DPhil in Public Policy
About the course
The DPhil in Public Policy provides academically outstanding students, committed to public service, an unrivalled opportunity to study for a rigorous research degree that prepares them to have substantial impact on future policymaking processes.
The DPhil specialises in discipline-based, policy-driven research, applying rigorous social science to analysing policy issues with the explicit goal of prescribing solutions for policymakers. You will concentrate on research that answers policy questions with rigorous conceptual design, theoretical insight, and empirical methods. As well as honing your research skills and developing your interdisciplinary understanding of policy challenges, you will also enhance your ability to communicate your research findings to the policy community in a way that ensures real-world impact. You will join a school which conducts ground-breaking academic research where international leaders will engage with you and your scholarly community on the most pressing issues of our time.
The DPhil in Public Policy is one of Oxford's most selective degree courses and recruits those who are highly academically and professionally capable. Your peer group will include economists, lawyers, political scientists, behavioural scientists, and philosophers with professional backgrounds at international organisations such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum and senior levels of government.
To learn more about the research topics you’ll have the opportunity to explore, please refer to the Research areas section on this page.
You will be expected to focus your research on practical challenges facing a range of different governments and publicly-oriented agencies. As well as developing your academic expertise, you will learn how to communicate your findings and analysis effectively so as to have real impact on government and public policy development throughout the world.
You will be given ample opportunities to present your work in the department, and develop your research ideas and proposals with the advice and support of your peers.
Research Development Seminars (RDS) will give you the opportunity to meet and discuss your research with other students, and the Blavatnik School hosts regular seminars and events with leading public policy practitioners, affording further networking and socialising opportunities. There is an array of research seminars that run across the University and you will be encouraged to attend and, if appropriate, to present at events relevant to your areas of interest. Part-time as well as full- time students will normally be required to attend all twelve of the RDS during their first year. This is to help you to establish a clear line of thinking and maximise the opportunity to integrate with all first-year students.
Through the research training offered by the Social Sciences Division you can also take part in a range of skills development training sessions available across departments. Part-time students will be expected to identify, in consultation with their supervisors, their anticipated advanced research skills needs in their first year, and focus on acquiring these additional skills in their second, third and fourth years from the Social Science Division’s research methods and training programme and, as the DPhil in Public Policy is multi- and interdisciplinary in character, from relevant training opportunities in the wider University and nationally.
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 programme is studied over three to four years. The part-time programme has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years.
If studying part-time, you will be required to commit approximately 20 hours per week to your studies. You will also be expected to be in Oxford for at least the first few weeks of the first term so that you can fully participate in the induction activities which are held at the beginning of Michaelmas term (October).
Part-time students are expected to be active members of the Blavatnik School of Government Research Community even when not in Oxford.
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.
The Blavatnik School does not have its own library because most reading material is made available electronically.
However, you will have access to the Social Science Library in addition to other University libraries and centrally-provided electronic resources.
You will have the opportunity to attend a variety of student social events at the Blavatnik School including the annual induction programme. You will also have access to a student common room and kitchen facilities close to your workspace.
The Blavatnik School benefits from its own ICT team, which provides support and advice to students. Students are expected to bring their own laptop.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Blavatnik School of Government and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming students to work with a particular member of staff.
Your supervisors are carefully selected and will include a member of core member of faculty, together with other academics from the school or the University. You will usually have two supervisors during your DPhil research.
Your primary supervisor will establish a timetable of regular meetings for detailed discussion of your work and progress, normally a minimum of nine one-hour meetings (or equivalent) each year, although the frequency of meetings will vary depending on your stage of research.
Assessment
In your first year, you will be admitted to Probationer Research Student (PRS) status in the first instance. As a PRS, you will focus on the development and early work of your thesis.
Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for, and achieve, transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students and by the sixth term for part-time students by submitting a research outline and a substantial piece of written work. These are assessed by two academics (at least one of whom will usually be a Blavatnik School faculty member), who will also interview you about your work. A similar exercise then takes place in your ninth term (fourteenth term if you are part-time) when you will apply for confirmation of DPhil status.
