oxford, in July, and all course tuition fees. There are also some places available on the course without accommodation included. Travel to and from Oxford is not included in this fee. Lunch will be provided on week days, and several dinners and social events are also included.

The OII offers two partial SDP scholarships. All applicants will be considered automatically and need not submit any additional information.

Who should apply

The three main criteria for acceptance onto the SDP are academic excellence, overlap with the OII’s areas of interest, and a likelihood that the student will benefit from undertaking the programme. Bear this in mind when you put together your application to ensure that you provide clear evidence on each count.

• We really need to know about your thesis research,  as one of the primary aims of the programme is to help improve students’ dissertations. So make sure that your thesis abstract is clear and compelling. Remember that although the research is very familiar to you, we will never have heard about it before, so make sure you spell out the broad topic, research questions and likely contribution as simply as possible. Practice this ‘elevator pitch’ on your peers to see if they can understand what your research is really about.
• CVs are a great way to show off your strengths, so if you have given presentations, won prizes or undertaken relevant research or teaching experience, make sure you highlight this.
• Have a clear understanding of what you want to get out of the SDP, and make sure your reference is aware of this as well.  It’s helpful to know if you have a particular problem with your survey structure or your theory chapter, so that we can see where we can add some value. Obviously, the networking is an excellent reason to attend, but the best experiences are had by students who know what they need to work on whilst they’re with us.

In the words of a past SDP student: “Be honest about your research. Think about the strengths of your PhD: what’s the gap in the literature that you want to fill and how are you going to achieve this? Remember that your readers might not be familiar with your theoretical background so be clear and concise in addressing the literature. Don’t forget to justify your methods and what you expect to find. If some things are still unclear about your research, that’s normal. Don’t be shy in articulating your expectations from SDP. You won’t find all the answers there but lots of useful hints and advice that will help you keep going.”

SDP students come from a wide variety of disciplinary and methodological traditions; what they all share is a genuine intellectual curiosity and a willingness to consider these different perspectives.

Can’t find an answer to a question? Then ask us a question and we will get back to you. Please also see  SDP Alumni blogs for information about the programme from past participants.

The OII’s research covers a vast range of topics and disciplines: law, economics, politics, digital humanities, etc etc. How do I know if I will fit into the mix?

The most fundamental requirement is that our SDP students must be writing a thesis or dissertation about some aspect of life with the Internet. Beyond that, it’s the place to be if you have an open-minded approach to how best to study the Internet. Our typical cohort includes students from a wide variety of disciplinary and methodological traditions, and what they all share is a genuine intellectual curiosity and a willingness to consider these different perspectives.

How much am I expected to know (or care) about other disciplines? What is the benefit of (for example) a law student, or economist engaging with people and ideas from outside their own discipline?

The simple answer is that you’re not expected to know about other disciplines, but you are expected to be interested in their possible contribution to your research field. One of the perks of running SDP is seeing all the water-cooler conversations striking up outside the formal seminars. So, for example, we’ve previously taken students focused on online privacy, some studying it from a sociological perspective, others from a regulatory one. Each may have knowledge of a common core of literature, but can still learn from the other’s expertise. Or in another case, students may not share a common disciplinary or even topic approach but could have similar interests in applying a particular method. In each case, there has to be a basic willingness to step back from your own work and see how others might understand it.

Do you accept candidates who study the Internet from outside the social sciences (eg the sciences and humanities)?

Yes, we certainly do, but with the proviso that most of our teaching will draw on social science theories and methods.

Do I have to study ‘the Internet’, or could my thesis research involve other ICTs?

We interpret the Internet in a very broad way, as a ‘network of networks’ that incorporates the use of many ICTs. We do have faculty who have focused specifically on the use of particular technologies e.g. mobile phones, or grid computing, but in each case, the interest stems from the fact that they are ‘wired’.

Should I have a clear idea / plan of what I want to get out of the programme?

Yes, this is really vital. First of all, the programme is going to cost you or your sponsor quite a bit of money and you have to be sure it’s worthwhile. But more importantly it will help to frame your application and your participation. For example, everyone who attends will benefit from the peer network established, but only those who have a genuine motivation to learn and a sense of their work’s weaknesses will be able to use the two weeks to really make progress on their thesis.

