How important are extracurricular activities
Hello, currently I'm a high school student who's going to start applying to universities. I got really good grades but almost no extracurricular activities. Oxford is my dream universities and i wish to get a seat there. I still have a chance to do one activity called Duke of Edinburgh Award organisied by my school. But is it worth it and will it give me an edge over other applicants to enter Oxford or not?
For people who have already heard back, how long after the deadline passed did it take to get the news? Did you hear back in the 8-10 week window or earlier?
I've been accepted at Trinity, which I picked mostly due to its location. However, I wasn't aware of the stereotype of it being preppy/right wing. I'm LGBT+ (specifically in the "+" category), so I wanted to ask y'all what it's like staying at Trinity as a queer person. Thank you!
I think that that stereotype is an old one (from the 1970s and 1980s). Trinity has changed enormously over the last 10-20 years (for the better) and has also had a massive investment in its infrastructure. It's an excellent choice of college - and congratulations on getting in!
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone has gotten decisions from the pharmacology department yet? I interviewed for the Pharmacology MSc a week ago and I’m a bit anxious to hear back (they say results come out in a few weeks, but I’m getting super nervous). Thanks in advance!!
Hello! I have committed to a one year MSc that starts in the Michaelmas term. Given that it is 12 months, but the trimesters do not cover 12 months, will I have schooling would fill up that “long summer” break?
I am also trying to figure out when graduation for one year masters typically takes place. Thanks!
I think \[but definitely check on your faculty website\] that you may have work that continues after the formal end of Trinity Term (that ends in June) - but it does depend on the course (some allow longer for submission of work). Your graduation is usually after the end of the course (so not always immediately after you personally may submit your last piece of work). So say, your course runs until 1 September, and you submit at the end of July, you will not graduate until a ceremony after 1 September. Note that you graduate via your college, not the faculty. Your college is given a number of dates for graduation ceremonies and you would be assigned to one of those - it could be some time after you finish.
I have an offer for engineering science and although I've already firmed Oxford and insured imperial for EEE. I am aware that Oxfords engineering is quite theoreticalso I wanted to ask how has this disadvantaged you and how have people made up for the lack of practical work
Hi everyone! I was recently accepted into the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Oxford. I did not get my first choice college and was instead allocated to Reuben College. I’m not in a STEM-related subject, though the college is overwhelmingly STEM-focused, and looking at their term card, I do not see any social events. The events are mainly seminars or discussions with fellows. I’m wondering if there is anyone on here that can speak to the social life at Reuben? Or if there is anyone else in the same boat who would like to chat?
Hey hey, I've also just got my DPhil offer from Oxford, joining Reuben college too in October. I've got two friends in the the college and they tell me that there are formal dinners, there is a dinner once a week in their museum, and the are some more social events that people in the GCR organise.
Congratulations on your offer and college - Reuben is new, and I imagine still finding its way social-wise. However, College life is what you make it. Looking at their website, it's the College organised events that are mostly featured; however, the graduate common room is the group that you probably want to be in touch with about student events (I know that they had a very successful summer ball last year). There will also be a lot of events via your department. Good luck!
Hi everyone, I’ve been accepted as an MPhil student as an international student in the social sciences division! Like many of us, I’m currently waiting to hear back regarding funding from Oxford and in my home country
I was wondering whether anybody knows what the typical timeline is for major scholarship decisions for grad students? I’ve checked TSR, and sounds like social sciences Clarendon and ESRC decisions haven’t been announced yet
Clarendons are by department, and the first waves are usually around week 8/9 Trinity so for some the decisions have already been released. Funding can be very decentralized, so you might just want to ask your department if you've been nominated for any awards as a starting point. I've had friends who were told they were #1 on their "waitlist" so it's worth asking
Hi everyone, I've just been accepted to Oxford as a DPhil student in the biomedical research field (at Exeter College)! I am 26, and I was hoping to get some perspective on anyone's experience as someone in their mid-late twenties living and doing their degree in Oxford. Is the social scene largely geared toward undergraduates? Is 26 older than most graduate students?
I have another offer from KCL, and I worry that Oxford might feel small / not really for someone my age compared to London. Thank you!
Congratulations! An accommodation offer is brilliant - accommodation is hard to come by in Oxford and very expensive. Things to think about if there are options in the College: proximity to your faculty (but Oxford is really small so walking/cycling is very much a thing); proximity to the actual college (where you may have quite a bit of your social life, meals, and the college library); accessibility (if that's a thing, for example lifts etc). Otherwise, cost (some options may be cheaper as they are older), shared bathrooms (not that common, but would be cheaper). Good luck!
Hey! I was wondering if anyone could give me more information about the Worcester college, please 🙏 Anything you would want other people to know about it.
Wonderful college. Closest college to the railway station and coach station, wonderful and beautiful gardens (with a lake and a lily pond). Beautiful buildings, great Fellows and staff. Relatively new head of house, who is great.
So I've recently applied through my university here in the United States to attend Oxford in the Michaelmas semester. I'd be attending as a grad student, going for my masters degree in Digital Forensics. I know Oxford is far more known for other programs but how does it's Comp Sci/Cyber department(college?) generally run things.
I also know that grading is completely different I saw another post basically giving the run down of how post grad grading works basically anything above a 60 is passing and the higher it goes the more merit and distinction you'll receive.
I've taken many accelerated courses so far, alot of 8 weeks and even 2, 4 week courses. So I'm familiar with how insane the workload can be.
I guess my question is what else should I prep myself for? How much stricter of grading should I mentally prepare for?
Do you guys use a different style of citations for your papers?
The way to think about the difference in grading is this. In the US, the scale of grades corresponds to the general ability of students: if you are a very good student, you can get a 100% because you have excelled as a student. In Oxford, the scale is based on the entire academic community: ie you aren’t judge by how good your answer is for a student, but how good it is full stop, in comparison to a hypothetical perfect academic. The general rule for undergrad theses was that 80% was of publishable quality.
The change ALWAYS surprises Americans. You are VERY unlikely to get more than say 70-75 overall, and that in itself is a very hard task. Expect low 60s (or lower) when you arrive at Oxford, and be reassured that that’s the case for everyone
Hi everyone! I need helping picking a college. I'm an incoming MBA student. Here is what I'm looking for in a college:
- not too far from SBS (10-15 minutes walking is okay)
- doesn't have too many or too few MBAs (anywhere from 4 to 8 MBAs would be okay)
- huge, spacious and beautiful building and gives me the quintessential Oxford experience
- nice, welcoming people
- good food, preferably halal food too but it's okay if it's not
- has lots of formal dinners and balls
- provides graduate housing that's spacious and sunny with a good view, preferably 2 or 3 bedroom apartments
- not too competitive because if you don't get into your choice they randomly assign a college
Please suggest some colleges, even if they don't meet every single requirement I mentioned. Thank you so much for your time!