After three or at most four years (no later than eight years if you are part-time) you are expected to submit your final thesis. Your thesis will be read by two examiners who conduct an in-depth oral examination with the student, known as a viva voce. On the basis of their report, you will either be awarded the DPhil (which may be subject to major or minor corrections) or referred back to make revisions to the thesis.
Graduate destinations
Graduates of the DPhil in Public Policy will be professional social scientists working in the area of public policy. You will be prepared to lead on devising, implementing, and evaluating innovative policy solutions; and you will be expertly qualified to conduct research, whether as an academic, in a governmental role, or in other influential policy organisations, institutes, and think tanks.
The school’s alumni form a close-knit community providing social connections, professional guidance and a trusted source of advice. These connections also serve as powerful reminders for all of us of our shared commitment to public service and our desire to make a positive difference in the world. More information about the school's alumni can be found on the alumni page of the Blavatnik School of Government's website.
At the Blavatnik School of Government you will develop the skills required to succeed in your career as well as benefit from a programme of career-focused events. Collaborating with your fellow students and faculty will help you discover career paths and opportunities in public service and academia. The Blavatnik School of Government also offers an outstanding programme of speaker events at which many visitors discuss their careers, and outside of the school there are many events organised by departments, centres, societies and colleges – all of these provide opportunities to meet with global specialists and develop your network of contacts.
In addition, students can receive expert one-to-one careers advice at the University's Careers Service, which is very close to the Blavatnik School, and attend careers fairs, talks, workshops and employer presentations.
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.
Research areas
The DPhil in Public Policy in has an emphasis on solving pressing public problems and provides robust training for understanding particular policy challenges and for evaluating, devising or implementing policy solutions.
At the Blavatnik School of Government the focus is on question-driven research: this means that the focus is on analysing and finding solutions to policy issues and challenges that governments face around the world. As a DPhil student, you will concentrate on research that answers policy questions, drawing on rigorous concepts, theory and methods from multiple disciplines, rather than developing new theories or methods in a particular discipline.
Further information
Information about academic and research staff and research at the school is available on the department's website.
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.
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 with a mark of at least 70% (or an equivalent level of distinction for both the thesis and overall degree) in a relevant subject; and
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any subject.
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or equivalent.
Applicants should hold a master's degree with training in research methods and design or be able to demonstrate significant knowledge and experience of research methods appropriate to their intended area of doctoral study. The master's course must be completed and a final transcript available prior to the start of the DPhil.
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. However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have achieved higher GPA scores.
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
You are not required to submit scores from standardised tests such as the GRE, GMAT or LSAT but you can submit them if available.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
In addition to academic excellence, the assessors will look for evidence that:
- your research interests focus on policy-relevant challenges facing governments and/or publicly-oriented agencies around the world;
- you show an interest and ability to make real world change happen through your research and/or your employment or voluntary work.
The Blavatnik School of Government does not expect applicants to have published. However, if you have published scholarly research, you should mention it in your application.
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.
Applicants who are successful in the initial round of assessment may be invited to interview (usually in early March). The interview will be held online (with or without video) and there will be a minimum of two interviewers.
The interviewers may ask questions about the application submitted for the DPhil and about the research proposal but no advance preparation is required. Applicants will also be given the opportunity to raise any questions they have about the programme.
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.
Permission to use data obtained through your employment
If you are embarking on study with the support of your employer and intend to use data obtained through your employment, evidence should be provided of permission to use your employers’ data in your proposed research project.
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 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 Blavatnik School of Government's website.
Costs
Annual course fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Full-time study
Part-time study
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
Full-time study
Part-time study
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).
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 in the 2026-27 academic year is between £1,405 and £2,105 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 (if visitor 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.
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, including advice 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?
If you have any questions about the course, please consult the Blavatnik School of Government website. If you have any questions that are not answered by the Blavatnik School website, please contact the admissions team via the email address provided on this page under 'Further information'.
Please note that academics at the Blavatnik School are unable to comment on your suitability for the course or offer advice on the admissions process. Please do not contact faculty directly, instead contact the admissions team with any queries you may have. The Blavatnik School will appoint a supervisor in the event that your application is 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.
