Guidance for paper applications

This guidance is supplementary to the Application Guide and describes specific procedures appropriate to paper applications; all policy information in the Application Guide and the Graduate Admissions online prospectus applies to all applicants to graduate study regardless of whether they apply using the online or paper form, particularly as regards deadlines and required supporting materials.

All applicants using the paper application form must read the Application Guide and the relevant entry of the Course Guide in addition to the supplemental guidance below.

• Application Form for Graduate Study 2014-15 (311 kb)

Please note that the University requires candidates to apply online and their referees to submit online references. Paper applications are only acceptable in exceptional cases where it is not possible for you to apply online.

To access the online application system, which is hosted by Embark on behalf of the University, please  visit www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/applyonline

Applicants with disabilities are referred to the information on the special support arrangements available in our Guidance for applicants with disabilities.

In all instances, paper applications should be sent to:

Graduate Admissions
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford OX1 2JD
UK

In section I you can apply for any one of the following:

• A research degree e.g. MSc by research or DPhil
• A taught degree e.g. MPhil, MSt or MSc
• A non-matriculated programme with the Department for Continuing Education e.g. PGCert, PGDip

You should only complete ONE sub-section. Please note that you must provide both the course code and the name of the programme of study. You can find details of course codes in the Course Guide (www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/courses).

If you wish to apply for more than one programme of study, you will need to complete separate application forms and pay the application fee for each programme.  

College preference

Details of which colleges accept applicants to which programmes are available via the College Search tool (www2.admin.ox.ac.uk/progstudy/).

Please check this tool before completing this section of the form.

If you mistakenly select a college which does not accept applicants for your programme, we will contact so that you can select an alternative college and you will then have 10 days to respond. If you do not respond by the deadline set in our communication, we will select a college on your behalf.

Referees should fill out the paper reference form:

• Reference Form for Graduate Study 2014-15 (116 kb)

Please ask each referee to provide their reference on institutional or professional letter-headed paper in a sealed envelope, and to sign across the seal and cover their signature with clear adhesive tape.

Your references should be returned to you in the sealed envelopes and you should submit them, unopened, with your application. Alternatively, your referees can send their references to our office directly via post or online, following the instructions in the reference form.

The order number given in the email that you will receive to confirm purchase of the £50 application fee from the Oxford University Stores should be entered on the paper application form.

Alternatively, payment may be made by cheque or an international banker’s draft, both of which must be drawn on a UK bank. No other forms of payment will be accepted.

In particular, cash, electronic transfers and postal orders are not acceptable. 

Please make your cheque/international banker's draft payable to “University of Oxford” and write your full name, date of birth and course code on the back of your payment.

Please indicate the method of payment that you have used on the application form by ticking the appropriate box. 

Please complete the checklist to confirm that you have completed all the required sections of the application form and the ethnicity form, and that you have enclosed all the required documentation for your programme. 

Once your application has been submitted you cannot replace any attached documentation, or change any details relating to the programme of study, including college preference; therefore, please check very carefully before you submit your application.   

By submitting an application you are confirming that all of the information provided is, to the best of your knowledge, true, accurate, current and complete and that you will promptly notify the University if any information should change in order to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. You are also confirming that the information contained in your application, including all supporting work, is entirely your own original work, except where clearly indicated and does not contain any plagiarised elements. You will be required to confirm a declaration with your application to this effect.