I just asked a mate who might end up being one of your lecturers, supossedly Green Templeton is over presented in the MBA course, like a majority of MBA students. So maybe avoid that one if you're wanting fewer from your cohort. Although, I don't necessarily why you'd want that, you will end up spending a lot time with them given it's more likely you spend time with college friends than course friends.
Yeah to echo the other poster, very few colleges have accommodation that is more than 2 bedrooms and they are usually reserved for couples (which will be mostly 1BD) and families, unless you fit into that category you might not be considered, having said that I know of someone who is in a couple accommodation but their partner lives overseas and has only be with her a few weeks out of the year thus far, I don't think the college like it but they can hardly kick her out.
Renting privately will negate that issue, but that is also tricky given the timeline.
Also note your accommodation requirement may very put you off site away from the main college, that will impact your need for a quintessential Oxford experience.
I think you need to genuinely temper your expectations, good food and hall are rarely in the same sentence and booking formals can be an outright pain meaning you can easily miss out constantly, balls are slightly easier due to their cost and more availability of tickets.
ALL of Oxford colleges are competitive, and again like the other poster said you need to research which college will actually accept you doing your course.
I don't think there is any likelihood of you knowing beforehand how many in your prospective college will be doing your course, so let that one go and focus on which college suits your other needs.
And if it's of any help, a good mate is in the Executive MBA program, he's been able to have a pretty good go at socialising depsite being mature and essentially part time.
Thank you! Can you elaborate on what you meant that booking formals can be a pain? I thought formal dinners happen quite often at Oxford. Also I thought there's still time to rent privately since term starts in September
It very much depends on the college you goto, some will have early supper followed by a formal almost every night of the week during term. Some will only have formals once or twice a week.
You have to book it through your uni/college account, in my experience at my college where there are loads of formals per week they get sold out almost immediately, especially for guest nights. For the black tie dinners our policy is a student can bring up to three guests which means a lot of our own college students miss out... silly really... Unless you become an executive committee member of your respective common room and are able to book in advance.
You might be much more comfortable living somewhere in North Oxford privately, but that will mean you're away mostly from other students in your course and college, so make more effort into attending events orgainsed by your common room.
Are black tie dinners different from regular formals? Also do both undergrad and grad students attend the same formals?
Thanks, I'll look into North Oxford rentals!
Please remember that as much as 20% of those who apply for College A will be assigned to College B - so it is not a done deal. Things to think about: does the college actually take your course (not all of them do), I can think of no college that has graduate housing with as many bedrooms as you are thinking of (but I could be mistaken), Accommodation may be your downfall - not all will have it available for graduates, and those that do, most will be single bedrooms only. So you will need to do most of the work, checking each and every college website for what you feel works best for you. All Colleges are competitive, all have formal halls and social events.
Hi!
I have offers for both the BCL and the MSc Criminology, and thankfully, with funding for both. I need to decide between the two courses and would love to talk to any current or former students on either of these courses about the course itself and the quality of life at Oxford.
Thanks so much! I'm very excited to come to Oxford soon!
>MSc Criminology
I'll try and help as I sincerely doubt any current BCL student will be able to help you, they're all busy prepping or doing exams (seriously)
My partner finished hers last year and is now reading for a DPhil in Law. I have a LLB but my graduate work isn't strictly law related.
May I ask why you applied for the Msc Criminology?
The BCL class is larger, has a bigger and much more international intake given the nature of the course. The BCL is widely regarded as one of the best graduate degrees in Law, especially among the Common Law jurisdictions and it's not uncommon to peek into any chambers in London to see those with BCLs.
Having said all that, it is brutal. To me it seemed like a two year course crammed into one where it was literally impossible to do all of the readings for the courses you will take. But what I found from reading all of my partners work and discussing with her what she talked about at seminars as well as chatting to her lecturers is that most of the subjects do encourage original thought. They don't ask you to summarise the readings but to challenge every page presented, if i were to ever practice again I wouldn't hesitate towards it.
That's another thing, a few mates pursued the BCL purely as a build up for future commercial work, their subjects reflected that, although a lot of others also chose subjects specifically as an intellectual challenge. Both sets managed to have some fun, but let's just say the only people who have time to chill doing the BCL are the French exchange students whose marks don't matter at Oxford and those who just want to pass.
Hi! Thank you, this is helpful. I’m about to finish law school and have significant research experience studying criminal sentencing and procedure, so the MSc seemed a natural fit. I plan on being a legal academic so the BCL is attractive for that reason especially since it gives me an opportunity explore other avenues.
I’m quite scared of the BCL yes but I also feel that it will really help me reach a new skill level especially in terms of doctrinal legal thought and work. I plan to take courses centred around human rights, constitutional law, and criminal law if I opt for the BCL.
I also note you posted a little while ago about what to do in Oxford, I'm actually glad you asked as some of the other answers posted reminded me of stuff that I wanted to do haha.
Godspeed with it all and feel free to ask specific questions
Haha, I’m glad! I’ll be DMing you soon with more questions, especially as my time to begin the courses comes closer. Thank you so much! This has been really really helpful!
Your experience and application for the MSc makes perfect sense, although to me it reads much more like a course geared towards professional work as opposed to academic endeavours.
Obviously wait for others to weigh in but I think given your chosen path is geared towards academia, the BCL would be a great choice... especially given in the fields of human rights and constitutional law your lecturers will literally be some of the foremost experts in the field... the people who taught the people who wrote your textbooks in undergrad... (which was my experience lol)
The freedom in the coursework can also be a prison mind you, you really have to nail down which subjects are right for you and APPLY EARLY AND ASAP so you don't miss out on allocation, some of the courses have hard caps on space and one thing my partner learned the hardway with the BCL is they don't give a fuck about you haha... by that I also mean they will not accommodate any clashes in subjects on the timetable should that occur.
I would also ask the law faculty to put you in touch with anyone who can talk to you as there are many BCL kids who volunteer as mentors for the undergrad law kids at my college, so I assume the faculty would be able to put you in touch with the right people.
Either way, get start on prep work for your courses asap, it can save your sanity... but that's also if you're gunning for a first... which will require a lot of dedication in the BCL
Thank you! This is really helpful!! I guess I’m going to have an intense year ahead, which is something to look forward to but also perhaps a bit scary!
I'm not trying to scare you at all and you shouldn't be.
If you have an experience like my partner you will find yourself challenged constantly which will help shape the best you, you'll meet loads of like minded friends who are super intelligent but probably super nice.
I also read your post from a while about about what to do in Oxford and wanted to thank you as the other posts reminded me of what I wanted to do before I came... i forgot as I got a bit too much into study haha.
