Eligibility for Congregation Membership

This page sets out the different routes through which people can be eligible for congregation membership

Membership of Congregation is set out in Statute IV and Congregation Regulations 1 of 2002 of the University's body of legislation.

The majority of congregation members fall into at least one of three main categories listed in the table below. These are the routes through which most people become members.

 

Those who work in a University department or institution (NOT a college, with the exception of Kellogg, Reuben, and St Cross) in a post at grade 8 or above.

Members of a governing body of a college or society (not including Permanent Private Halls).

Those who have been made a full (not associate or additional) member of one of the 26 faculties listed in Statute VII.
These applications can be authorised by the head of the department, the head of administration and finance, or your local HR officer. These applications can be authorised by the head of the college or the secretary of the college's governing body. These applications can be authorised by the faculty board or faculty administrator from the relevant department or division.
If your salary is off-scale (not Grades 1-10), please contact the congregation membership team who will be able to advise.   You must contact the relevant faculty to be made a member before you apply for congregation membership.
Those on secondments, part-time roles, and fixed-term contracts are eligible for as long as they are working at a grade 8. Those on secondment and fixed-term contracts must enter their scheduled end date into the application form. If there is any change to your end date please contact the congregation membership team.   Please see the section below for information regarding eligibility for faculty membership.

Other posts that are eligible for membership, described in Statute IV and Congregation regulations 1 of 2002, are as follows:

(1) the Chancellor;

(2) the High Steward;

(3) the Vice-Chancellor;

(4) the Proctors;

(5) the Deputy Steward;

(6) the Public Orator;

(7) The principal bursar or treasurer of each of the colleges and societies (but not of PPHs), if not a member of its governing body;

(8) the Keeper of the Archives;

(9) the Warden of Rhodes House;

(10) the Director of the Maison Française;

(11) the Secretary to the Delegates and Chief Executive of the University Press;

(12) the Finance Director of the University Press;

(13) the Tutors in Art at the Ruskin School of Art;

(14) the Emeritus Professors who are under the age of 75 years;

(15) such other persons as Council shall determine.

The criteria for faculty membership is defined in Statute VII: Divisions, Faculties, Sub-faculties, Departments, and the Department for Continuing Education.

For further advice, please contact the relevant faculty, as each have their own systems and requirements for attaining membership.

Council Regulations 3 of 2004 define an Emeritus Professor as:

(1) any person who has retired over the age of 60 from a professorship, including a personal or titular professorship;

(2) any person who has retired from a professorship and on whom the title has been conferred by resolution of Council.

Emeritus Professors are eligible for congregation membership until they reach 75 years.

If you or a member of your department is retiring and will be becoming an Emeritus Professor, please contact congregation.membership@admin.ox.ac.uk to ensure that their membership continues.

Apply for Membership

How to apply

Application Form

 

Congregation meetings

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