Lady Margaret Hall
Lady Margaret Hall has a thriving graduate community, welcoming students from all over the world.
The Talbot Building of Lady Margaret Hall, viewed across the Wolfson Quad. Credit: Oxford University Images / John Cairns Photography
About the college
The college is a vibrant, interdisciplinary community that balances student wellbeing with academic excellence. The college provides an inclusive experience to students from diverse backgrounds and from across the world.
As the first women’s college in Oxford, LMH is proud to continue its emphasis on equality and increasing diversity in Oxford. The college created a pioneering ‘Foundation Year’ to bring disadvantaged students to Oxford as undergraduates, which has been adopted by the University as the Astrophoria Foundation Year. LMH is proud to be associated with the Oxford Pakistan Programme which provides scholarships to Pakistani and British Pakistani students who would otherwise not be able to study at Oxford.
LMH admits students across a range of subjects, and aims to integrate graduate and undergraduate students, which provides opportunities for research students to gain some experience of mentoring and tutorial teaching. The college has a particular strength in Law, with an active Law society and strong connections to the Refugee Studies Centre (which was founded by an LMH alumna). LMH is particularly interested in applications related to addressing disadvantages. LMH is the college associated with the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) and also welcomes applications from students interested in broader issues of conservation and climate change.
The college features an eclectic collection of modern art, along with an expansive 13 acres of gardens made up of riverbank, biodiverse meadows, and formal planted borders.
Since 2022, LMH has held an NUS Green Impact ‘Beyond Gold’ Award for its efforts in promoting environmental sustainability. The college is also proud to be a Fairtrade college. LMH also holds a Platinum Investors in People award for the LMH support staff, the only Oxford College to have achieved this.
Key facts
| Students (total*) in 2025-26 | Full-time places in 2027-28 | Part-time places in 2027-28 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taught graduates | 130 | c. 74 | c. 0 |
| Research graduates | 180 | c. 46 | c. 0 |
| Undergraduates | 415 | N/A | N/A |
*Total across all year groups (see source data)
1878
College tour
Facilities
The college has a well-stocked library, open 24/7 with a self-service system. The collection covers all areas studied in the college, and has a generous book purchasing policy which includes buying books to support the research interests of individual students. The entire collection is on the same library catalogue as the central university libraries, SOLO. The library has ample seating, with wired network connection points in every bay.
The library also houses a computer room with a photocopier, printers, and computers.
Wi-Fi access is available across the college site, including the MCR and library.
Lady Margaret Hall has a strong musical tradition, supported by an excellent organ and chapel choir, active musical society and several rooms with pianos. Chapel music is led by the Director of Music and supported by the organ and choral scholars. Choral scholars are appointed post-admissions, but all who want to sing are welcome.
Sports facilities include an on-site punt house and river sports club, tennis courts and fitness room. Lady Margaret Hall and Trinity College share a boathouse on the Isis, and a sports field is shared between Trinity College, St Catherine's College, and LMH, which is located on Marston Road with space to play rugby, football, hockey and cricket.
The dining hall and some teaching rooms on the ground floor have wheelchair access and there are level pathways/stair lift to main meeting/function rooms elsewhere in the college. Many routes around the site feature automated doors to enable independent access.
The library has ground floor access, a stair lift to the middle floor, and a book fetching service for the top floor. Books can also be delivered to outside your room, or to the Lodge.
Car parking can be made available close to the main building entrances for student drop-off and collection. Some fully accessible en-suite rooms are made available as part of the graduate room allocation process, though due to limited availability we cannot guarantee accommodation to all who apply.
Four induction loops have been fitted in the college (Chapel, Lecture Theatre, Porters' Lodge, and Talbot Hall) and a number of student rooms have wired vibrating/visual fire alarms, whilst portable devices can be used in others.
Please contact the college about any accessibility requirements.
LMH is passionate about nurturing a supportive and healthy environment for our whole community. We have a team of health professionals, tutors, support staff and students, led by our Heads of Wellbeing, dedicated to providing help and advice. Details about our Welfare provision may be found on the College website.
All graduates are members of the LMH Middle Common Room. The purpose-built common room offers members free tea and coffee in a spacious dining area with access to a large and fully equipped kitchen, and an external terrace with barbeque. There is a spacious TV room with access to various streaming services, a Wii, and table football. The MCR Committee (elected by students) also arranges a wide range of social and welfare activities for all graduate students.
Accommodation and meals
The college accommodates its graduate students in single study bedrooms at Lady Margaret Hall’s main site in North Oxford. In recent years, LMH has offered additional off-site accommodation/housing through the University Nomination programme in other areas of Oxford. The college is not able to offer accommodation for families, but those with families may apply for University accommodation.
