The Categories of Fellowship

All Souls does not admit undergraduates and the composition of its Fellowship differs from that of other colleges. Most of its Fellows, of which a number hold Chairs, Lectureships, or Readerships within the University, are engaged in teaching and research. Others hold fellowships by virtue of a particular office in the College (such as the Chaplain, the Estates Bursar, and the Domestic Bursar). Others have careers in the law, government, or other areas of public life.

Examination Fellows

The College holds an examination each autumn, which can be sat by recent graduates of the University and by those registered for graduate degrees in Oxford. The College seeks to elect two Examination Fellows each year if candidates of a suitable standard present themselves. The successful candidates are elected Fellows for seven years. After the first two years the Fellow chooses whether to pursue academic research or to work in other fields.

See Appointments - Examination Fellowship General Information for details of these Fellowships and the application and examination procedure. 

Post-Doctoral Research Fellows

Post-Doctoral Research Fellows are researchers early in their careers who are elected to a five-year fellowship on the basis of research achievements and a proposal for future work. The College aims to elect four to six Post-Doctoral Fellows every other year.

See Appointments - Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships for details of the timing of the next competition for these Fellowships and the application procedure when open.

Senior Research Fellows

Senior Research Fellows are elected to a seven-year renewable fellowship on the basis of a distinguished record of past research and a proposal for future work. The appointment is comparable to a full statutory professorship or chair in the University of Oxford. The College aims to elect up to four Senior Research Fellows every other year and will normally specify the broad subject areas in which it is seeking to make elections.

See Appointments - Senior Research Fellowships for details of the timing of the next competition for these Fellowships and the application procedure when open.

University Academics

Some twenty University chairs or other appointments are ex officio linked with fellowships with the College. The University, in consultation with the College, makes these appointments.   

Visiting Fellows

The College elects a number of visiting fellows each year for one, two, or three terms. The purpose of the scheme is to bring to the College distinguished scholars (and occasionally individuals with careers in public service) from outside the University of Oxford who would benefit from undertaking their research project here. They are not members of the College’s governing body.

See Appointments - Visiting Fellowships for further details of the timing of the next competition for these Fellowships and the application procedure when open. 

Other Categories of Fellowship

There are some categories of fellowship for which only former Fellows are eligible. These help maintain links with public life and with academic institutions elsewhere, and bring with them membership of the College’s governing body where they provide useful external perspectives. ‘Fifty-Pound’ Fellowships are tenable by former Prize and Post-Doctoral Fellows. ‘Two-year’ Fellowships are held for two years by former Fellows and Visiting Fellows, who give a series of lectures or classes (former Fellows and VFs who might wish to be considered for these Fellowships are welcome to contact the Warden). Distinguished Fellowships are held by former Fellows who have attained distinction in the service of the Crown, law, literature, science, art, education, or public affairs.

Honorary Fellowships and Emeritus Fellowships are tenable by former Fellows, and are principally honorific titles although many continue to be active in research, which the College supports, and play an active role in the College's academic life. Other former Fellows are known as Quondam Fellows. Holders of these Fellowships are not members of the College’s governing body.