DPhil in Theology and Religion
About the course
The DPhil in Theology and Religion is the research degree for graduate students in the Faculty of Theology and Religion. It involves extensive independent study and the opportunity to undertake and present original research at an advanced level.
This degree offers access to a wide variety of experienced specialists in many different fields of theology and religion, including the study of the world religions; biblical studies; science and religion; ecclesiastical history; systematic theology; ethics; patristics, and philosophical theology. You will develop an extensive range of research skills and expertise in your chosen field of research.
Students who have previously completed an MSt or MPhil degree in a relevant subject area at the University of Oxford, typically find that this aids preparedness and accelerates completion of this DPhil.
The Faculty of Theology and Religion may therefore advise applicants who hold or are predicted to achieve a master's degree from another institution, to consider making an initial application for one of the faculty's related MSt or MPhil courses.
As a DPhil student you will become part of an active and vibrant community of graduate research students within the Faculty of Theology and Religion. You will be encouraged to attend and contribute to a wide range of research seminars, workshops and conferences held within the faculty and across the wider Humanities Division. You will also be encouraged to attend and participate in the faculty’s professional development sessions, preparatory teaching workshops and graduate teaching training scheme.
Attendance
The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements. Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
The full-time course is studied over three years and the part-time course has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years.
Part-time study requires prior arrangement with a potential supervisor about time spent in Oxford. Some attendance in term time is normally required.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class 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.
The Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
The Faculty of Theology and Religion will be based in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, a brand-new building at the University of Oxford due to open in 2025, which will accommodate seven faculties, two institutes, a new library, a large number of well-equipped teaching and seminar rooms, and performance and arts venues. The faculty will have its own centre and social hub within the building which will also facilitate interdisciplinary and collaborative work. At the heart of the building will be a large atrium – called the Great Hall – which will be a beautiful space, bringing light into the building, and serving as a space for informal work, relaxation, meeting with friends, taking breaks, having refreshments – and much more.
The library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, will house lending collections for Theology. There will be 340 general reader seats, and around 80 graduate study seats – with a further 320 formal and informal study seats throughout the building outside the library.
Open-shelf lending collections will be complemented by access to electronic resources, scan on demand, and material requested from the Bodleian’s Collections Storage Facility. As well as the Library’s extensive staffed hours, there will be a 24/7 study space, including smart lockers for self-collect of borrowable items out of hours. Subject support is provided by a team of subject librarians.
Further libraries
The Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library (PTFL) is located in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter on the same site as the Schwarzman Centre.
The PTFL is a lending library primarily for staff and students of the two faculties, in support of research, teaching and learning. It has a collection of c. 30,000 books for loan on open access, with a further 20,000 available by request from remote store. It is also a delivery location for books from the Bodleian stacks for reference use in the library. Many books are now also available in electronic format; some are downloadable for 24-hour loan.
Languages
The Oxford University Language Centre offers free or discounted courses to members of the University who wish to learn or improve a foreign language relevant to their academic work – or indeed for their general interest and education. If a course is required for study or research, there is a priority enrolment scheme.
Supervision
You will be assigned a supervisor or supervisors, who will provide support and guidance to help you develop your ideas, direction and a programme of research. A supervisor is expected normally to meet with a research student for a detailed discussion of the student’s progress at least twice a term during the period of study. Meetings are likely to take place more frequently during the early stages of a research programme, and to involve reading and commenting upon substantial amounts of written work during the latter stages.
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of Theology and Religion 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 Faculty of Theology and Religion. In such circumstances, a second internal supervisor may be appointed.
Assessment
DPhil students join the faculty as a Probationary Research Student (PRS) and apply for 'Transfer of Status' usually within their first year (if full-time), or their second year (if part-time). The Transfer of Status process involves the submission of a 5,000 word writing sample, and an interview with two specialist assessors. There is a further assessment of candidates’ work and progress at a more advanced stage of their research, known as 'Confirmation of Status', which requires submission of a 10,000 word extract from the thesis, abstracts, and a further interview with assessors. The degree is awarded on the successful completion of the research dissertation (no more than 100,000 words in length) and an oral examination, commonly called ‘the viva’ (viva voce). The final viva is conducted by an internal and an external examiner with relevant scholarly expertise.
Graduate destinations
Students with graduate qualifications in theology and religion enter a variety of careers. Many Oxford DPhil students proceed to academic posts in major research universities, liberal arts colleges or church seminaries. Some go on to work for charities and for development, non-profit organisations and think tanks, or in faith-based work. Others proceed to successful professional careers in the civil service, consultancy, the media and academic administration.
Changes to this course and your supervision
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.
Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26
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 interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
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.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a master's degree in a relevant subject; and
- a first-class or strong upper second-class (67% or above) undergraduate degree with honours in theology, religious studies or another closely-related field.
Students admitted to the DPhil will usually have a master’s degree in theology or religious studies from a recognised institution.
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class undergraduate degree and a grade of 67% or above in a relevant master's degree.
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 3.6 out of 4.0, and for those with a master’s degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the masters-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.
However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.8 or higher for their bachelor and master’s degrees.