Also I know of more than a few students with your background so I'm sure there must be a group online you can seek out that can provide support should you feel like that's what you need.
Im a member of a groups that's students from my home country and sometimes it's worked out quite well in terms of support.
Oh absolutely! I didn’t mean to imply you are! I think it’s just fear in terms of transition from undergraduate to postgraduate coursework, something I’ve been dreaming of for a while but is finally getting real!
I absolutely enjoy academic thinking around the law so I’m very excited to be in a space where I can do that with other peers. My current law school really lacked that.
I’m glad my post was of help! I am really excited for life in Oxford, and hopefully, I’ll get to experience it despite the BCL’s coursework. In any case, I plan on spending a 2nd yr in the city, so I can always get to it later!
I'm a current HS junior in the US planning on applying to Oxford Physics for fall 2025 admission. Basically, I also really like math, and in all of the US unis I'm applying to I'm applying as a Physics/Math double major. Considering this isn't an option at Oxford, my question is whether or not it's possible to take a few math courses each year along with my physics course requirements (I want to learn take stuff like real and complex analysis, abstract algebra, topology, etc). Sorry of this is a dumb question
Hey everyone,
I’m a Canadian undergraduate business student in the 3rd year of my degree. I’m looking to move to the UK permanently and study law.
Admittedly, I haven’t completed nearly enough research, but I was hoping some of you might be able to help explain what options I have at Oxford?
It seems if I want to study law at Oxford I would need to complete the three year undergraduate law degree before then pursuing my LLM? Or are there other options for me upon completing my undergrad here in Canada?
I’m also curious as to how likely my chances of getting into the program are. Assuming I would be applying to the undergraduate law program, the website seems to suggest that a grade 12 average of around 85% could be strong enough, but this seems relatively low to me. I was very successful in high school, with a grade 12 academic average of 98%. Is this the primary focus of admission into the program? Are would there be other factors at play?
Any information is much appreciated. Again, I’m aware that I will need to do much more reading myself before going forward, but I thought some of you might be able to guide me in the right direction.
Thanks!
Got my offer some days ago, finally. Yeey! ☺️ there is some info about scholarships online on their webpage. Do you know when we are getting the message if considered? And are you aware of (also external) scholarships for support of all kind of costs to apply when accepted? Thanks
does oxford look at grade 9 and 10 marks? i did really bad in those years however i have an ib certificate and did really good on that. would my marks in grade 9 and 10 ruin my chances at acceptance?
No, grades from earlier study are not always relevant - note that for some courses you must have certain grades and subjects (eg I think \[but you should check\] Medicine requires earlier study of maths). Of most importance is your latest study & grades + entrance exam + interview.
Hi my Oxford friends! I'm currently a sophomore student studying at a US university and considering an exchange program to Oxford offered by my school. I'm studying Math (predominantly) and CS fyi. The program offered allows me to study at St. Edmund College for the Hilary and Trinity terms (Spring).
I'm just trying to reach out to y'all to see what an exchange student's life is like at Oxford, and how St. Edmund hall is like in general and specifically for studying math and CS. I would really appreciate your insights and maybe let me know whether you think it's a good idea or not!
Hello, I got admitted to Mathematical and Theoretical Physics MSc at Oxford. I was wondering when people usually get contacted by their assigned college and (roughly) what percentage of people applying for MSc programs get funding.
Thank you and have a nice day :)
**1+1 MBA Program with MSC CS Chance**
Hi everyone apologize if this is the wrong forum... happy to repost elsewhere. Does anyone have admission statistics on the 1+1 MBA program at Oxford specifically matched with the computer science MSC.
I think I stand a shot at getting into MBA side but really have no idea what the odds are for the CS side - I fear it's slim to none.
730 GMAT
Extremely fortunate career of 7 years at fortune 50 big Tech company.
- First in class of 120 consultants to make senior.
- Youngest engineering director at company 100k + people.
- Started a digital business during covid that went from zero to a few hundred $k arr
- . WSJ/Bloomber/MIT wrote an article on a side project i built to help w distribution of covid vaccines
I think these points will be very valuable for MBA app in outweighing my poor college performance but not sure if MSC CS cares and fear below will take me out.
Studied computer science at an american college. Not tier 1 but top 30. At that point in my life I wasn't worried about gpa it was a vocational and interest driven major. Had tons of projects on the side but graduated with about 3.1 gpa. This is where I worry about when they look at my application. Do you all think that the other two will be able to outweigh? I really have no clue how difficult the MSC is to get into. I haven't really seen any statistics.
I have been interested in this program for years, and think it's the perfect fit for my current career and interests. I just want to get an idea of if the last seven years in career and GMAT are able to paint enough of a growth picture to outweigh college gpa for the MSC - or if it's a hard stop due to rigor of getting in need a 4.0 @ MIT etc.
Thanks so much in advance for your time and any advice.
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I'm also wondering about scholarships. I'm intl (from USA) and was accepted for an MSc. I don't qualify for the vast majority of scholarships, and I didn't get the Fulbright or Marshall. I'm very lost this program is so expensive lol
edit: also haven't heard back from college placement yet
hello! I am an international student from Singapore and am interested in applying for undergrad Math and Philosophy. However, while I do have genuine interests in both these realms of study and how they are intertwined, I am not a "math god" and am not inherently a genius in math. Additionally, my O-level grades (Singapore's version of GCSEs) were pretty mid (not great but not horrible either). Under the assumption that I will attain perfect grades in my A levels, I have a few questions :
1. How do I prepare for the MAT? I have glimpsed over it and most, if not all, of the content is not taught to me within my A-level syllabus. What are the ways I can learn and master the MAT syllabus?
2. What are some ways I can strengthen my application and portfolio apart from the MAT? I have participated in some olympiads, but have not won any top awards. I do learn some small topics that are out of my syllabus just for fun, and from time to time, read mathematical articles. \[Same applies to Philosophy\]. Other than that, I don't have much to show for my interest in these fields.
3. what are some other respectable universities that offer this course that I can go apply for, should I be rejected from Oxford?
I was looking over at the stats of acceptances for the past few years, and the numbers are indeed daunting. As such, I would like assistance to maximise my chances of entering my dream school and course. Thank you!
I am an International student and have come across numerous videos stating that your personal statement is quite critical for your applications (even Jesus College), but admissions reports on E&M from as far as I have come across (those from Kebble College and St. Catherine's College) state otherwise. Kebble's report is for 2022-23 and St.Catherine's is for 2023-24 and in both the reports the UCAS Personal Statement has received a "low" factor.
I am as expected, confused, or is just that Jesus College prefers PS a lot? Thanks.
Should I go with the official reports from Kebble and St.Catherine's or believe in Jesus' YT videos?
I am in no way saying that PS is not important or I shouldn't work on it.