The Clore Graduate Centre opened in 2016 and provides a number of en-suite study bedrooms for graduate students. Further accommodation is available in the college's houses near the main college site, and in other historic buildings within the grounds. All on-site accommodation is located within a couple of minutes' walk of the college library, MCR and dining hall.
When allocating graduate rooms, the priority for the college is to house students in their first year of studies. Priority is given to disabled students and those from overseas. For students returning after their first year of studies, accommodation is normally only available for a small number of students active in college life who have been elected as Middle Common Room (MCR) officers. Accommodation for other returning graduates is subject to availability.
More information about accommodation at Lady Margaret Hall is available on the college website.
For ten weeks each term, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the college's dining hall from Monday to Friday, with brunch available on Saturday. The dining hall is closed on Sunday. All graduate residents have access to shared self-catering facilities within their accommodation buildings. Outside term time a reduced catering service is usually available. The college offers graduates some free formal dinners to ensure that everyone can have that quintessentially Oxford experience.
The cost of meals in the dining hall is not included in the accommodation charge and they are offered (at subsidised costs) on as pay-as-you-go basis using a cashless payment system.
Courses
For entry in 2027-28
This college accepts graduate students for the following courses:
- MPhil + DPhil in Economics (full time)
- MSc in African Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Ancient History (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Ancient History (full time)
- MSt in Ancient History (full time)
- MSt in Ancient Philosophy (full time)
- DPhil in Area Studies (China) (full time)
- DPhil in Astrophysics (full time)
- DPhil in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics (full time)
- DPhil in Atomic and Laser Physics (full time)
- Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (EPSRC CDT) (full time and part time)
- Bachelor of Civil Law (full time)
- DPhil in Biochemistry (full time)
- MSc by Research in Biochemistry (full time)
- MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Nature Recovery (full time)
- DPhil in Biology (full time)
- MSc by Research in Biology (full time)
- DPhil in Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam) (full time)
- BPhil in Philosophy (full time)
- MPhil in Buddhist Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Cancer Science (Clinician) (full time)
- DPhil in Cancer Science (Intercalation) (full time)
- Cancer Science CDT (Biological background) (full time)
- Cancer Science CDT (Maths/Physics background) (full time)
- DPhil in Chemistry (full time)
- MSc by Research in Chemistry (full time)
- DPhil in Classical Archaeology (full time)
- MPhil in Classical Archaeology (full time)
- MSt in Classical Archaeology (full time)
- DPhil in Classical Languages and Literature (full time and part time)
- MSc in Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience (full time)
- DPhil in Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Clinical Medicine (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Clinical Neurosciences (full time and part time)
- MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation (full time)
- MSc in Comparative Social Policy (full time)
- DPhil in Computer Science (full time)
- DPhil in Condensed Matter Physics (full time)
- MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies (full time)
- MSt in Creative Writing (part time)
- DPhil in Criminology (full time and part time)
- MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Development Studies (full time)
- Doctor of Medicine (DM) (variable intensity)
- DPhil in Economic and Social History (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Economic and Social History (full time)
- MSc in Economic and Social History (full time)
- DPhil in Economics (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Economics (full time)
- MSc in Economics for Development (full time)
- DPhil in Education (full time and part time)
- MSc in Education (Child Development and Education)
- MSc in Education (Comparative and International Education) (full time)
- MSc in Educational Assessment (part time)
- Engineering Biology (EPSRC and BBSRC CDT) (full time)
- DPhil in Engineering Science (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Engineering Science (full time)
- DPhil in English (full time and part time)
- MSt in English (650-1550) (full time)
- MSt in English (1550-1700) (full time)
- MSt in English (1700-1830) (full time)
- MSt in English (1830-1914) (full time)
- MSt in English (1900-present) (full time)
- MSt in English and American Studies (full time)
- MPhil in English Studies (Medieval Period) (full time)
- MSc in Environmental Change and Policy (full time)
- MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation (full time)
- MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation (full time)
- DPhil in Experimental Psychology (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology (full time and part time)
- MSt in Film Aesthetics (full time)
- DPhil in Fine Art (Contemporary Art History and Theory) (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Fine Art (Practice-led) (full time and part time)
- Fusion Power (EPSRC CDT) (full time)
- DPhil in Genomic Medicine and Statistics (full time)
- DPhil in Geography and the Environment (full time and part time)
- MSt in Global and Imperial History (full time)
- MPhil in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature (full time)
- MSt in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature (full time)
- Healthcare Data Science (EPSRC CDT) (full time)
- DPhil in History (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (British and European History 1700-1850) (full time)
- MSt in History (British and European History 1700-1850) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Early Modern History 1500-1700) (full time)
- MSt in History (Early Modern History 1500-1700) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (History of War) (full time)
- MSt in History (History of War) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Intellectual History) (full time)
- MSt in History (Intellectual History) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Medieval History) (full time)
