Visitorships

Visiting academics

Applications for Faculty visitorships are considered by the Faculty Board through the Planning and Resources Committee. 

Eligibility

Academics from other institutions are eligible to apply for Faculty visitorships. Graduate students wishing to visit the University should apply as Recognised Students.

Visitors coming to the University from outside the UK/Ireland are required to enter the UK under an immigration category appropriate for their intended activity. For more information please see here  and do discuss early in the planning stage with your Faculty sponsor. 

How to apply

Visitors should provide a CV along with a statement indicating:

- the proposed dates of the visit;
- the proposed research;
- any ongoing collaborations or associations with existing Faculty members.

Visitors need a Faculty postholder (associate professor or statutory professor) to sponsor them. The sponsor will provide a statement of support detailing the collaborative activities to be undertaken during the course of the visit.

Documents should be emailed to general.administrator@theology.ox.ac.uk.

Assessment

The Faculty Planning and Resources Committee considers applications for visitorships and makes recommendations to the Board. Assessment criteria include:

- the academic merit of the proposed research;
- the strength of the statement of support provided by a Faculty postholder.

Terms and conditions

The Faculty will confirm to you and your sponsor that your visit has been approved. You will at that stage be provided with a letter of invitation and asked to sign a visitorship undertaking.

Visitors are given an email address and access to the University libraries. Visitors may offer an (unpaid) seminar during their visit. It is not normally possible to provide visitors with desk space within the Faculty offices. Visitorships cannot normally last longer than six months. Visitors are asked to pay an administrative fee of £250 per term.

Further information

Enquiries should be addressed to general.administrator@theology.ox.ac.uk in the first instance.

Recognised and Visiting students

Those who wish to do research in Oxford for only one year or less may apply for the student status either of Recognised Student or of Visiting Student. Such students are not registered for an Oxford University qualification, but are able to attend lectures in the Faculty. The number of those who can be admitted in this way is limited and the status will normally only be granted to those who are engaged in theological research for a degree of some other university and would gain special benefit from a short period of work in Oxford.

Differences between Recognised Students and Visiting Students 

  • Academic advisers are appointed for Recognised Students by the Faculty Board whereas supervision is arranged for Visiting Students by their college. 
  • Visiting Student status is typically intended for undergraduate students taking a year abroad.
  • Please note that there are no taught graduate courses available to graduate visiting students. If you are a graduate student, you can either follow the curriculum of an undergraduate course as a visiting student or apply for Recognised Student status.
  • As a registered Visiting Student you become a member of an Oxford college, and it is the college that will arrange for your tuition or supervision. Visiting students are welcome to attend lectures organised by the Faculty for its BA students. You are strongly advised to read the information on the Visiting Students page of the University website carefully, including for details of How to Apply for Visiting Student status.

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How to apply

Those wishing to be considered as Recognised Students need to apply for admission on a form obtainable online here. Candidates are strongly advised to read the Notes of Guidance carefully before starting their application. For more information, contact:

The Graduate Studies Administrator
Theology and Religion Faculty Centre
Gibson Building (Floor 2),
Radcliffe Observatory Quarter,
Woodstock Road,
Oxford OX2 6GG

Tel: +44 (0)1865 270714
Email: graduate.enquiries@theology.ox.ac.uk

Application forms for persons wishing to come as Visiting Students can be obtained here. Candidates are strongly advised to read the information on the webpage carefully before starting their application. All applications (graduate and undergraduate) are dealt with by colleges and by the Undergraduate Admissions Office. For more information, contact:

Undergraduate Admissions Office
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford, OX1 2JD
Tel: +44 (0)1865 288000
Fax: +44 (0)1865 280125
Email: undergraduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.u