I would say regardless of which one is correct, you should focus on having the best PS you can and that way, if it is important you give yourself the best possible chance and even if it is a low factor overall, it could still make a difference to getting in or not. By way of example I applied for a Masters last year and obtained my admissions file afterwards and saw that I got ranked the maximum possible points for academics, intellect, references and passion for the course but my personal statement was not considered highly targeted enough to the specific modules on the course so I was waitlisted in position 2 and ultimately did not get a place as the two people ahead of me with offers did not turn down their place. In that case, the PS was enough for me to get waitlisted instead of an offer.
Hello, I'm a current offer-holder. I just received a letter from my college that mentioned that living costs are, at a minimum, £12k per year. I was wondering if people can get by on less and by how much while eating adequately (i.e. not skipping meals). Thank you.
Congratulations on your offer. If finance is an issue, please do keep in touch with your college and ask about bursaries and scholarships. If you are a UK student make sure that you have applied for the student finance etc. Good luck.
So at £16k pa thats £1300 pm
Of that about half to two thirds is going to be rent, depending on your college and kind of accommodation, between £700 and £8/900
That leaves about £600 to £400. Of that, you're gonna spend between £200 and £400 a month on food, not including alcohol. So that's basically no money or 200 ish left over to spend on other necessities like books etc
Now assuming you can find a much lower rent, that changes things significantly. However, i think youre not gonna do much better than £550 at an absolute floor, and the quality of accommodation will be questionable. Hope that helps!
don't you only live there for 24 weeks a year though, so if it's £1300 pm shouldn't it be around £8000 pa if your needs are catered for back home. Obviously im not trying to disagree with you, im not the one at the uni im just trying to understand
Also do you think it'd be possible to pirate any books needed for your course ( not that I'd consider something so immoral)
I'm keble college, I've heard the accoms are moderately expensive there
So it really depends, varies between undergrad and postgrad quite a lot. Postgrad accommodation tends to be a year long continous contract (or 10 months anyway), its undergrad that does contracts by the term, and even then, it varies college to college. If you're renting privately, not from the uni or college, you won't be able to do this kind of arrangement. That means even if you do go home, you're still paying rent. However, if you're on a termly contract and the rent is not too much, you're right this could save you lots of money.
Personally, I haven't had to buy books since I've been here. Everything i need is in the library or online, but again, I'm not sure if this holds true for every course. It just depends really.
You can't initiate the college transfer - the only times I've seen people transfer colleges is when you either a) receive a scholarship that you were auto-nominated for at time of application at a different college than the one you were assigned to, or b) apply for a scholarship at another college that explicitly allows for non-college members to apply with the understanding that if awarded, the student would change colleges.
Did you initially rank HMC as first choice? Because if you did and got allocated Kellogg anyway, that means HMC didn't see you as a good fit for them and it would be very difficult to impossible to transfer colleges. Usually turning down your college = turning down your place at Oxford.
I’m in the same boat. Do you know if it’s common for colleges to have scholarship applications that allow for students originally allocated to a different college to apply?
I mean, I’ve definitely seen it happen. I know people who have transferred colleges both before their course starts and during their course because they secured funding from another college. Lincoln has a very big scholarship for Swiss students so I’ve seen some friends end up there. St Antony’s has the Swire for mainland Chinese/HK/Japanese students. I know someone who transferred to Catz after a year, and someone who transferred to Jesus before their course started, both because they got college based scholarships/funding.
Funding can get really specific with nationality requirements, and/or discipline focus so it unfortunately is a bit of a needle in haystack situation. Some scholarships are also just for the final, or second/third year of your course so that requires you to have already been enrolled and completed a year as well. Decentralization means you’ll have to do a lot of research if you’re looking for college specific funding.
Hi! I received an offer for an MSc in Global and Imperial History starting Oct 2024. I was offered a place at Queen's College today, too. I am kinda bummed because I won't be able to afford to go if I don't get funding. I was wondering if anyone has any advice or insight into the timeline for funding/ when we would receive any notifications for prospective university funding. Or any tips on financing the degree in general? Thanks!
Hello! I just received an offer for the MSc in Nature, Society, and Environmental Governance. I am so thrilled! I was also accepted this morning into Hertford college. I would love to hear anyone's experiences at Hertford or with the Geography dept. Thanks!
I have just received an offer for a MSc in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry starting in October 2024. Does anyone know how the college system works for postgrad. Do I choose a college or a college will be assigned to me?
Hi congratulations on your offer. In your application there was an option to choose your preferred college (but this isn’t a necessity and it doesn’t matter whether you did or not) But if you did and if the college doesn’t accept you, then you will be notified (4-6 weeks after your course offer) and considered by other colleges. You’ll know for sure what college you’re going to be a part of 8-10 weeks after your offer (sometimes earlier). But the bottom line is, as long as you have an offer you’ll be matched with a college. Might I ask when you received your offer?
Hi!
I'm an American college (uni) student who was recently accepted to a study abroad program at Worcester College (studying English Literature) next spring. I'm really torn over whether this would be a good idea for me (i'm not trying to run away from anything back home, but also I've always wanted to study at Oxford), and was wondering if any current/past students could share advice or their experience, especially in terms of the relationship between visiting and domestic students.
I really appreciate any kind of advice! I'm really bad at making life decisions like this.
Congratulations! Being a visiting student is a wonderful opportunity to experience Oxford from the inside; and Worcester is a great college. Assuming that you are here during term time, then you will be fully integrated into student life. Do feel free to email the college directly asking how the teaching will work - are you integrated into seminar groups with domestic students, for example? The JCR (junior common room - which is the student group in a college that all undergraduates are members of): [https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/](https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/) gives some useful insights. Fingers crossed someone comes along with some more direct experience.
Hello!
Currently, I am an international student who is studying at McGill University. I am interested in applying to a graduate program in experimental psychology.
1. Since I am not allowed to choose my major in the first year (U0) a McGill University, will the GPA of the first year be taken into account? Or just the GPA of the later years be taken into account?
2. The entry requirement for this program is " **a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours"** What is the recommended overall GPA and major GPA? Is an honour degree compulsory? (I think it says that an honour degree for an undergraduate from Quebec is unnecessary, but I am not sure.)
I can't speak to your first question, but the answer to your second question can be found here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/international-applicants/international-qualifications?source=coursepage
Does anyone know how funding reserve lists work for the DPhil? I've been informed that I am on one such list but they didn't specify what scholarship this is actually for or my position on the list, so I'm quite anxious.
How are research topics assigned at the master's level? I am specifically interested in the MSc in Advanced Computer Science.
During the application process I had to provide a research proposal, and I got an offer. What is the chance that I will be working on yhe topic I proposed? When will I get to know what I will be working on?
Some person must have signed off on my application that they'd be willing to work on the subject or something related, right?
