The scheme is open to doctoral students and early-career researchers from the Departments of Politics and International Relations, Social Policy and Intervention, Sociology, and History.
Doctoral students are invited to apply to OxPo to spend up to an academic year at Sciences Po in Paris. Please check visa requirements (see the OxPo exchange webpage for further links and information). Other student-related information can be found on the SciencesPo website.
Under this OxPo scheme, visiting doctoral students:
- are affiliated to the School of Research and to one of the SciencesPo research centres or to one of the cross cutting programmes
- have access to the library and a shared working space in SciencesPo
- are invited to join doctoral and other academic seminars in the Ecole del la Recherche and in the various research centres
- submit a short report of activities including a list of publications and forthcoming publications, seminar contributions, etc at: oxpo@politics.ox.ac.uk. Reports are examined by the Scientific Management Committee and edited versions of the reports can be posted to help future candidates plan their visit.
There is no specific funding for this scheme. OxPo offers some limited support for travel expenses (€1,200 divided between students). Students are advised to apply to their colleges and/or departments for extra funding.
"The OxPo exchange provided an outstanding opportunity for me to improve my DPhil thesis, to make new connections to experts in the field of education in France and to get to know the culture, tradition and language of France."
- Pia Blossfeld, OxPo visitor 2015
Criteria
OxPo Scientific Management Committee’s priorities:
- Excellence of the candidate.
- Fit between the project and the ability of the scholar to fulfil his/her project in Paris and to benefit from the academic environment to be joined. For instance stay in Paris because of the resources and the prospect of working with other, identified if possible, scholars rather than a need to spend time exploring resources located in a different city.
- Benefit for the OxPo network in building further institutional connections and new collaborations as well as benefit for the individual scholar's research/career.
- People who have not taken part in the exchange before have priority, unless there are special circumstances such as the best opportunity to complete a project or the development of a new collaboration or programme.
Applications from PhD students and postdoctoral candidates
All applications for an exchange in the academic year 2025-26 must be written in English, submitted by 3 March 2025 and submitted online as a Microsoft Form; we will soon update this page with a link to the form.
Applications must include:
- one short CV (maximum length: two A4 pages)
- one letter of motivation (maximum length: two A4 pages), highlighting:
- the research project or purpose of the application to the exchange scheme, i.e. how the exchange will further your research plans and future collaborations
- the academics you intend to work with in Sciences Po (please mention if you have been in touch with them already, although there is no requirement for you to have done so)
- the Sciences Po Research Centre you feel you would best fit in
- the planned dates of your stay
Applications from PhD students and postdoctoral candidates must also include:
- a letter of recommendation from your PhD supervisor