Recognised students
Recognised Student status is given to graduate research students who are registered with another university and have been admitted by a University of Oxford faculty or department to undertake research for their degree for a minimum of one and maximum of three terms. It is also a status given to early career researchers admitted by a faculty or department to work with an Oxford academic or researcher. Recognised Students are not affiliated to an Oxford college or hall and will not receive an Oxford qualification or any formal accreditation for their studies here. Recognised Student status is formalised in the Examination Regulations.
Benefits of Recognised Student status
As a Recognised Student, you will be allocated an Academic Advisor who will provide general advice about your research topic. Please note that the Advisor will not provide systematic instruction such as reading and commenting on written work because you are expected to be sufficiently advanced in your studies to undertake research largely unsupervised. The Advisor will expect to see you two or three times each term to discuss your work as a colleague rather than as a teacher. The Advisor will report on your academic progress via the University’s Graduate Supervision System, where you will also able to report on your own academic progress and raise any concerns you may have.
You will be entitled to use the University libraries, to study/conduct your research in any University department or institution (subject to the agreement of the Head of Department), and attend lectures. Lectures (including seminars, classes or informal instruction), may only be attended with permission from the lecturer, and those given in any college building are subject to the permission of the college concerned.
Before arriving in Oxford
Accommodation
You are advised to organise accommodation before you arrive in Oxford. As you are not a member of a college, you will not have access to college accommodation. The University is unable to offer any of its graduate housing to Recognised Students but a certain amount of University-approved private accommodation is available through the Accommodation Office’s Studentpad facility.
Fees
University tuition fees are payable to cover the cost of access to the University facilities and the guidance provided by your Academic Advisor. Tuition fees do not include college fees (as you are not affiliated with any college), accommodation, or other course and maintenance fees.
Fees must be paid within fourteen days of the start of each term. Failure to pay the correct amount on time will result in the cancellation of your admission. You may pay for more than one term at a time. You are strongly encouraged to pay your fees by credit card before arriving in Oxford by using our Online Shop. Instructions for how to do so are included in the offer letter from your department or faculty. All payments from yourself or a sponsor/employer must have an invoice number. It is important you let your department or faculty and the Student Information & Advisory Service (SIAS) know who will be paying your fees and their contact details well before your arrival. The invoice will be sent by e-mail to the payer. If your department or faculty has given you a bursary that covers your fees, you must bring a letter of financial sponsorship with you to present on arrival. If you have any queries regarding payment, please contact the Student Information & Advisory Service (SIAS).
University Contract
You should complete and return your University contract in advance of your arrival to: Student Information & Advisory Service, Examination Schools, 75-81 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG. Please do not send an electronic copy as the University Card Office will require a hard copy in order to process your contract.
If you return your contract before arriving, you will receive your University card when you pay your fees at SIAS. If you fill in the University contract after arrival, you will need to return to SIAS at a later date to pick up the card. Your University Card acts as an identity card whenever you are on college or University premises, provides access to University libraries, Computing Services and the Language Teaching Centre, and in some departments is used as a payment card or for building access.
Arriving at Oxford
Please report to the Student Information and Advisory Service (located in the Great Hall of the Examination Schools, 75-81 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG) between 9:30am - 11.30am by the end of week 2 in order to pay your fees (if applicable) and be registered.
You are strongly encouraged to pay your fees by credit card before arriving in Oxford by using our Online Shop. However, if you have not done so before arrival, you should be prepared to pay your fees when you come to SIAS. You will not be given a University card or registered until your fees have been paid.
When you come to SIAS, please bring with you:
- The letter of admission sent to you by the faculty or department;
- If applicable, any financial sponsorship letter that you have received from your department;
- Your passport (if you are not a national of the EEA or Switzerland SIAS will require your passport to scan according to UK Border Agency regulations);
- Your signed University contract and passport sized photo (if you have not already sent this in).
Student Self Service
Recognised students have access to Student Self Service. Before arriving as a new student you should complete the first step of the registration process by verifying your details online via Student Self Service using your Oxford Single Sign-on IT account details. The Student Information and Advisory Service will then complete your registration. Once registered, you will be able to print an enrolment certificate and check and update your personal details throughout the year via Student Self Service.
What if I have to postpone or cancel my study?
If your circumstances change and you have to postpone your arrival or cancel your study, please inform your department, the appropriate Graduate Studies Assistant and the Student Information and Advisory Service.