Applying for graduate study

Choose your programme of study

The Course Guide contains information about all the graduate programmes of study offered by the University and includes links to departmental websites. Information about the types of programmes that we offer, including research degrees, taught degrees and part-time degrees, can be found in About our Programmes.

Check the selection criteria

A link to the selection criteria for each programme can be found on the relevant subject page in the Course Guide. For guidance on how international degrees compare, please see the UK NARIC website.
If English is not your first language, more information about the standard of English required can be found in the Application Guide.

Check the application deadlines

Information about the University's application deadlines can be found in the Application Guide. Check the entry for your chosen course in the Course Guide to see which application deadlines are relevant. Please read our recommended Application Timeline for the main January deadlines. Help us to help you. Apply early.

Decide if you have a college preference

All Oxford’s colleges and halls are equipped to cater for graduate students and will give you a very warm welcome. Please see the College Guide for an introduction to Oxford’s colleges and the unique benefits they offer graduate students.

Collect together supporting materials

Please see our Fees and Funding section for links to resources on opportunities to fund your study and other financial issues that you will need to consider.

Check the application deadlines

If you do not submit all your supporting materials including your references (along with a completed application form and payment) by the application deadline, your application will not be considered.
Please check the Course Guide and Application Guide to see exactly what is required for your chosen programme of study

For detailed information about application deadlines, supporting materials, and full guidance for completing and submitting the application form, please see our Application Guide.

An overview of the timeline of a graduate application, featuring key dates and decisions.

 

The department or faculty responsible for your chosen programme will assess the academic quality and suitability of your application. Departments receive many more excellent applications than they have places available and so it is important that you take care over your application and select supporting materials that best illustrate your academic achievement and future potential.

All applications are academically assessed firstly against the admissions criteria for that programme and then relatively in terms of the quality of previous academic excellence and future potential in comparison with the applications also received from other candidates for that programme. Oxford seeks to admit the very best candidates who apply for the programmes of study that we offer and hence meeting the admissions criteria alone is not sufficient to guarantee a place – competition for places is very strong indeed.