DPhil in Neuroscience (1+3)
About the course
The DPhil in Neuroscience (1+3) is a four-year taught and research-based course at Oxford. It begins with a taught MSc year covering molecular to cognitive neuroscience, followed by a three-year doctoral project in a chosen neuroscience field.
The course takes an integrated approach to neuroscience and provides a wide range of skills training in experimental and theoretical methods that is intended to enable you to ask questions and tackle problems that transcend the traditional disciplines from which this field has evolved.
Course structure
An overview of the course structure is provided below. Details of the compulsory and optional elements of the course are provided in the Course components section of this page.
The first year follows the taught MSc in Neuroscience course and is outlined below. After successful completion of the MSc, students continue with a three-year doctoral research project (DPhil). and approved supervisors.
Year one
During your first year, you will join those students taking the stand-alone MSc in Neuroscience. Having a larger cohort of students enhances and expands the training opportunities available, helping you to make a more informed decision about the topic and design of your doctoral research project.
The MSc academic year begins in late September and is divided into three terms. The first term provides an introduction to neuroscience and research methods through five compulsory introductory modules and associated practical classes. During the second and third terms you will combine advanced taught courses, essay writing and two laboratory rotations (research projects).
You will undertake two extended research projects from a choice of over 100 offered each year by the extensive neuroscience research community in Oxford. You will also attend the graduate programme lecture series, which provides a broad education covering molecular, cellular, systems, computational and cognitive neuroscience.
Each of the MSc research projects lasts for about 16 weeks and is selected from a very extensive list of approved abstracts. With over 100 abstracts submitted each year there is always plenty of choice, but if you are interested in a particular lab or research topic, you are welcome to discuss a potential project independently with an appropriate supervisor. Many of these projects lead to publications.
Early in May of the first year, you will meet with the course director and course lecturer to discuss the process for selecting your DPhil project. You will decide which laboratories and supervisor(s) you wish to work with and prepare a proposal for your three-year doctoral research project. It is recommended that you talk to several potential supervisors and, in many cases, collaborative projects are proposed. Your project can take place in any area of neuroscience within the Oxford network of laboratories
Years two to four
You will begin the DPhil in October of the second year. At this point, you will become integrated within your chosen department(s) and follow the same progression as other research students who work there.
To learn more about the research topics you’ll have the opportunity to explore, please refer to the Research areas section on this page.
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
Provision exists for students on some courses to undertake their research in a ‘well-founded laboratory’ outside of the University. This may require travel to and attendance at a site that is not located in Oxford. Where known, existing collaborations will be outlined on this page. Please read the course information carefully, including the additional information about course fees and costs.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students to support with learning and research, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
Hot desks, within the Department of Experimental Psychology in the heart of the University Science Area, provide a base for MSc in Neuroscience students, which can be particularly important to students on an interdisciplinary course. IT support is provided by an in-house team and all the MSc lectures are given in this department.
This office provision is most important: the department is very conscious that people on interdisciplinary courses that span different departments are prone to suffer from a lack of identity, as compared to students who work within a designated department.
The Radcliffe Science Library is the main library facility for students throughout the four-year course.
The Cortex Club, a student-led organisation for those studying neuroscience in Oxford, provides an extensive series of seminars and social events where students from all departments can meet to exchange ideas. This is in addition to the seminars and other events that are organised at both divisional and departmental level.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Medical Sciences Division and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Medical Sciences Division.
Students on this programme choose their own project and supervisor and the proposal is assessed in Summer of the MSc year by the Organising Committee. It is expected that all students will meet their supervisors at least once per month and with the Directors of the programme annually.
Assessment
In the first year, each of the MSc projects are written up as dissertations. The course concludes the following September with an oral examination.
In the second year, you are initially accepted as Probationary Research Students (PRS) and transfer to full DPhil status by the end of the fourth term. This involves the preparation of a transfer report and an interview to discuss the research you have carried out so far and your future plans with two independent scientists who have relevant expertise.
During the final years of the course you will write a thesis which you will need to defend orally (viva voce).
Graduate destinations
This course has been running since 1996 and more than 100 students have now successfully graduated. It was previously known as the Doctoral Training Programme in Neuroscience (1+3).
Over 75% of the programme's graduates remained in academia as post-doctoral research scientists, either securing prestigious personal fellowships or positions on a grant, and most of the others secured positions in science communication, science administration or went into medicine. Only 5% opted to leave science altogether.
