Magdalen College
About the college
Magdalen has some of the most beautiful buildings in Oxford and is set in 120 acres of grounds which include the Deer Park and Addison’s riverside walk. The atmosphere is relaxed but with ambitions towards academic and extra-curricular success.
The college attracts a large number of applicants each year and competition for places is extremely keen. The graduate common room (MCR) is very diverse and lively, hosting formal guest dinners, exchange dinners with other colleges’ MCRs, common room bops, Sunday brunches, academic colloquia, and sports days.
College tour
College facilities
Library and IT services
The college has a number of well-provisioned libraries with both general and specialist collections: the Longwall Library, Law Library, Daubeny Library, McFarlane Library for specialist history texts, and Old Library for rare books and manuscripts.
Wi-Fi is available throughout Magdalen. All student rooms also have an Ethernet connection point. The college has computer facilities in the Longwall Library and a dedicated computer room in St Swithun's quad, with Microsoft Office software, printing, scanning and other facilities.
Sport, music and college facilities
Magdalen College has on-site facilities for rugby, cricket, football, squash, tennis and hockey, and an all-weather pitch. The college is conveniently located for access to the University's gym and swimming facilities and there is also a thriving college boat club.
There are a number of active choirs and other musical groups supported by music practice rooms and the Grove Auditorium, seating up to 160 people.
Other student societies include drama groups and the Magdalen Film Society, screening a full programme each term in the auditorium.
The college has extensive grounds with a Deer Park, water meadow, and Addison’s Walk, and offers punting and croquet.
Facilities for disabled students
Most areas of the main college site are accessible, including the library, auditorium, Hall and Old Kitchen Bar. A single study-bedroom on the ground floor of the Daubeny Building, across the road from the main college, is accessible and can be adapted as required. Please contact the college about any accessibility requirements.
Welfare
Magdalen has a large welfare team which provides pastoral support to graduate students, including a Dean for Welfare, a College Mentor for Students, a College Counsellor, a College Nurse and College Doctors, Tutors for Equality and Diversity and MCR Welfare Officers. Support for disabled students and welfare support for all students is coordinated by two Student Support Administrators, and there are also four Sub-Deans – who are themselves graduate students – to help with welfare-related issues out of office hours and at weekends.
MCR
Graduate social life centres on the flourishing and cosmopolitan Magdalen Middle Common Room (MCR). This provides numerous amenities and organises outings, social events and sporting activities.
Accommodation and meals
Accommodation
Magdalen College has a number of single study bedrooms available for graduates, all of which are located within a few minutes' walk of the main college entrance. Accommodation is guaranteed for the first two years of graduate study, subject to receipt of an accommodation application form within the deadline given. Further years may be available subject to the number of graduates eligible, and to refurbishment programmes.
The letting period for accommodation is October 1 to June 30, and vacation residence is also available.
Meals
Meals may be taken in the college's dining hall or Old Kitchen Bar almost all year round, and all accommodation areas have access to self-catering facilities. There is a termly fixed charge for catering.
Further information on accommodation and catering at Magdalen College is available on the college website.
Courses
This college accepts graduate students for the following courses:
Please note that not all subjects areas or streams of a particular course may be offered by this college. Please see the college information on the relevant course page for further details. For a comprehensive list of all graduate courses available at the University of Oxford, please refer to our courses A-Z listing.
Location
Key facts
Magdalen College,
Oxford OX1 4AU
www.magd.ox.ac.uk
Founded
1458
| Students (total*) in 2023-24 | Full-time places in 2025-26 | Part-time places in 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taught graduates | 45 | c. 45 | c. 0 |
| Research graduates | 145 | c. 54 | c. 0 |
| Undergrad. | 415 | N/A | N/A |
*Total across all year groups (see source data)