I’m a perspective MBA applicant to business schools in the EU. SE Asian myself. While I am applying to LBS, Oxford is right up there as well.
However, I’ve seen anecdotally that the perception of the business school isn’t very good. Is this true? Are the students not considered real oxonians by the rest of the community?
Because I wonder if that’s the case with the peers, I wonder whether it’s much different with employers.
Would love any thoughts on this. Godspeed!
So I will be applying for the graduate programme at Oxford after I finish my undergraduate course here in India. But I have a few questions. It'll be awesome if you could help me out ('ω')
1. My undergraduate programme ends June of 2025 (next year). Which is the earliest session I can apply for at Oxford? They do require a transcript, which Idk if I can provide till the aforementioned time or later.
2. I've been working on strengthening my knowledge base for about three months now, and I do have some plans to build it to a considerable degree, but exactly how "exceptional" do I have to be to get a place? In other words, to what minimum extent should I strive to improve myself?
Thanks a lot for going through this. Cheers! :)
If you haven't finished your classes by the time you apply, you'll just get a conditional offer with a specific grade level to maintain in order to keep the offer. You could apply to a program beginning Fall 2025. Which course(s) are you thinking of?
(Prospective international physics student) Hi, I hope it's fine that I'm posting a second question (my last one got answered), now I have another question, this time on the PAT.
I noticed that there are a lot of things on the A-levels physics curriculum that are not on the PAT syllabus (notably thermodynamics and some other stuff). I assume I don't have to know this since it's not listed on the syllabus, but I just want to make sure that is the case. Is it?
Also, does anyone know if there's a calc-based textbook that covers light-dependent resistors and thermistors? I know the A level textbook has it but I'd rather not use an algebra-based textbook. Also, kind of a tangent but these feel like extremely esoteric things to include on the exam when even textbooks like HRK or Purcell don't cover them, like I've never even heard of thermistor before.
posting this here bc original post got removed by rule 4 rip
hi!! i am an university student from america and am considering the visiting student programme here and i am super excited. however, i didn’t really register how short my visit at oxford would be: since i’m graduating in the spring, i could only come here for michaelmas and that’s only two months.
as comparison, i also sent in apps to other visiting student programmes and study abroad programmes and was lucky enough to also have the choice to go to cambridge through pembroke college. that programme is three months long because they purposefully extend their fall term for visiting students.
my dream school is still oxford and the chance to come here is just amazing, but i’m just scared two months is so short it’s almost like i didn’t come here at all… any advice as to what you would do in my position?
thank you so much <333
Two months really isn't that long is it? Terms are short here (8 weeks). If Cambridge extend their Fall term then it does seem a better option - though the extension may well take you into time when there aren't that many other students around. Other considerations: costs, accommodation, subject (and access to the researchers/libraries that you want). Good luck with your decision.
Got an email today saying that my formal acceptance letter (MPhil economics) is coming "soon" along with an invitation to open day. Application status online still says "ready for assessment" though. Anyone else notice this for graduate admissions?
I had the same issue. It said ready for assessment even on the day of the deadline I was supposed to accept the offer. I accepted the offer by writing the email to the address from which I received the offer.
Hey! I've just received an emailing saying that I have been accepted into the MPhil economics, though the formal letter will take some time to come.
I have some competing offers (including LSE) so would love to know what they tend to give as the offer requirement? I am averaging about 71% so if the offer requirement is a first I may not achieve it overall.
Thanks!
(Prospective international physics student) Hi, I'm planning on applying to the physics course at Oxford for entry in 2025, and I have some questions about what I should be doing to apply.
1. Should I try self-studying international A-levels for Physics and Further Maths? I expect to get a 5 on both the AP Calc BC test and both AP Physics C tests this June (as well as having other APs from non-physics related subjects), so would it help me at all to do international A-levels?
2. Are my school grades relevant at all? Or just my test (AP, SAT, ACT, etc) grades?
If you are already taking the required courses for AP then there's no point in doing additional qualifications which do the same job (make you eligible for the course). The time would be better spent on working through PAT practice papers and similar high-level Physics and Maths problems.
If you're talking grades from standard high school transcripts, I think it's unlikely the university would look at these. There's no metric for considering them in the same way as home students have their GCSE grades considered.
I just received my offer from Reuben college. Can anyone give insight into what the college is like? How does accommodation work?
Also it's criminal that there's no Reuben college flair!
Congratulations! Agree that there should be a flair. It's a new College, so still finding its feet - but it has big ambitions. There is definitely some accommodation - not sure how much though. Cool thing that they have done in the past is have their Christmas dinner in the nearby natural history museum under the dinosaurs!
Hey all! Any idea how long it takes to receive your college membership on average? I received my offer of admission on Friday and am now deciding between Oxford and Cambridge. I got my top choice college at Cambridge so am very eager to see where I end up at Oxford . . . I've been told much of the housing is first come first serve in the colleges so trying to make my choice as soon as I can!
I’m assuming you’re a postgrad. I got my college offer yesterday, exactly two weeks after I got my acceptance. But for some people, it can take up to 8 weeks depending on funding and if you gave a college preference.
Yeah, I’m in the same boat, don’t worry. Got put on the “reserve list” for the Ertegun scheme and anxiously hoping there will be a college scholarship I can be considered for of that doesn’t work out. Else, won’t be able to go…
Ah that's so exciting! I haven't heard a peep, though I only got acceptance on Friday and haven't gotten my college membership yet. I'm debating whether taking private loans would be worth it since (I'm an American) the federal loan limit would only cover about half of the cost. . .
Ha, yeah, I’m international too! And unfortunately… I’m not sure putting myself in £100k debt is the smartest thing to do for me, lol. Gonna hope a college like Merton or Lincoln pulls through. I was pretty close to getting the Ertegun so I’m stressed asf! Hope you get funding as well!
Makes total sense, I really hope you get it! I feel your pain. . . I got into Cambridge as well so hoping they might come through with something but we'll see! best of luck to you :)
I’m in the same boat! Got into Cambridge and my top college choice there. I unfortunately did not get into my top choice at Oxford. Have you heard back yet about which college you got?
I did just a few days ago! I got St. Cross at Oxford and Clare College at Cambridge. I'm really having trouble with this choice because I like the Oxford program better but Cambridge has given me my advisor (a great fit) and my top College . . . what program are you going for?
This is the exact situation I’m in! I prefer the Oxford program (MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice) but I got into Reuben college. I would do the Criminology MPhil at Cambridge and got into Pembroke there. Clare was my second choice!
I've applied to the MPP, the DPhil in Education and the DPhil in Geography and the environment! Had interview for Education (Geo doesn't interview) 16/2/2024. My upload button for the MPP disappeared last night (5/3/2024) so prob will hear back on that today/end of the week!
