Oxford Visiting Programme for Doctoral Students (2026-2027)

The deadline for applications is 9 March 2026 (12:00 GMT).

Doctoral students from the School of Research are invited to apply to OxPo for a six-month stay in Oxford. Please check the visa requirements (see the OxPo exchange webpage for more information).

As part of this OxPo programme, doctoral students:

• stay in Oxford for two academic terms (maximum six months) (see Oxford term dates).
• are affiliated as Academic Visitors to one of four partner departments: Oxford Centre for European History, Politics and International Relations, Social Policy and Intervention, and Sociology.
• have access to the Bodleian Library and a shared workspace in one of the departments.

They are encouraged

• to participate in seminars in their host department and across the university according to their interests,
• to develop their networks and their knowledge of the international academic world
• present their research at one of the university's many seminars

At the end of their stay, all exchange participants submit a brief activity report including a list of publications and forthcoming publications, contributions to seminars, etc. The reports are reviewed by the scientific management committee and edited versions of the reports may be published to help future applicants plan their visit.

The Maison Française d'Oxford offers accommodation at very competitive rates, an academic and social life, and an extensive scientific and cultural programme. The colleges are separate private institutions.

It is advisable to apply for a mobility grant from the School of Research, your affiliated laboratory at Sciences Po and/or other potential funding sources. Please mention your funding on the application form.

More information about the programme

Young doctorate holder from the Sciences Po School of Research

The deadline for applications is 9 March 2026 (12:00 GMT).

OxPo selects one person who has recently completed a PhD at the Sciences Po School of Research as a Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow for one academic year (subject to visa conditions).

This person is affiliated as an Academic Visitor to one of the four partner departments (Oxford Centre for European History, Politics and International Relations, Social Policy and Intervention, and Sociology). They are elected as an associate postdoctoral fellow of Nuffield College free of charge. They have access to the college canteen and its various services (excluding accommodation). They receive an OxPo postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the Sciences Po Alumni Charity Trust UK (approximately £17,000, subject to confirmation by the DAI).

As part of this OxPo programme, the Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow

• stays in Oxford for the three academic terms (Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity),
• has access to the Bodleian Library and Nuffield College libraries, as well as a shared workspace in one of the departments,
• participates in academic seminars in their host department, at Nuffield and across the university, and may present their research there,
• proposes and organises a conference or research seminar in their field of expertise in conjunction with the Maison Française d'Oxford and their affiliated department during Trinity Term,
• contribute to the organisation of OxPo-related activities and events.

As an OxPo postdoctoral fellow, it is possible to apply for affiliation with the Maison Française d'Oxford, where small flats (and rooms) can be rented. The Maison Française d'Oxford offers social and academic activities as well as an extensive scientific and cultural programme.

At the end of their stay, all exchange participants submit a brief activity report including a list of publications and forthcoming publications, contributions to seminars, etc. Reports are reviewed by the scientific management committee and edited versions of the reports may be published to assist future applicants in planning their visit.

More information

CamPo is a research partnership between the University of Cambridge and Sciences Po offering an exchange programme for all social science PhD students within the six schools of Cambridge University and PhD students within all of Sciences Po’s research centres.

Applications are now open for students to spend a period of time studying in their non-home institution during the calendar year 2026.

PhD students whose research would benefit from spending a period of time in the other institution are encouraged to apply to this scheme. Visiting students should arrange their stay so that it coincides with the teaching terms in Cambridge and Paris.

• In Cambridge, visiting CamPo PhD students will be affiliated with a host department and provided with desk space (whenever possible and usually in a shared open space), a library card and access to Cambridge online resources. Students will be assigned a member of the faculty as their institutional point of contact. Visiting CamPo PhD students will be encouraged to play a full part in the academic life of the host department, through participation in seminars and interaction with the POLIS faculty. For your information, please check term dates for the University of Cambridge.
• In Sciences Po, visiting CamPo PhD students will be affiliated with one of the Sciences Po research centres and with the School of Research. They will have access to desk space in one of the research centres (whenever possible and usually in a shared open space), a library card and access to Sciences Po online resources. Students will be assigned a member of the faculty as their institutional point of contact at Science Po. Please check the Sciences Po student handbook where you will find semesters date and other relevant information.

