We welcome applications from international students registered for a PhD in their own country to join the Institute as an occasional student.

We also welcome those who are not currently enrolled on a PhD programme, but who are professionals whose work relates to academic considerations of culture and art history.

Occasional students pay a monthly fee and receive an academic mentor and access to the LibraryPhotographic Collection, and Archive. Occasional Students are encouraged to attend open lectures, seminars and colloquia and to become part of the Institute’s international research culture.

Please note that this is not a formal exchange programme and therefore occasional students do not receive formal supervision and we are unable to sponsor visa applications.

We recommend that occasional students spend at least one term at the Institute, but we will consider applications for a shorter stay. The maximum length of stay is one year. View the Institute's term dates.

To apply for a place as an Occasional Student, complete either (as relevant) the PhD or Non-PhD pathway application form on the SAS application portal (link below).  You will be asked to attach a reference to your application.  We cannot consider applications without a reference.

Occasional students' fees: £500 per month or £1000 per term

Deadline for submission of applicationNotification of decision about award
Friday, 7 February 2025End of February 2025
Friday, 2 May 2025End of May 2025
Friday, 3 October 2025End of October 2025

Occasional Students confirmed for the next academic year 2024/25

  • Immacolata Iaccarino September 2024 - March 2025
  • Elena Berti September 2024 - December 2024
  • Giacomo Santoro September 2024 - October 2024 
  • Luigi Parodi October 2024 - January 2025
  • Lorenzo Dini October 2024 - December 2024
  • Francesca Micheli January 2025 - May 2025
  • Sofia Cavallini January 2025 - March 2025

I would unreservedly recommend the Institute as a place of study. It offered me a unique understanding of the interactions between image and word, art history, religion, literature and philosophy, across space and time.

Dr Laura Popoviciu, former MA and PhD Student

Occasional Student

Applications can be made for either the PhD Pathway or NON PhD Pathway on the SAS application portal.

Apply here