College affiliation

The collegiate structure is one of the defining features of Oxford University. The colleges are independent institutions but interact with numerous aspects of the University's life, from teaching to social activities, and to a lesser extent research. Many colleges have very long histories and attractive buildings - your university card will permit you to visit many colleges for free during visiting times, and certain college dining halls are happy for outside visitors to buy meals there. For example, Balliol hall accepts non-members for lunch. 

All students and most faculty members have a college affiliation, while ECRs do not usually belong to a college. However, there are a couple of different ways in which one might acquire a college affiliation;

Stipendiary Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)

These are full-time research posts funded by a college. JRFs are advertised in the university recruitment pages, as well as college websites. The fellowships usually include access to college facilities, membership in the Senior Common Room (SCR), meals and sometimes accommodation. Some colleges require their JRFs to be involved in college teaching. The Mathematics, Physics and Life Sciences Division maintains a list of fellowships here.

Non-stipendiary JRF

These fellowships are unpaid and typically offer membership in the SCR, free meals, and the opportunity to participate in college life. Like stipendiary JRFs, these JRFs are usually advertised in the Oxford University Gazette and often on the Mathematical Institute's website (see also the MPLS link above).

Teaching

Colleges will often advertise short-term paid teaching positions (sometimes, confusingly, called college or stipendiary lecturers, although no lecturing is involved) which usually include some access to college facilities. These positions will be advertised on college websites, as above and/or through departmental emails. In mathematics these positions usually involve teaching first and second-year undergraduates in tutorials (two or three students going through a problem sheet with a tutor). They may also include assisting with the undergraduate admissions process which happens each December.

Before applying for any such paid positions, you must ensure you have the relevant permission from the Head of Department and check that your funding, contract (and visa, if appropriate) permits you to undertake the required teaching outside the department. In general, and in line with the University’s Outside Appointments guidelines, the department considers a maximum of 3-hours college teaching a week to be compatible with a full time role. If you have any questions please contact @email.

Common room memberships

Some colleges will allow departmental staff (especially those with some link to the college, for example through their PI) to become members of their common rooms, providing access to some college facilities (although usually not for free).

The HR Team try to collate Mathematical vacancies across all Oxford colleges, linking them as below;