Funding and resources

The CamPo exchange offers a fee-waiver between Cambridge and Sciences Po. There is no dedicated funding for exchange participants. Participants are advised to contact their institution (College and Department, School of Research and Centres) to enquire about travel funds available to PhD students. Conditions apply to qualify for Campo exchange scheme support, in particular in relation to the length of stay which is up to 3 month.

As visiting students, CamPo PhD students will have access to all the institutional support provided at Sciences Po or in Cambridge: at Cambridge, they will be affiliated with a college and, subject to availability, they will be able to rent accommodation through the university/college.

Application process

Applications must be submitted by 7 November 2025. Results will be announced during the week of 8 December 2025.

Interested PhD students should seek support from an academic sponsor in the Department they wish to visit.

If the Department is prepared to support your exchange in principle, please submit your application via our online application form (Campo PhD EXCHANGE call 2026), ensuring the following details are provided:

• Your CV (maximum of 2 pages);
• A short outline of your PhD project (maximum of 2 pages);
• A letter of recommendation from your supervisor

Please, note the letter of recommendation should be statement directed at supporting your application, doesn’t need to be a personal one.

Within a month of returning to their home institutions, exchange visitors will be required to provide a short report (2 pages max) about their stay.

For general enquiries about the programme, please contact campo@admin.cam.ac.uk or Colin Hay, Professor.

Presentation

Sciences Po - LSE PhD exchange programme” is a partnership between LSE and Sciences Po offering an exchange programme for all social science PhD students within the research centers of LSE and Sciences Po.

The main objectives of the programme are :

• To offer LSE and Sciences Po PhD students additional research resources (archival and advisory) and to introduce them to the academic culture, professional contacts and employment opportunities of another country.
   
• To offer LSE and Sciences Po PhD students an opportunity to visit the other institution and to work informally with one or more advisors on their PhD thesis research and/or on related publications and presentations, and to attend conferences and workshops both at the host institution and within the wider regional/national academic community.

Financial support

No academic-related fees will be payable by exchange students to the host institution for e.g. tuition, entrance, examinations, library, email. This does not preclude the host institution from imposing a nominal fee for e.g. health insurance. Students  remain responsible for any applicable fees at their home institution.

Sciences Po provides financial support in the form of a flat rate bursary of €2,500 euros to each student. The bursary is intended to contribute to the expenses of participating students, including those relating to travel, accommodation, living, educational materials and/or other education-related costs. Students are expected to make their own arrangements for housing.

Application process

The deadline for applications is :

15 April 2025 for Autumn term (29 September – 12 December 2025)
1 October 2025 for Winter term (19 January – 2 April 2026)

Eligibility and duration

• Students registered for PhD studies at either institution who have successfully completed at least one year of their studies, including any compulsory Masters level courses, are eligible for this Scheme. Where applicable, students should normally have been upgraded to full doctoral student status.
   
• Each exchange is limited to a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 3 months.

Academic status

• Students remain registered as PhD students with their home institution. Overall supervision remains the responsibility of the supervisor(s) at the student’s home institution.
   
• Students are registered as research exchange students in the relevant academic unit of the host institution during their visit.

Students are requested to submit an application dossier consisting of the following documents:

1. Up-to-date curriculum vitae including their student number, visa status, country of citizenship, place and date of birth (maximum 4 pages);
2. Short letter of support/reference from a supervisor at Sciences Po 
3. Short letter of support/reference from a potential supervisor at LSE
4. Copy of most recent PhD progress report (if applicable);
5. Evidence of English Language Ability; and
6. Statement of Academic Purpose explaining their progress towards completion of their research; Why a visit to the host partner institution would benefit you and what you intend to do here; A timetable for your work during the visit; indicating the scholar(s) with whom you hope to work with.

Students are requested to submit an application dossier consisting of the following documents:

1. Up-to-date curriculum vitae including their student number, visa status, country of citizenship, place and date of birth (maximum 4 pages);
    
2. Short letter of support/reference from supervisor;
    
3. Copy of most recent PhD progress report (if applicable);
    
4. Evidence of English Language Ability; and
    
5. Statement of Academic Purpose explaining their progress towards completion of their research; Why a visit to the host partner institution would benefit you and what you intend to do here; A timetable for your work during the visit; indicating the scholar(s) with whom you hope to work with.

Students have sufficient English Language ability if they satisfy one of the following criteria:

• A copy of a degree certificate for a degree (taught in English) from a UK university; or
   
• A language certificate from one of the following accrediting bodies confirming that a candidate meets our English language requirements as set out below:

Please send your application to : julijana.lecherf@sciencespo.fr

If you have any questions related to your stay at LSE, please contact : Rachel Davies-English, Inbound Study Abroad and Student Recruitment Officer.