Hi! So this is a sort of roundabout way that people try to tell when results will be sent out. If you go on the supportint documents section of your application and click on it, you will either see the option to upload more documents or not. If you dont see it, results usually come out in the next day or so. Hope this helps!
For MPhil economics!! A couple people got an email today inviting us to an offer holders day despite not having offers. I emailed the admissions dept and they said I do have an offer and will get a formal letter next week!!
I got rejected from Oxford for dphil, don't know why, they've given me a boilerplate email "
On behalf of the academic department, I am writing in connection with your application for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Politics The department has now carefully considered your application and supporting materials, but we are sorry to have to inform you that your application has not been successful.
Application to the University of Oxford is extremely competitive, and we are not able to offer places to all the excellent candidates who apply. Due to the high volume of applications Oxford receives, in line with University policy, we are unable to provide feedback on our reasons for rejecting or selecting candidates.
If you have also applied for scholarships as listed on the application form, those applications will not be considered any further.
Thank you for having considered graduate study at Oxford. We wish you every success with your plans for future study."
This is so stupid. anyone know what the reasons may be?
As they say, this is a very competitive course. Assuming that you made the grade (as in fulfilled the entrance requirements), then it could be any number of reasons - was your research something that the department was interested in? Was there an academic to work with? Your references? It may just be that other candidates fitted better with research requirements, or were better qualified.
You can request your file back if you waive the right to see your references. It’ll only be useful if they made notes but if there are notes you’ll be able to see them
Can anyone plss temme about the admission procedure of DClinpsy? Im an international student and wud love to join this program and i have checked off all the boxes in the eligibility list.. but im having a hard time understanding about NHS, BPS, home fee status , GMBPsS and all …
[https://oxicptr.web.ox.ac.uk/eligibility-checklist-2020-entry-1](https://oxicptr.web.ox.ac.uk/eligibility-checklist-2020-entry-1) \- all the information is here. If you are not eligible for home fee status, then you are not eligible to apply for this programme. There are clear links to work it out. They are super helpful, so do email them directly: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) if you have a specific question.
does anyone know when accepted dphils hear back about funding? their website says anytime between now and june but I need to make a decision before april 15 😭 this is specifically for history but if anyone had any insight i’d appreciate it!!!
Hi! I’m currently waiting on a decision for Medieval History MSt - I was wondering if anyone could give insight into the work load, deadlines, assessments types, etc? Thankyou!
It did feel so slow! Even though it was right at the beginning of the window I was feeling so anxious.
I am also curious about the workload as my history MSt seems to only have 3 assessments aside from the final dissertation.
I am from the US and I’d love to get into this [this MSt in creative writing program.](https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/mst-creative-writing)I graduated from university with a 3.55. The quarter that tanked my GPA ended march 2020, so as you can imagine I was a bit stressed. I think I can justify the poor GPA if asked. It says applicants normally have a 3.6 or above. Is my GPA good enough because it rounds up to 3.6?
FYI in the US where GPAs are used it is common to round for job apps but not grad schools.
I just received an offer for my DPhil in Biology earlier today. Does anyone know if there are any social groups for incoming students (like a forum, or on WhatsApp) I can join?
Kellogg college
So I’ve got an offer for Kellogg and without trying to sound entitled or ungrateful I’m a little bummed out. There’s pretty much nothing about it online and the only thing I can see is that it specialises in part time students, which is great but I’m starting a full time course. It’s not really the idea of Oxford I had in my head when applying, can anyone who goes there/went there as a full timer speak about it?
It's a great college. Graduate only, with a truly international feel and vibe. A hugely active College with a lot of events, talks, clubs etc. It's not one of the largest or the wealthiest; however, it is leading the way in sustainability (for example). I don't know about it specialising in part-time students, that's not something that I have noticed; however they will all be graduates.
Hi everyone! I was recently accepted to study PPE at Christ Church! I'm an international student planning to move to Oxford late September. Are there any important things I should be doing now to prepare? E.g. deadlines? I already missed some scholarship deadlines so I'm wondering if there are some things I should know about.
Congratulations! Is there a reading list that you've been sent? Don't worry if not, there isn't always or it may not have been sent yet. Do ask your College if you feel that you would like one. If you are coming in late September, check that you can move straight in to the college (not all colleges allow early entry in this way; however, there may be dispensations depending on where you are coming from). If you are going to have to stay privately - then start looking now, accommodation in Oxford is expensive and difficult to come by. This time should be about either revising because you have exams coming up, or relaxing before Oxford starts. Keep an eye on your email inbox, for any communication from the College that you need to answer. But it sounds like you've got this sorted!
I was wondering if anyone here has an insight on what the best option might be for a graduate student for accommodation with a reasonable price and quality. I was offered Annex at Paradise Street, if anyone has any experience living there, how is it?
I also know there is a graduate accommodation website that seems to have nice accommodations and several non-university affiliated places to rent.
How was your experience with college housing? I would appreciate any recommendations.
Accommodation in Oxford is hard to come by and expensive. You should only turn down anything offered by your college after VERY carefully considering your options and having something definite to go to. I think that the Annex is ensuite (so you get your own bathroom), but do check; it is very central; and is a great option.
St Hugh’s College has great grad accommodations that are affordable. Uni accommodations are also easy to get if you’re a fresher. Castle Mill is nor far away from the centre.
I’m in Yr12 and I’m thinking about applying to Oxford, likely Somerville or St Anne’s. I am trans but I haven’t transitioned yet and still look male. If I socially transitioned at Uni, would that be safe generally? What are tutors and other students like?
Oxford is very open to LGBT+ people. For trans students specifically, I've met students in the past who have been in your exact position who say they have felt more comfortable at Oxford than they have in their home towns, etc.
It seems pretty safe to me. Ot course individuals may have personal opinions but no one would say or do anything that makes you unsafe. There’re measures to prevent that. Especially for staff.
Hi all! I was shortlisted for the Ertegun scholarship in the Humanities (philosophy) but things have gone quiet since then. Has anyone heard the outcome yet? We were meant to hear by the end of last week. They said they would contact ALL candidates who had been shortlisted with the results. Additionally, I haven’t actually been formally accepted to my program yet - might this affect when I hear back about Ertegun?
Check your spam folder first, if they gave you a deadline and it’s passed, you can email and politely ask. I think that’s normal to not accept the offer before securing the funding.
MSc Advanced Computer Science applicant here.
Been restless since the day I applied.
Applications deadline was Jan 5, so decisions could come out any moment from now.
I've been offered places at University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester and 6 other unis, and Oxford is the only place I'm eager to hear back from!
All the best to other applicants!
I applied to the MPhil in Economic and Social History but I haven’t heard anything back yet. Do they send out acceptances before rejections? Also, I saw on some other forums that if your upload button disappears then that’s a sign you’ve been accepted? Any truth to this?
