Information for Visiting Researchers

Academic staff and researchers from any Research Organisation within the UK and the rest of the world are welcome to visit the Department of Environment and Geography and/or SEI York. This role will involve no remuneration, but offers you formal attachment to the Department of Environment and Geography and access to research facilities such as the library. The Department assumes that visitors will come to York to pursue their independent research and does not provide or arrange any academic supervision.

Visiting researcher positions can be awarded from any period from one month to a year. Visiting researchers will normally be expected to present a paper in one of the weekly departmental seminars during semester-time or other events. Professors or researchers visiting for more than a term or more who wish to collaborate with the University on a regular basis can apply to Senate for the conferment of title of Honorary Visiting Professor or Honorary Visiting Fellow, depending on their status. 

Researchers who are currently studying for a PhD can apply to visit the Department under this scheme for up to one month to undertake independent research. If a longer visit is planned, applications should be made online. For more information and to apply, please see visiting students. Visiting students can apply to attend taught modules in the Department.

If you are interested in applying please read the information below.

How to apply

To apply, please prepare the following documents:

• a brief letter of application, covering;
• why it would be useful to you to spend time in York
• how you intend to pay the monthly fees (£250 per month)
• the period you wish to be in York (eg start and end date of your stay), and your plans for finding accommodation.
• a one to two page research proposal for your time in York
• a one to two page CV, with full name, address, and current academic position
• a letter of recommendation from your Head of Department or other senior academic who knows you and your work. If you are wanting to be given the title of Honorary Visiting Professor/Fellow then you need a second letter of recommendation.

Please send your inquiries and application by email to Laura Smith (laura.smith@york.ac.uk) if wanting to be based in Environment and Geography, or Sarah West (sarah.west@york.ac.uk) if wanting to be based in SEI York. 

Applications are considered once a month by the Department Management Team and applicants will be informed as soon as possible after the meeting has taken place. Unfortunately we are not in a position to invite every applicant and applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• how they fit with the department’s research interests
• the benefit to the department in terms of research engagement, prestige and potential for collaboration
• the strength of application or research proposal.

Facilities

The following are provided for visiting researchers:

• University of York email address and use of University and Department computing facilities, including limited use of printing and photocopying
• use of the University Library and online journal access
• admission to most undergraduate and postgraduate lectures and workshops. The academic year runs October to June.
• copies of course material
• admission to research seminars and other public events
• shared office space. 

Fees

Bench fees are costs which visiting academics are required to pay, in order to cover the costs that the University will incur in hosting them. These are £250 a month or £3000 a year. These can be funded through grants held by the visiting researcher or covered by the visiting researcher themselves. 

Please contact us if the fees are problematic for you, as we do not intend for these costs to be prohibitive and there may be ways in which we can help.

Visas and accommodation

If you require a visa to enter the UK it is essential that you seek advice on how to obtain the correct visa to suit the purpose of your visit. The Department cannot provide advice on visas. For more information on visa applications, please visit the University pages on Immigration Advice.

The Department is unable to help with accommodation, but the University Accommodation Services has advice and is able to assist if required.