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 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
You do not need a confirmed supervisor in order to apply, although the department does recommend that you indicate one or more potential supervisors under 'Proposed supervisor'.
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.
At least one reference must be from your current or most recent academic institution.
Current master’s students, or those who have completed a master’s degree, are required to submit a reference from their supervisor or course director on the master’s programme.
If you have been out of university education for an extended period a professional reference may be submitted instead, but please be aware that any such reference should still comment on your academic suitability for the DPhil in Public Policy, and that an academic reference is preferred.
If you do not provide academic references that meet the criteria listed above, you may be asked to do so before the assessment of your application can be completed.
Your references should attest to your intellectual ability, academic achievement, academic writing ability and career motivation.
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.
CV/résumé
A CV/résumé is compulsory for this course. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic achievements and any relevant professional experience.
Statement of purpose and research proposal:
Statement of a maximum of 1,000 words and proposal of a maximum of 2,500 words
Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal 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.
Statement of purpose
Your statement of purpose should briefly describe your reasons for choosing the Blavatnik School of Government as well as outlining your interest in public policy and public service, your capacity for sustained and focused work, and what your previous experience and future career plans are. You should make clear who you would ideally like to be supervised by, together with a rationale for your preference. You should also make clear your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description if you are applying for part-time study.
Your statement of purpose should be written in English and should be a maximum of 1,000 words. The word count does not include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
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).
Research proposal
Your research proposal should outline the policy question you wish to address, indicate why this is significant and make clear how you plan to research and answer this question.
The proposal must include the following:
- the policy-focused research question that you wish to research and an explanation of its significance
- the analytical framework you propose to employ
- the research methods that you will use and your level of expertise in using them
- the data sources upon which you will draw (in the case of archives or databases, you should note whether or not they are publicly available, their locations and any permissions that may be required)
- a provisional timetable
- a list of the most important existing scholarly publications on the subject.
Your research proposal should be written in English and should be a maximum of 2,500 words. The word count does not include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Your research proposal will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying
- the coherence of the proposal
- the significance and policy-relevance of the project
- evidence of competency in research methods needed to carry out the proposed research
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English
- the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of three years if full time)
- commitment to the subject
- knowledge of research techniques needed for the proposed thesis
- reasoning ability.
It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method when submitting your application.
Use of AI tools
With fast paced developments in AI, and its increasing use in both academic and professional settings, the University of Oxford has published guidance about using it with integrity to support learning. In this context, at the end of your references or bibliography, please also briefly answer the following questions:
- Did you use an AI tool to assist in the researching or writing of your research proposal? If so, please set out how you made use of it.
- We know many candidates have access to AI and so if you used this, please state which model and which version you used and how helpful you found it. Please also reflect on some of its limitations.
The use of an AI tool will not be treated negatively in the assessment of your application.
Written work:
One essay of a maximum of 2,000 words
You are required to submit a sample of work, which must be entirely your own and in English. You cannot submit a co-authored piece. An extract from a longer piece may be submitted but should be prefaced by a note that puts it in context.
The word count should be adhered to should exclude any footnotes, annotations or bibliography used. Written work which exceeds the word count will not be read.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for:
- comprehensive understanding of the subject area
- understanding of problems in the area
- ability to construct and defend an argument
- powers of analysis
- powers of expression
- familiarity with the literature on the subject
- evidence of a keen interest and understanding of policy analysis.
The written work does not need to relate closely to the proposed area of study but should permit the Blavatnik School of Government Admissions Committee to assess your analytic ability as described above.
Detection of plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition. Plagiarism may be intentional or reckless, or unintentional. The test for determining if plagiarism has taken place is quite simple: has material been included in this piece of work without adequate referencing? If the answer to this is ‘yes’, then plagiarism has occurred. Therefore, when taking information from a source it is important that the source is fully acknowledged.
Plagiarism and collusion are serious offences and in order to protect the credibility of the application process applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of their work. All applications are put through plagiarism detection software to identify applicants submitting an application that is not their own original work. More information about plagiarism can be found on our plagiarism page.
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.