Changes to this course
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Course components
The course components of the MSc in Neuroscience, which you will follow in your first year, comprise compulsory study, option courses, and two research projects as detailed below.
Compulsory study
The first term provides an introduction to neuroscience and research methods through five compulsory introductory modules and associated practical classes:
- Introduction to Neuroscience
- Neuroanatomy
- Synapses and Transduction
- Neuronal Cell and Molecular Biology
- Systems Neuroscience
You will also attend the graduate programme lecture series, which provides a broad education covering molecular, cellular, systems, computational and cognitive neuroscience.
Options
During the second and third terms, alongside your research projects (see below) you will take four advanced option modules and a course in essay writing (Journal club).
Advanced Option modules for the second and third terms offered in previous years have included:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroscience and Clinical Mental Health
- Computational Neuroscience
- Sensory Systems
- CNS Development, Plasticity and Repair
- Molecular Neuroscience
- Genes, Circuits and Behaviour.
Research projects
Alongside the advance options (see above) you will undertake two extended research projects from a choice of over 100 offered each year by the extensive neuroscience research community in Oxford. If you are interested in a particular lab or research topic, you are welcome to discuss a potential project independently with an appropriate supervisor.
Lab rotations are available in at least nine University departments or research centres that contribute to the MSc.
Examples of previous MSc Neuroscience rotation projects from the past five years include:
- Inhibition of alpha-synuclein aggregation and glial activation as a therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease
- A functional and anatomical mechanism for hippocampal-neocortical interaction during memory recall
- Extracting hierarchical structure from experience
- Comparative Mapping of Brain Connectivity
- Developing a robust, high-throughput, probabilistic reversal learning assay to assess behavioural flexibility in mice
- Can Ketamine Reduce Stress Reactivity in Humans? A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Investigation
- Purinergic Modulation of Striatal Dopamine Release
- Towards temporal prediction models of touch for naturalistic stimuli
- The effects of constant light on sleep and torpor
- The contributions of GABA and acetylcholine to attention: a combined pharmacological-TMS study.
Research areas
During the DPhil component of the course, you will undertake research within a specialised theme.
Previously submitted DPhil projects have included:
- Exploring normative models of the visual and auditory systems
- Probing the Mechanisms Underlying the Modulation of Dopamine Release by Axonal Cholinergic Inputs in Mice and Drosophila
- Neuromodulation in Depression: Mechanisms, Practice and Innovation
- Organising memories in the medial temporal lobe: from simple associations to complex hierarchical sequences
- Cortical regulation of sleep
The DPhil research project in years two to four can also be carried out in the same departments as the MSc, giving students the opportunity to choose from a very wide range of research areas.
You may opt to continue one of the MSc lab rotations as your DPhil project, or combine the subject areas or methods encountered during both MSc lab rotations as a collaborative DPhil project. You may also choose a research area that they have not previously tried out during the MSc year.
Further information
Information on academic and research staff and departmental research can be found on the department's website. Examples of projects that have been published from the rotations can be found on the Oxford Neuroscience website. This will give an indication of the breadth of projects available.
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our guidance to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
We know that contextual factors can make it difficult for candidates to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any scientific discipline.
The department encourages applicants with a physical sciences background, as well as those who have studied a biological subject, such as psychology, biochemistry or neuroscience, at undergraduate level.
If in doubt about the eligibility of your qualifications, please contact the department.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Previous research experience as a vacation student or intern can provide an advantage.
- Although it is often the case that applicants for this programme have one or more publications, this is not a requirement.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT* including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced† | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency‡ | 191 | 185 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
‡Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
A shortlist is drawn up based on the academic excellence, potential and motivation for research of the applicants. Approximately 30 candidates will be shortlisted. Interviews usually take place three weeks after the application deadline. All shortlisted applicants will be asked to participate in an online interview.
The interview panel will typically comprise five to seven members of the Organising Committee, with a range of expertise in neuroscience, and candidates will be required to give a ten-minute presentation on a research project in which they have been involved. The panel will then question the candidates about their presentation and also ask more general questions that explore their motivation for and interest in carrying out neuroscience research.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
This course may require you to obtain an ATAS certificate before you can apply for a visa/immigration permission. If you are offered a place, the academic department will confirm whether an ATAS certificate is required. If so, they will also send you the information you need to apply for one. You can apply for ATAS whilst your offer is conditional and before the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is issued. Further information about ATAS is available on the student visa webpages.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Funding
For entry in the 2026-27 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the December deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the following websites:
- Funding information from Oxford Neuroscience
- Funding information from Medical Sciences
Costs
Annual course fees
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
During the first year of the course you will be charged course fees at the MSc in Neuroscience fee rate. These fees are shown in the table below.
