Scholars-in-Residence Program

If you’re planning to conduct research, enroll in graduate level coursework, or take a study leave or sabbatical in the Oxford area, the Study Centre at The Kilns offers a unique opportunity.

It was here that C.S. Lewis himself lived and wrote for the better part of his adult life (from 1930 until his death in 1963). The Study Centre was established with a commitment to advance the rich intellectual, imaginative and spiritual legacy of C.S. Lewis through scholarship, reflection, and writing, within the historic setting of The Kilns.

Residential Opportunities

The C.S. Lewis Study Centre offers both short and long term residence opportunities to qualified visiting faculty, clergy, independent scholars, and advanced graduate students for varying lengths of residence, ranging from one day to one year. Our Resident Director/Warden manages the Study Centre on-site, ensuring proper oversight and maintenance of the home.

There are a total of four rooms in the Centre designated for scholars.

Note that we generally do not have availability for new scholars in the following periods: mid-December to mid-January; mid-June to mid-August.

The C.S. Lewis Study Centre at The Kilns is not yet accepting applications for short term scholars (4 – 20 nights) for the autumn and we are currently full through August 2024. Thank you for understanding! We will update this page when we are open for applications again. Long-term applications are being accepted for the 2024/2025 academic year, though we do not yet know exactly how many spots will be open.

Costs

Fees are based upon the length of stay. Long term resident fees (over two months) are determined per month; short term resident fees are based upon daily rates. Please visit our resident fee page for more information.

Resources

Scholars residing at The Kilns generally take advantage of the rich academic resources available from the nearby colleges of Oxford University, such as conducting research at the world-renowned Bodleian Library, attending Oxford lectures which are open to the public, as well as attending lectures at the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society featuring many famous authors in the field of Inkling studies.

Another unique option for visiting scholars is the variety of academic courses (ranging from weekend and weekly classes, to semester long classes, to full degree programmes) offered by the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education.

An additional resource is the collection of works available at the C.S. Lewis Study Centre:

  • C.S. Lewis Library – contains a complete collection of C.S. Lewis’s works of fiction and non-fiction as well as works by many of the Inklings.
  • The Nigel Turner Library – a unique collection of late 19th and early 20th century theological works. The library’s primary focus is Biblical language and library contains many works that focus on the original language of the New Testament, such as translations of New Testament manuscripts and papyri, commentaries on the original texts and the translations, and studies of meaning and significance of particular terms. Other works address the language of Old Testament manuscripts from the first century or of works by early Christian authors. The library also contains Biblical commentaries and works on Christian theology that provide context for the more narrowly-focused works on language.

Location

Located on Lewis Close in Headington, at the end of a cul-de-sac adjacent to the Henry Stevens/C.S. Lewis Nature Reserve just outside Oxford, The Kilns is readily accessible to the City Centre and Colleges of Oxford University by both bus and bicycle.

How to Apply

Please visit our Scholars in Residence application page to learn how to apply for the program. While exceptions are possible, we ask that submit application materials no earlier than six months and no later than six weeks before your desired stay in the SIR program. This gives us time to process your application and make a decision.