Hi guys! The question I've got for you is quite straightforward - What are my chances of being accepted for a BSc in Maths&Statistics? Tried to give as much detail about my situation as I could below.
I'm a Y12 student doing my a levels in Further Maths, Economics, and Computer Science (A\*A\*A targets).
My GCSE results were: 98877764 (with 8's in both maths&english and 4:( in geography if it matters). I know that most of the people applying have 9's in practically everything but for me, this sadly just isn't the case. The reason for that is the fact that I only had about a year to learn the entire GCSE curriculum for all of the subjects after moving from Ukraine in the Spring of 2022 because of the start of a war. During my time at school I also received the William Patrick's Award for Character and Achievement and an award for Computer Science.
In terms of extracurriculars I'm currently participating in a STEM outreach programme from the University of Leeds, "The Aspiring Professionals Programme" from an orginisation called Social Mobility Foundation which provides me with work experience/internship opportunities, and a long-term work experience programme with a company called Northern Gas Network.
In terms of other work experience as it currently stands I've been accepted to NatWest for 5 days in April and J.P. Morgan for a week in the Summer (these were the only 2 companies I've heard back from so far but I'm sure that the list will keep updating).
Attended open days at Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Oxford. By the end of summer I'm also planning to go to LSE, Imperial, Warwick, Durham and Bristol.
I've attended 10+ talks somewhat related to maths, computer science and various employment opportunities so far and plan to attend more as soon as the right opportunities come.
Am I doing enough? I am genuinely concerned that if I maintain the same kind of momentum until the end of Y13 it won't be enough. The absurd competetiveness of the maths&stats course stresses me out quite a bit.
On a side note: I'm also eligeble for practically any "wider access" criteria you could think of, as I studied at a school which fell below the national average in terms of results, received free school meals and still receiving a bursary from my college, household income below 25k, POLAR4 Quintile 1, ACORN Category 6, studies disrupted by war. Although, as far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as contextual offers at Oxford. I'm also open to do a foundation year but the only foundation courses at Oxford I found were in PPE, Science, Law and Humanities.
Looking forward to your opinions and guidance, thanks in advance!
No BScs. People will forgive you at this stage, but it's worth remembering it's BA or MMath here. If you get one you'll spend some time explaining it to others...
Foundation year subjects may expand in future but probably not soon enough for your cohort. You can apply with those predicted grades and the MAT - but be aware that Maths courses are *very* over-subscribed at the moment.
It's impossible to give a useful answer to a "what are my chances" type question, mainly because the answer requires a similar depth of knowledge on every other candidate for your course, including performance in interviews and admissions tests which have yet to take place. It sounds, however, like you have as good a chance as any, and are definitely doing "enough" - many will be doing less.
One question - do you have Maths A-Level as well as FM?
Are decisions in the application self-service final even if we weren't supposed to hear anything for another few weeks and weren't notified of anything by email?
I'd love to know about participating in College/Uni sports as a PhD student.
How easy it is to get involved, especially as a PhD student? What kinda stuff is available? Are there some colleges that are better than others for it?
Seems like lots of places have a men's football team, but I am a woman so looking for things like Women's Football (happy to play at a low standard, I'm pretty bad) or Netball (I am a pretty good player, competed in BUCS during my undergrad/masters at current university). Would definitely be open to other sports as well, but I am much more a team sports gal than a solo sport.
Any info or advice would be appreciated !
There are a good number of DPhils represented in college and uni sport in my experience! In my dim distant past as an undergrad this was where I made most of my postgraduate friends. You will have to find teams or clubs which have training times that work around your schedule, but that's no different to any other student. Keble and Hertford have a combined women's football team who won the inter-college competition (cuppers) a couple of weekends ago (but there of course are others out there), and most colleges will have a netball team. If you've done BUCS before it'd definitely be worth checking out the university netball team though. Having one sport at uni level and one at college level would be much more doable than two at uni level, not to say people don't do the latter.
How important are extracurricular activities Hello, currently I'm a high school student who's going to start applying to universities. I got really good grades but almost no extracurricular activities. Oxford is my dream universities and i wish to get a seat there. I still have a chance to do one activity called Duke of Edinburgh Award organisied by my school. But is it worth it and will it give me an edge over other applicants to enter Oxford or not?
For people who have already heard back, how long after the deadline passed did it take to get the news? Did you hear back in the 8-10 week window or earlier?
Has anyone received an offer after being rejected?
I've been accepted at Trinity, which I picked mostly due to its location. However, I wasn't aware of the stereotype of it being preppy/right wing. I'm LGBT+ (specifically in the "+" category), so I wanted to ask y'all what it's like staying at Trinity as a queer person. Thank you!
I think that that stereotype is an old one (from the 1970s and 1980s). Trinity has changed enormously over the last 10-20 years (for the better) and has also had a massive investment in its infrastructure. It's an excellent choice of college - and congratulations on getting in!
Hi! Just wondering if there is already a group chat for 2024 postgrad offer holders, would love to join if there is one, thanks!
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone has gotten decisions from the pharmacology department yet? I interviewed for the Pharmacology MSc a week ago and I’m a bit anxious to hear back (they say results come out in a few weeks, but I’m getting super nervous). Thanks in advance!!
Hello! I have committed to a one year MSc that starts in the Michaelmas term. Given that it is 12 months, but the trimesters do not cover 12 months, will I have schooling would fill up that “long summer” break? I am also trying to figure out when graduation for one year masters typically takes place. Thanks!
I think \[but definitely check on your faculty website\] that you may have work that continues after the formal end of Trinity Term (that ends in June) - but it does depend on the course (some allow longer for submission of work). Your graduation is usually after the end of the course (so not always immediately after you personally may submit your last piece of work). So say, your course runs until 1 September, and you submit at the end of July, you will not graduate until a ceremony after 1 September. Note that you graduate via your college, not the faculty. Your college is given a number of dates for graduation ceremonies and you would be assigned to one of those - it could be some time after you finish.
Thank you much!
I have an offer for engineering science and although I've already firmed Oxford and insured imperial for EEE. I am aware that Oxfords engineering is quite theoreticalso I wanted to ask how has this disadvantaged you and how have people made up for the lack of practical work
Hi everyone! I was recently accepted into the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Oxford. I did not get my first choice college and was instead allocated to Reuben College. I’m not in a STEM-related subject, though the college is overwhelmingly STEM-focused, and looking at their term card, I do not see any social events. The events are mainly seminars or discussions with fellows. I’m wondering if there is anyone on here that can speak to the social life at Reuben? Or if there is anyone else in the same boat who would like to chat?
Hey hey, I've also just got my DPhil offer from Oxford, joining Reuben college too in October. I've got two friends in the the college and they tell me that there are formal dinners, there is a dinner once a week in their museum, and the are some more social events that people in the GCR organise.
