Academic Visitors
The Faculty of Classics welcomes Academic Visitors from other Higher Educational Institutions. Academic Visitor status is in principle available to holders of an established teaching or research post in the Classics department at another University, and who have a distinguished record of research (as appropriate for their career stage), who wish to spend a period of up to twelve months at Oxford for the purposes of undertaking private research.
Information about the application procedure can be found below. Academic Visitors whose visit is approved by the Faculty are entitled to attend lectures and seminars organised by the Classics Faculty, access the Libraries and work in the Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies. However, they are not entitled to accommodation, an office, secretarial facilities, or supervision by a member of the Classics Faculty’s academic staff.
The benefits of Academic Visitor status include access to all the following:
- Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies, at 66 St Giles’, Oxford, where the Faculty of Classics is based
- Swipe-card access to the building during opening hours, usually 08:00 – 22:00, daily
- Opportunity to attend seminars and to meet colleagues or students
- Access to facilities, including computer terminals, kitchen and common room
- Bodleian Libraries, including the Sackler Library
- Oxford IT account, Oxford email
- Faculty of Classics email list for visitors to receive emails about aspects of the Classical life of Oxford relevant to Academic Visitors.
Approval as an Academic Visitor is subject to an annual setup fee of £100 plus £75 per month, (minimum 1 month) and for a maximum of 12 months.
How to apply
Prospective visitors must follow the application process outlined below. The Classics Faculty reserves the right to reject applications at its discretion.
In order to apply to become an Academic Visitor, you will need to have a faculty sponsor and complete with their help an Academic Visitor Application Form. Your sponsor will need to submit the completed Academic Visitor Application Form on your behalf to visitors@classics.ox.ac.uk along with a Curriculum Vitae, a list of publications and a scanned copy of your current passport. Applications will be considered at various times of the year. The Classics Faculty strongly advise to apply at least 6 months in advance.
If an application is approved, the Faculty will need to assess which Visitor Visa route is most appropriate. Depending on visa route and length of visit, Academic Visitors from overseas may need to obtain an Academic Visitor Visa before travelling in order to enter the UK, or they may need to be prepared to apply for a visa on entry. Applicants are required to ensure that they have obtained in advance of their visit the appropriate visa that allows them to travel to and enter the UK, as well as undertake permitted activities during their stay. In the event that a Visitor Visa is required, please be aware that neither the Faculty nor any other part of the University is able to assist with any aspect (financial or administrative) of the application. Once it has been established which visitor visa category is best suited to accommodate a visitor, the Faculty will issue a formal letter of invitation to the visitor, which will be required for a visa application or presentation to border control when entering the UK.
On arrival in Oxford, a check of your immigration documents is required before your visit can begin.
Visitors must sign a visitor agreement and pay the Academic Visitor Fees before a university card can be issued and IT access activated.
A brief induction to the Faculty with a member of the Administration staff will be arranged. You will be shown around the Classics Faculty and introduced to the facilities available to you. Your sponsor will be able to arrange any necessary academic-related induction.
Junior Research Associates and Research Associates
Junior Research Associate (JRA) status is offered to all those who have received their Leave to Supplicate date from Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research programmes. JRA status is for a period of 12 months. Academic Staff who have come to the end of their fixed-term contracts are also offered a similar status as Research Associates (RA). These statuses and ongoing associations are intended to assist those finishing at Oxford with the transition to the next stage of their careers1.
The benefits of JRA and RA are the same as the benefits for the Academic Visitor Status listed above. The JRA and RA statuses do not entitle you to a College affiliation.
The JRA and RA benefits come with no costs attached.
How to apply
All JRAs and RAs have the opportunity to apply for a second year of the same status on the basis that they have a specific research project which they need to complete. Application Form for JRA 2nd Year must be submitted to the Head of Administration and Finance through visitors@classics.ox.ac.uk no later than 12pm on the Thursday of 1st week in their final term of JRA or RA status. These applications will be assessed by the Research Committee who will determine whether the extension should be granted. The decision of the Research Committee is final.
Please note that a further extension beyond the second year will not be possible and instead, should you wish to continue an ongoing affiliation with the Faculty of Classics you will need to follow the Academic Visitor process. See details and application form for Academic Visitor.
1RA status is intended to ensure a continued affiliation with the University of Oxford. As such anyone who moves immediately into another position whether fixed term or permanent at the university will not receive RA status.
