Applying to Oxford
Oxford's graduate programmes
Oxford’s graduate programmes are internationally renowned. They are both shorter and more intense than equivalent courses at some other universities, allowing you to move on faster to the next stage of your career. Varied training courses will support your academic and personal development. The University offers more than 300 graduate programmes in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences as well as through the Department for Continuing Education. Make sure to visit the Course Guide for a full list of programmes and their requirements.
Oxford’s Master’s courses
Oxford’s Master’s courses typically range from 9 to 12 months, although the Master of Philosophy programme (MPhil) and Master of Science by Research programme take two years to complete. On Oxford Master’s courses you can expect to attend lectures, classes and seminars, with assessment usually being by examination and often, in addition, a thesis.
The Oxford doctorate
The Oxford doctorate (called DPhil rather than PhD) typically lasts between 3 and 4 years. You will work closely with your supervisor throughout on a major research project.
Minimum requirements for graduate study
- The normal minimum qualification to be eligible for graduate study at Oxford is the completion of a Bachelor’s degree with a first or upper second class honours, usually between 3.5-3.8 GPA (US) or an average grade of above 85% in China.. To find out more about how your degree compares with those awarded in the UK, contact UK-NARIC for advice. Students applying for a doctoral course usually need to complete a master’s degree first.
- In addition to meeting the academic selection criteria for your course, you will need to demonstrate your ability to study in English. Evidence needs to be in the form of a certificate of English language test taken within two years of the date your course starts. Please check the Course Guide to determine whether your course requires Standard or Higher scores.
- The full requirements for each course are listed in our Course Guide in the right-hand column for each departmental page under ‘Key Facts’.
Application Deadlines
The standard university-wide application deadlines for entry in October 2014 are as follows:
Friday 22 November 2013
Only selected programmes use this deadline – for details, see the Course Guide.
Friday 10 January or Friday 24 January 2014
All programmes use one or other of these deadlines – for details, see the Course Guide. These are also the deadlines for most scholarships.
Friday 14 March 2014
Only selected programmes use this deadline – for details, see the Course Guide.
Saturday 15 March to Sunday 31 August 2014
Some courses will remain open beyond 14 March where places remain available. During this period, up-to-date information on which courses are open will be available via our website.
If you are interested in applying to programmes in management studies offered at the Saïd Business School, please check their website for information, as deadlines for these programmes may differ.
Visas and Immigration
The University provides detailed help and advice with respect to visa requirements before, during and after your studies. Our dedicated team of immigration advisers within the Student Information and Advisory Service offer advice and help to international students and their dependants throughout the visa application process.
Settling in at Oxford
The University’s Student Information and Advisory Service provide a number of services to students including International Orientation sessions, a ‘Meet and Greet’ service at Heathrow airport, and cultural awareness workshops. At the beginning of the autumn term, the University holds an Orientation Day for students who are new to the UK, offering practical information sessions to help you settle into life in Oxford.