Visiting Scholars
Academic Visitors
The aim of a Visiting Scholar is to discuss and share ideas with other academics in our Department who work within the same, or closely related, field of interest. From this mutual collaboration may come ideas, publications, and grant applications, and we encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and research fields.
A Visiting Scholar will be given an academic host and will join in with the research activities of the Department; they can either be supported by their home institutions or have other independent funds.
Visiting Scholars need to be invited by a member of the Department’s academic staff and must have completed a PhD degree at the time of applying. If you have not completed your PhD, please see the information for Visiting Students.
Facilities
As a Visiting Scholar, you will be able to attend lectures, use our facilities, and join in the life of the team you are visiting. You may also attend seminars, although you may require the permission of the lecturer concerned.
Bench Fees
The Department wishes to encourage applications from visitors all across the world and, by default, we do not charge bench fees to come and work with us.
However, if you are applying for funding to support your visit, and bench fees are accepted as an eligible cost by your funder, we may discuss with you (at the academic host’s discretion) whether the following bench fees can be included in your funding application:
- £150 between 2 weeks and 1 month
- £500 up to 3 months
- £1000 up to 6 months
- £2000 up to 12 months*
*All payments will be subject to an additional VAT charge of 20%. No fees will be requested of visitors from countries defined as Lower and Lower-Middle economies as defined by the World Bank World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk.
Visas
It is the Visiting Scholar’s responsibility to obtain visas for themselves and any accompanying family members. Further information and advice can be obtained here Visiting the UK | Human Resources (cam.ac.uk).
To apply
If you would like to apply for Visiting Scholar Status, please submit the following in support of your application:
- A completed application form.
- A short outline of the proposed research you wish to carry out in Cambridge.
- Full CV.
These documents should be emailed to visitingacademics@esc.cam.ac.uk.
Once we have received your full application, it will be considered by the relevant staff who will contact you directly.
Accommodation
The Department has access to a limited amount of self-catering accommodation that may be suitable for some short- to medium- term visitors. Please contact visitingacademics@esc.cam.ac.uk for further information and/or visit the Cambridge Society for Newcomers and Visiting Scholars or the Accommodation Service webpages.