Academic Visitors
At any time, the Department has 10-20 academic visitors and they are an important part of the life of the Department. If you are interested in joining the Department as an academic visitor you should first gain the support of a current member of staff and discuss this informally before making an application, via your host. He/she will act as your host.
Facilities
As an academic visitor, you will be able to attend any lectures and seminars in the University, use appropriate facilities in the Department and join in the life of the Department. All visitors staying more than three weeks are provided with a University computing account and email address.
Fee
Visitors are requested to agree a bench fee of £120 per month to cover the provision of facilities. It is possible, in special circumstances and depending on the nature of your work in the Department, to apply for a reduction of this fee. If the Visitor is unable to afford this sum, the Department may request the Host to provide this. If neither the Visitor nor Host has available funds the bench fee can be waived by the Head of Department.
Supervision
The offer of academic visitor status does not include formal supervision of your work whilst in the Department but you are welcome to discuss your work informally.
Procedure
If you would like to apply for academic visitor status you should first discuss this with your Host. Your Host will then submit a Visitor Form (internal link) to the Head of Department.
The Home Office has introduced new rules on the immigration status of academic visitors and, if you are coming from outside the EU, you must check whether you need a visa.
The Departmental Administrator will be happy to provide a formal Letter of Invitation. For many visitors, this can be presented on arrival at Border Control but “Visa nationals” (i.e. those individuals who will need to apply for entry clearance in advance for any length of stay) will need this letter to make an academic visitor visa application before they travel.
Accommodation and integration
The Department is unable to help with accommodation but the University's Accommodation Service may be able to help you. The University also has a Visiting Scholars support service, designed to ease your integration into the University and the city of Cambridge.
Visiting Students
Visiting undergraduate and graduate students are welcome in the Department. If you are interested in being a visiting student, you should contact one of the Department’s researchers to ask if they would be willing to be your Host.
Facilities
Visiting students are welcome to take part in the life of the Department but are not eligible to take part in the full range of University facilities and services that are available to registered students.
Fee
Student visitors may be asked to provide a bench fee of £120 per month, but if funds are not available this requirement may be waived.
Supervision
The offer of academic visitor status does not include formal supervision of your work whilst in the Department but you are welcome to discuss your work informally.
Procedure
If you would like to apply for student visitor status you should first discuss this with your Host. Your Host will then submit a Visitor Form (internal link) to the Head of Department.
For non-EU students: Your Host will ask the Departmental Administrator to issue a formal Letter of Invitation. For some visitors (“visa nationals”) it will be necessary to apply for entry clearance before travelling. The 'How to apply' section of the UK Border Agency Student Visitor webpages details which visa application form is required, and describes the documents that must accompany the application. The UK Council for International Student Affairs has a specific document on 'Making an immigration application as a student visitor'.
Erasmus
The Department does not currently have any bilateral reciprocal exchange arrangements with other European universities, but we welcome Erasmus work/training placement students. If accepted by a Host academic in the Department we will need to agree a Training Agreement with you. Such students are not registered students of the University of Cambridge.
Work Experience and Volunteering
Researchers in the Department of Zoology occasionally take work experience placements, but we do not maintain a departmental list of vacancies. The best way forward is to look at our research pages and write directly to one of the researchers, whose work looks interesting to you, to ask if they would be prepared to take on a work experience person. You should describe your skills/experience/interests and explain how these would benefit their research. This more personal approach works better than broadcasting a general appeal for a placement opportunity. For general enquiries about work experience please contact the Departmental Administrator on admin@zoo.cam.ac.uk
The Museum of Zoology and Balfour Library regularly use volunteers and you may wish to contact them direct.