Annual MSc in Neuroscience (first year) fees for the 2026-27 academic year
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £14,180 |
| Overseas | £43,730 |
In each subsequent year, you will be charged course fees at the DPhil fee rate for that year of study. For an indication of costs, the table below shows the annual DPhil course fees for the 2026-27 academic year.
Annual DPhil in Neuroscience fees for the 2026-27 academic year
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £10,470 |
| Overseas | £34,700 |
What do course fees cover?
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional costs information below.
How long do I need to pay course fees?
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Graduate students who have reached the end of their standard period of fee liability will be required to pay a University continuation charge and/or a college continuation charge.
The University continuation charge, per term for entry in 2026-27 is £656, please be aware that this will increase annually. For part-time students, the termly charge will be half of the termly rate payable by full-time students.
If a college continuation charge applies (not applicable for non-matriculated courses) it will be between £150 and £500, as explained in our information about continuation charges. Please contact your college for more details, including information about whether your college's continuation charge is applied at a different rate for part-time study.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined;
- changes to fees and other charges; and
- continuation charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you will need to choose two research projects. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2026-27 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,405 and £2,105 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (if dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the DPhil in Neuroscience:
Before you apply
Before you begin an application, we recommend that you consult the Medical Sciences Graduate School's website to identify the most suitable course for your intended area of research.
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the December deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses
If you apply to this course and up to two eligible courses during the same application cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee. We recommend that you use your application fee waiver to apply only for eligible courses that are closely related in research area to this one.
To be considered eligible for an application fee waiver, each additional course must be:
- doctoral level eg a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) or Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) course; and
- offered by one of the departments in the MPLS Division or one of the departments in the Medical Sciences Division.
If this is the first eligible course that you are applying to, you can request an application fee waiver for an additional course after you have submitted your application for this course. If you have already applied to another course that the meets the eligibility criteria shown above, you should request an application fee waiver before starting an application to this course.
Remember to state clearly in your request which course(s) you intend to apply to. If your request is successful, you will receive an application fee waiver code that is valid for this admission cycle (ie for entry in the 2026-27 academic year). Our Application Guide provides instructions for entering your application fee waiver code.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
It is recommended that you contact Dr Deborah Clarke before you apply, using the contact details that can be found under Further information and enquires.
Applying for the MSc in Neuroscience
Please note that if you are applying for this course and your application is unsuccessful, your application will automatically be considered for the MSc in Neuroscience (unless you have requested otherwise in your statement of purpose). You will not need to make an additional application for the MSc course or pay an additional application fee to be considered for both courses under these circumstances.
Improving access to graduate study
This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly.
Contextual data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees/letters of recommendation:
Three overall, academic and/or professional
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Both academic and professional references are acceptable.
Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group, aptitude for research, and evidence of a genuine interest in neuroscience.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Statement of purpose:
A statement of a maximum of 500 words, plus an extended statement of a maximum of 1,000 words
You should provide a statement of your research interests, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the programme. If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
It will be normal for students’ ideas and goals to change in some ways as they undertake their studies, but your personal statement will enable you to demonstrate your current interests and aspirations.
The statement should focus on academic or research-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.
This will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying;
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study;
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English;
- capacity for sustained and focused work; and
- understanding of problems in the area and ability to construct and defend an argument.
Extended statement (mandatory for all applicants)
You must also submit an extended statement in addition to your statement of purpose. The extended statement should be written in English and be a maximum of 1,000 words.
Your statement of purpose and extended statement should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.
The extended statement should be used to provide further detailed evidence of your motivation, relevant skills and/or experiences that enable further insight into your potential as a DPhil student. You might want to highlight in more detail your research outputs or research skills (wet lab or data analysis) and how that links to your project choice. If you have undertaken a team-based research project, please detail your role in that project. If you have had to overcome any personal or research project adversities, please highlight these in this extended statement.
Further consideration of unsuccessful applications
Please note that if your application to this course is unsuccessful, it will automatically be considered for the MSc in Neuroscience (you will not need to pay an additional application fee). If you do not want your application to be considered for the MSc in Neuroscience, you should state this clearly in your statement of purpose.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.