When is the ideal point in my doctoral studies to apply to the programme?

Applicants should be at an advanced stage of their doctorate and have started writing their thesis.

I haven’t decided on a thesis title yet: is that a problem?

We will give priority to those who are more advanced in their doctoral study. If you don’t have a final title yet, at least give us a provisional one.

If my application is not accepted, can I still apply for subsequent year(s)?

Absolutely! We always have more good applicants than we can accept, and sometimes an application is stronger when the applicant’s work becomes more advanced.

SDP Alumni Gallery

Catching up with summer doctoral programme (sdp) alumni.

2 February 2012

Catching up with the SDP alumni

17 February 2014

Ceci n’est pas un “legacy project”

15 January 2010

SDP2009 (Brisbane) Student Documentary Rated ‘Devastatingly Abstract’

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Student Visitor Scheme - rolling applications

Supported by

The student visitor scheme exists to facilitate links and collaboration with other universities, both in the UK and overseas, and to allow doctoral students the opportunity to work with DPIR's leading academics and professionals.

Academic Mentor

Each Student Visitor will have an Academic Mentor who will play a key role in introducing the Student Visitor to relevant opportunities within DPIR and Oxford. Although the Mentor will not provide formal supervision, they will meet twice termly with the Student Visitor, and provide advice on relevant events and other research activities, as well as introduce the visitor to relevant members of staff.

The Academic Mentor will supply a formal letter of support as part of your application, once you have discussed the objectives of your visit with them.

It is recommended that the prospective applicant consider who in the department might be able to offer you such support and contact them for advice before applying to the Student Visitor Programme. The Academic Mentor is usually a full member of the Department. 

Browse a list of DPIR academic staff.

During your visit

Student Visitors may join the department for a minimum of one term and a maximum of three terms.

We ask all visitors to supply a short biography and outline of their current research for the DPIR website. 

Browse our current student visitor profiles.

In order to improve the DPIR visitor experience, we will ask you to complete a feedback form at the end of your visit.

Visitor Charges

Student Visitors will normally apply for research funding schemes through their home institution in order to fund the cost of their visit. There are two options:

Shared desk - £1,500 per term/£4,500 per year

• University card, University email account, access to library services, IT support

Dedicated Workstation – £2,000 per term/£6,000 per year

• University card, University email account, access to library services, printing facilities and a workspace (when available), IT support

Please note that if your visit is over 6 months and you need to apply via the Recognised Student route, the fees will be greater than stated here. It is recommended that you consult  the University's fees web pages  for further information.

How to Apply

Please note that spaces are limited to 10 visiting students per annum pro rata, so please check with our team that there is space before applying by emailing: [email protected] .

Your application to the DPIR visitor programme must include:

• A completed student visitor programme application form (see below) 
• A current CV
• A Letter of Support from a full member of the department of Politics and International Relations wiling to act as your Academic Mentor (usually a full member of the Department)
• A letter from your home institution, confirming approval of your proposed visit

Completed applications should be emailed to  [email protected] .

Applications will be considered by the department's Director's of Graduate Studies (in Politics and International Relations), and relevant DPIR research centre or programme director (if applicable), and will be assessed on suitability of qualifications and experience, proposed contribution to the department's activities, and strength of letter of support from the Academic Mentor. Once we have processed your application, we will write to you confirming the outcome, and if successful, confirm the details of your visit.

Applicants must email [email protected]  well in advance of the proposed visit start date (at least three months) in order to discuss visa arrangements. The visa arrangements will depend on the length of your stay:

• Up to six months: In order to visit the UK you will need a letter of support from DPIR, confirming your visit. Please submit your application to the department; if this is successful we will supply the letter of support to facilitate your entry to the UK as a visitor under the  Visitor Visa . 
• More than six months: Please submit your application to the department. If accepted by the Department, you will then need to submit an application to the  University Recognised Student Scheme  in order to then apply for a  Student visa . We will supply the necessary letter of support from DPIR, confirming your visit, to facilitate this process. Please note that without the Student Visa you will not be able to enter the UK. You should allow an extra three months in the overall application process for this step. It is recommended that you consult the  University website  and the  UK Government website  before applying, as applying for a Student visa requires additional documentation, in particular evidence of English language proficiency from a recognised provider.

ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme)

An additional requirement that has been introduced is to check whether the student visitor has to apply to the ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) for an ATAS certificate. This applies to those international students who intend to study at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects, where an individual’s knowledge could be used to develop military technology, weapons of mass destruction or the means of delivering weapons. An application is made to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for an ATAS certificate. Nationals from the EU, EEA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea and the USA will be exempt. Further information can be found at:  ATAS Expansion from 21 May 2021 | Staff Immigration (ox.ac.uk) .

Please note, this only applies to those subjects that would be considered ‘sensitive’. As such, this would not apply in the case of most Social Science subjects.

COVID-19 Requirements

Go to the  UK Government website for more information about tests before you travel .  For more information about the University and Coronavirus, please go to Coronavirus and Oxford University .  

College Association

Colleges provide a hub for social events, interdisciplinary interaction and  can provide additional support during your visit . Several Oxford colleges have particular strengths in Politics and International Relations. If you wish to apply for association with a college for the duration of your visit, you will need to contact the relevant college directly as being accepted as a student visitor to the Department does not automatically come with College affiliation  Please find a list of colleges here . Please note that there is a separate fee for college association: you will find details on individual college websites.

Terms and Conditions

Visitors who are accepted onto the Department's Visitor Programme will be required to adhere to  the University's Statutes and Regulations as described here  during their visit and to sign the department's  Visitor Agreement which can be downloaded here.

Application Form

Dpir visitor agreement.

QS WORLD RANKINGS FOR POLITICS & INT’L STUDIES: 2

BEST UK UNIVERSITIES FOR POLITICS – THE GUARDIAN: 1

COMPLETE UNI GUIDE (UK): 1

What fees do I have to pay as a Visiting Student?

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Visiting PhD students

Any international PhD student who is not registered at Université Paris Cité but is admitted to one of our 118 laboratories to carry out a research stay on the basis of own funding is considered as a “visiting Phd student” (institution/grant by origin country, grant by an outside organization, etc.).

The International Relations and Strategy office accompanies « visiting PhD students » in preparing their stay at Université Paris Cité. It provides administrative and logistical support in the administrative process, particularly consular and prefectural procedures for non-European nationals, and in their search for housing.

Pratical Information

For visiting phd students, international phd, welcomed as a «visiting phd» at université paris cité.

The « visiting PhD » is requested to follow the procedure online and send via email the below mentionned documents to the International Relations and Strategy office, [email protected] with a minimum of 2 months before the date of arrival (the sooner, the better) :

• the pdf file from the “MoveOn” application form for visiting PhD, print it and sign it
• a copy of your passport
• proof of health insurance (European card)
• proof of repatriation insurance
• proof of civil liability insurance
• the invitation letter from the director of your host laboratory at Université Paris Cité (stating the dates of the mobility and the title of the research project)
• a financial support letter certifying that the researcher has the required financial resources to support his/her stay in France (the letter can mention the amount of a grant or the home university income)
• the scientific agreement completed and signed by the visiting researcher, his/her home institution, the research coordinator and the Director of the host structure.
• PhD students should also attach a “certificate” of non registration at Université Paris Cité

Upon receipt of these documents, the International relations Office of the university will be able to edit your «host agreement”, the required document to apply for a scientific visa at the French embassy.

Useful Documents to download

• sworn statement
• hosting scientific convention
• invitation letter
• Campus France, “How to Guide for PhDs”

Online Procedure

To teach or carry out a research stay at Université Paris Cité :

• activate an account online (password at least 8 characters required including number, letter, special character – activation is effective upon receipt of  email confirmation)
• scan your identity card or your Passport (format pdf) and photo identity (format jpeg)
• download the form (format pdf) and send it to the Strategy and International Relations office

To conduct a research stay on other sites and campuses: contact the International Relations and Strategy office.

Registration Deadline

2 months before arrival

International Relations and Strategy Office

Campus des grands moulins bâtiment des grands moulins – aile a – 2e étage 5 rue thomas mann paris 13e [email protected], site odéon 12 rue de l’école de médecine paris 6e [email protected].

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