- MSt in History (Medieval History) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Modern British History 1850-present) (full time)
- MSt in History (Modern British History 1850-present) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Modern European History 1850-present) (full time)
- MSt in History (Modern European History 1850-Present) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (US History) (full time)
- MSt in History (US History) (full time and part time)
- MPhil in History (Women's, Gender and Queer History) (full time)
- MSt in History (Women's, Gender and Queer History) (full time and part time)
- DPhil in History of Art (full time and part time)
- MSt in History of Art and Visual Culture (full time)
- MPhil in History of Science, Medicine and Technology (full time)
- MSc in History of Science, Medicine and Technology (full time)
- MSc in Integrated Immunology (full time and part time)
- MSc in Intellectual Property (part time)
- Intelligent Earth (UKRI CDT in AI for the Environment) (full time)
- DPhil in International Development (full time and part time)
- MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (full time)
- DPhil in International Relations (full time and part time)
- MPhil in International Relations (full time)
- MPhil in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (full time)
- MSt in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Law (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Law (full time)
- MSc in Law and Finance (full time)
- MSc in Learning and Teaching (part time)
- MPhil in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (full time)
- DPhil in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (full time and part time)
- MSt in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (Advanced Study) (full time)
- MSt in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (Research Preparation) (full time)
- Magister Juris (full time)
- Master of Fine Art (MFA) (full time)
- Master of Public Policy (MPP) (full time)
- MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance (full time)
- MSc in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics (full time)
- MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing (full time)
- MSc in Mathematical Sciences (full time)
- DPhil in Mathematics (full time)
- MSc by Research in Mathematics (full time)
- MSc in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science (full time)
- DPhil in Medical Sciences (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages (full time and part time)
- MSt in Medieval Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Migration Studies (full time and part time)
- MSc in Migration Studies (full time)
- MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies (full time)
- MPhil in Modern Languages (full time)
- MSt in Modern Languages (full time)
- MSc in Modern South Asian Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Molecular and Cellular Medicine (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Molecular and Cellular Medicine (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease (full time)
- DPhil in Musculoskeletal Sciences (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Musculoskeletal Sciences (part time)
- MSt in Music (Composition) (full time)
- MPhil in Music (Composition) (full time)
- DPhil in Music (Composition) (full time and part time)
- MSt in Music (Musicology) (full time)
- MPhil in Music (Musicology) (full time)
- DPhil in Music (Musicology) (full time and part time)
- MSt in Music (Performance) (full time)
- MPhil in Music (Performance) (full time)
- MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance (full time)
- MSc in Neuroscience (full time)
- DPhil in Neuroscience (1+3) (full time)
- DPhil in Oncology (full time)
- DPhil in Paediatrics (full time)
- DPhil in Particle Physics (full time)
- MSc by Research in Pharmacology (full time)
- DPhil in Pharmacology (full time)
- MPhil in Philosophical Theology (full time)
- MSt in Philosophical Theology (full time)
- DPhil in Philosophy (full time)
- MSt in Philosophy of Physics (full time)
- MSc by Research in Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (full time)
- DPhil in Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (full time)
- DPhil in Politics (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government) (full time)
- MPhil in Politics (European Politics and Society) (full time)
- MPhil in Politics (Political Theory) (full time)
- DPhil in Population Health (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Primary Health Care (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Psychiatry (full time and part time)
- MSc by Research in Psychiatry (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Public Policy (full time and part time)
- MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (full time)
- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Net Zero (EPSRC CDT) (full time)
- MSc in Russian and East European Studies (full time)
- MPhil in Russian and East European Studies (full time)
- MPhil in Slavonic Studies (full time)
- MSt in Slavonic Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation (full time and part time)
- DPhil in Social Policy (full time and part time)
- MPhil in Socio-Legal Research (full time)
- DPhil in Socio-Legal Studies (full time and part time)
- MSc in Sociology (full time)
- DPhil in Sociology (full time and part time)
- MSc in Statistical Science (full time)
- DPhil in Statistics (full time)
- MSc by Research in Statistics (full time)
- Statistics and Machine Learning (EPSRC CDT) (full time and part time)
- MSt in Study of Religions (full time)
- Superconductivity: Enabling Transformative Technologies (EPSRC CDT) (full time and part time)
- MSc in Teacher Education (part time)
- MPhil in Theology (full time)
- MSt in Theology (full time)
- DPhil in Theology and Religion (full time and part time)
- MSc in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (full time)
- DPhil in Theoretical Physics (full time)
- MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management (full time)
- MSt in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (full time)
- DPhil in Women's and Reproductive Health (full time)
Location
The college is located on a beautiful 12-acre site bordered by the University Parks and the River Cherwell (it has punts on site). It is adjacent to the Department of Education.
Contact details
For application process enquiries, please refer to our frequently asked questions.