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
Other examination results may be submitted alongside degree qualifications. If offered, the minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores normally sought are 160 in verbal reasoning, 5.0 in analytical writing and 150 in quantitative reasoning.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Dependent on your chosen project, you may be required to demonstrate that you have reached a sufficient level in a language or languages relevant to your study such as Hebrew, Greek, Latin or Arabic.
- Research or work experience in areas of theology may be an advantage, if it demonstrates that you have transferable skills which may be of use during your studies.
- Publications are not required.
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 |
*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 not normally held as part of the admissions process.
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.
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.
Theology and Religion
The Faculty of Theology and Religion at Oxford is a global centre for research in a wide range of fields. There are over 150 graduate students currently studying within the faculty.
Few institutions can offer Oxford’s combination of historic resources, teaching expertise, and a lively research culture where new concepts, theories, and interpretations are discussed and debated everywhere from the seminar room to the college dining table.
Oxford provides its research students with exceptional study resources, including outstanding libraries and a host of research centres. As a leading centre for research, a wide variety of experienced specialists are available to supervise doctoral research in numerous fields of theology and religion at Oxford.
Graduate study in theology and religion at Oxford gives you the opportunity to participate in the faculty’s research culture, to benefit from its outstanding expertise and resources, and to develop your own ideas and thinking.
The faculty offers master’s degrees in all major areas of theology and the study of religions. Most subjects are available as either a nine-month Master of Studies (MSt) degree or as a 21-month Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree, which has a substantial research component.
The doctoral degree, the DPhil, is offered in all areas of theology and study of religions.
A postgraduate diploma (PGDip) is recommended to those who wish to study theology and religion at graduate level but do not have a first degree in theology or religious studies.
The faculty offers a Master of Theology (MTh) and Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Applied Theology to enable theological reflection upon experience in pastoral practice.
Funding
For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January 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 faculty's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Full-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £13,380 |
| Overseas | £34,980 |
Part-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £6,690 |
| Overseas | £17,490 |
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, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
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 information section below.
Continuation charges
Following the period of fee liability, you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
Full-time study
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, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Part-time study
Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college 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 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 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 (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 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. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
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.
Full-time study
The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:
Part-time study
The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:
Before you apply
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 January 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.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the research interests and expertise available in the faculty prior to application. You may contact the subject coordinator of the relevant research grouping prior to application to discuss the viability of your proposed project and whether supervision may be available should your application be successful.
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.
Proposed field and title of research project
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
Proposed supervisor
If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise, leave this field blank.
Referees
Three overall, academic preferred
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.
References should generally be academic. Professional references are acceptable but limited in what they can demonstrate about academic ability; you should submit no more than one such reference.
Your references will support your academic ability, your relevant background knowledge and language skills, and overall suitability for your chosen course.
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.
Research proposal
The research proposal is a crucial element of a DPhil application. It should communicate, not so much your personal autobiography, as your academic commitment and seriousness. Assessors are looking to be persuaded that you know the field in which you propose to conduct research, are committed to spending several years working in it, understand what study in Oxford could offer to you, and have considered the aptness of Oxford’s resources to the proposed research.
You are free to determine the length of your research proposal. If you need any guidance, contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
Content
Each proposal will be read and carefully evaluated by specialists, and should contain an outline of the research you plan to undertake and what you intend to achieve.
All proposals should be submitted in English. A selective bibliography may be included and is not included in the overall page count.
You should explain, within your proposal:
- the specific field of theology and religion in which you propose to conduct research, ie study of religions, Old Testament, New Testament, history of Christianity, patristics, historical and systematic theology, philosophical theology, Christian and religious ethics, science and religion;
- how you intend to structure and undertake your research;
- the questions, problems, issues and debates with which you expect to engage;
- how you see the proposed research building on your previous study;
- your knowledge of any languages required for your research project - if you are unsure which languages might be required, see the entry requirements for the faculty's master's degrees or contact the faculty directly; and
- what you hope to do with an Oxford DPhil.
You may also wish to include a provisional title for your dissertation. While it is normal for plans to change in the course of developing a project, you should make your best effort to define your intended research, identify the focal question or problem to which it will constitute an answer or solution, specify a finite body of core texts or sources, and explain the methods involved.
If you are applying for part-time study, you should provide evidence of your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description (eg completing coursework, assessments, and attending course and University events and modules).
Assessment
This will be assessed for your reasons for applying, the coherence of your proposal, the originality of your project; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study and your ability to present a reasoned case in English.
A research proposal is assessed in terms of the intellectual coherence and academic originality of the project; evidence of the applicant’s motivation and understanding of the proposed area of study; the demonstration of aptness between the proposed research and Oxford’s resources, and the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (up to three years full-time or six years part-time).
The faculty will also assess your commitment to the subject beyond the requirements of the degree course, preliminary knowledge of research techniques, capacity for sustained and intense work, evidence of reasoning ability, and ability to absorb new ideas, which are often presented abstractly at a rapid pace.
Written work:
Two essays of a maximum of 2,000 words each or one essay of a maximum of 4,000 words
Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts of the requisite length from longer pieces are accepted if prefaced by a note which puts them into context.
The topic of your written work is expected to relate closely to the proposed area of study. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for an appropriate intellectual standard, including good theological understanding, conceptual sophistication, analytical and critical skill and the ability to sustain a cogent argument.
Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces
To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:
'I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course.'
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.
Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application
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.