During a three-month doctoral research stay at LSE's Department of Geography and Environment in early 2025, I advanced projects on local public finance and land-use conflicts while exploring UK institutional contexts. I engaged with numerous researchers across multiple departments through individual meetings, presented at PhD seminars, and participated in various departmental activities including seminars, reading groups, and courses. The visit provided insights into the UK's discretionary planning system, which contrasts with France's zoning-based model through its centralized-yet-decentralized approach, permit-before-building process, and lack of third-party appeal rights. These institutional differences offered valuable comparative perspectives for understanding land-use contestation and governance. The experience enriched both the empirical and conceptual dimensions of my research while strengthening connections to international academic communities working across urban economics, political economy, and environmental governance.

Eulalie Saïsset
PhD Candidate Sciences Po & CIRED

This call for a Visiting research stay at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) in Cologne, Germany is open to junior researchers (doctoral students) and senior researchers (permanent faculty) from all disciplines.

Applicants must have a research project that falls within the disciplines of political science, sociology, economics, history, or a related field. Applications accepted from junior researchers (doctoral students) and senior researchers (postdocs and faculty).

Funding:

The monthly stipend is 800€ for doctoral students.

How to apply:

Deadlines: Applications must be sent by April 30, 2025 for visits during the German winter semester (October-March 2025-2026) or by November 3, 2025 for visits during the German summer semester (April-September 2026). 

In case of questions, please contact AxPo Executive Director Allison Rovny.

Application process

The aim of the venture is to pursue innovation in Education and Research between the four institutions by sharing knowledge, practices and resources. A laboratory for innovation, Alliance has become furthermore a major academic platform for transatlantic debate on global issues. Created in 2002, Alliance is an innovative academic joint-venture between Columbia University and three major French institutions: the École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and Panthéon-Sorbonne University.

The Alliance Call for Doctoral Mobility is intended to support and finance transatlantic research projects of the highest quality, in all disciplines, from doctoral students affiliated to one of the four partner institutions.

Doctoral students are encouraged to pursue their research abroad for a period of one to three months under the supervision of a host faculty member: students from the three French institutions can complete a research period at Columbia University while students from Columbia can complete a research period at the École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, or Panthéon-Sorbonne University.

Each project will be funded with a maximum limit of $4,000.

More information : 

• Call for Doctoral Mobility (DEADLINE: 31 December 2025)
• Visit the Alliance Web site

In consequence, the Doctoral School and the Centre for the Americas at Sciences Po have established an American PhD grant programme. This programme offers research exchange opportunities at major social science research centres in several North-American universities. In turn, Sciences Po hosts American PhD students from these universities.For more information on these exchanges, please contact your home university.

Research exchanges do not lead to a separate degree or diploma. The agreements with our partner universities grant research students access to a wide range of courses at various Graduate Schools, and they can also attend seminars and workshops with permission from the professors concerned. It is therefore imperative that students consult the list of courses offered and contact the professors before they arrive on campus.

Partner universities for this programme

• The University of Chicago
• Columbia University
• Harvard University
• Princeton University
• Yale University

View the details of PhD exchange agreements (PDF, 189 Ko).

Application process (Chicago, Harvard, Princeton, Yale)

Grant amount: approximately 12 000 euros per year.
If you wish to participate in this program , Sciences Po must officially nominate you. There will be a pre-selection by Sciences Po and then an official selection by the partner university. 

You may apply for up to two university exchanges.

The application must include the following documents:

• A curriculum vitae in English
• TOEFL/IELTS results, or any other document proving your proficiency in English

The following documents must be provided for each of your wishes:

• A letter of motivation in English, presenting your academic and scientific project
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher-researcher at the host university
• A research proposal in English (5 pages maximum)
• A provisional budget for your academic stay
  
   

Contacts

At the Center for the Americas: 

Sylvain Quatravaux
International Affairs Manager for USA (Graduate)
sylvain.quatravaux@sciencespo.fr

Marie Valin-Colin
Assistant to the International Affairs Manager for USA 
marie.valincolin@sciencespo.fr

At the School of research: 

Julijana Lecherf
Administrative Officer Visiting PhD students
julijana.lecherf@sciencespo.fr