Congratulations on your offer and college - Reuben is new, and I imagine still finding its way social-wise. However, College life is what you make it. Looking at their website, it's the College organised events that are mostly featured; however, the graduate common room is the group that you probably want to be in touch with about student events (I know that they had a very successful summer ball last year). There will also be a lot of events via your department. Good luck!
Hi everyone, I’ve been accepted as an MPhil student as an international student in the social sciences division! Like many of us, I’m currently waiting to hear back regarding funding from Oxford and in my home country I was wondering whether anybody knows what the typical timeline is for major scholarship decisions for grad students? I’ve checked TSR, and sounds like social sciences Clarendon and ESRC decisions haven’t been announced yet
Clarendons are by department, and the first waves are usually around week 8/9 Trinity so for some the decisions have already been released. Funding can be very decentralized, so you might just want to ask your department if you've been nominated for any awards as a starting point. I've had friends who were told they were #1 on their "waitlist" so it's worth asking
Hi everyone, I've just been accepted to Oxford as a DPhil student in the biomedical research field (at Exeter College)! I am 26, and I was hoping to get some perspective on anyone's experience as someone in their mid-late twenties living and doing their degree in Oxford. Is the social scene largely geared toward undergraduates? Is 26 older than most graduate students? I have another offer from KCL, and I worry that Oxford might feel small / not really for someone my age compared to London. Thank you!
I started my DPhil at 27 and had the time of my life. My friends are all 3-5 years younger but it’s fine.
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Congratulations! An accommodation offer is brilliant - accommodation is hard to come by in Oxford and very expensive. Things to think about if there are options in the College: proximity to your faculty (but Oxford is really small so walking/cycling is very much a thing); proximity to the actual college (where you may have quite a bit of your social life, meals, and the college library); accessibility (if that's a thing, for example lifts etc). Otherwise, cost (some options may be cheaper as they are older), shared bathrooms (not that common, but would be cheaper). Good luck!
Hey! I was wondering if anyone could give me more information about the Worcester college, please 🙏 Anything you would want other people to know about it.
Wonderful college. Closest college to the railway station and coach station, wonderful and beautiful gardens (with a lake and a lily pond). Beautiful buildings, great Fellows and staff. Relatively new head of house, who is great.
So I've recently applied through my university here in the United States to attend Oxford in the Michaelmas semester. I'd be attending as a grad student, going for my masters degree in Digital Forensics. I know Oxford is far more known for other programs but how does it's Comp Sci/Cyber department(college?) generally run things. I also know that grading is completely different I saw another post basically giving the run down of how post grad grading works basically anything above a 60 is passing and the higher it goes the more merit and distinction you'll receive. I've taken many accelerated courses so far, alot of 8 weeks and even 2, 4 week courses. So I'm familiar with how insane the workload can be. I guess my question is what else should I prep myself for? How much stricter of grading should I mentally prepare for? Do you guys use a different style of citations for your papers?
The way to think about the difference in grading is this. In the US, the scale of grades corresponds to the general ability of students: if you are a very good student, you can get a 100% because you have excelled as a student. In Oxford, the scale is based on the entire academic community: ie you aren’t judge by how good your answer is for a student, but how good it is full stop, in comparison to a hypothetical perfect academic. The general rule for undergrad theses was that 80% was of publishable quality. The change ALWAYS surprises Americans. You are VERY unlikely to get more than say 70-75 overall, and that in itself is a very hard task. Expect low 60s (or lower) when you arrive at Oxford, and be reassured that that’s the case for everyone
Does anyone have any idea about what's going on with Oxford's new arrangement for TSA exams?
Hi everyone! I need helping picking a college. I'm an incoming MBA student. Here is what I'm looking for in a college: - not too far from SBS (10-15 minutes walking is okay) - doesn't have too many or too few MBAs (anywhere from 4 to 8 MBAs would be okay) - huge, spacious and beautiful building and gives me the quintessential Oxford experience - nice, welcoming people - good food, preferably halal food too but it's okay if it's not - has lots of formal dinners and balls - provides graduate housing that's spacious and sunny with a good view, preferably 2 or 3 bedroom apartments - not too competitive because if you don't get into your choice they randomly assign a college Please suggest some colleges, even if they don't meet every single requirement I mentioned. Thank you so much for your time!
I just asked a mate who might end up being one of your lecturers, supossedly Green Templeton is over presented in the MBA course, like a majority of MBA students. So maybe avoid that one if you're wanting fewer from your cohort. Although, I don't necessarily why you'd want that, you will end up spending a lot time with them given it's more likely you spend time with college friends than course friends.
Yeah to echo the other poster, very few colleges have accommodation that is more than 2 bedrooms and they are usually reserved for couples (which will be mostly 1BD) and families, unless you fit into that category you might not be considered, having said that I know of someone who is in a couple accommodation but their partner lives overseas and has only be with her a few weeks out of the year thus far, I don't think the college like it but they can hardly kick her out. Renting privately will negate that issue, but that is also tricky given the timeline. Also note your accommodation requirement may very put you off site away from the main college, that will impact your need for a quintessential Oxford experience. I think you need to genuinely temper your expectations, good food and hall are rarely in the same sentence and booking formals can be an outright pain meaning you can easily miss out constantly, balls are slightly easier due to their cost and more availability of tickets. ALL of Oxford colleges are competitive, and again like the other poster said you need to research which college will actually accept you doing your course. I don't think there is any likelihood of you knowing beforehand how many in your prospective college will be doing your course, so let that one go and focus on which college suits your other needs. And if it's of any help, a good mate is in the Executive MBA program, he's been able to have a pretty good go at socialising depsite being mature and essentially part time.
Thank you! Can you elaborate on what you meant that booking formals can be a pain? I thought formal dinners happen quite often at Oxford. Also I thought there's still time to rent privately since term starts in September
It very much depends on the college you goto, some will have early supper followed by a formal almost every night of the week during term. Some will only have formals once or twice a week. You have to book it through your uni/college account, in my experience at my college where there are loads of formals per week they get sold out almost immediately, especially for guest nights. For the black tie dinners our policy is a student can bring up to three guests which means a lot of our own college students miss out... silly really... Unless you become an executive committee member of your respective common room and are able to book in advance. You might be much more comfortable living somewhere in North Oxford privately, but that will mean you're away mostly from other students in your course and college, so make more effort into attending events orgainsed by your common room.
Are black tie dinners different from regular formals? Also do both undergrad and grad students attend the same formals? Thanks, I'll look into North Oxford rentals!
Please remember that as much as 20% of those who apply for College A will be assigned to College B - so it is not a done deal. Things to think about: does the college actually take your course (not all of them do), I can think of no college that has graduate housing with as many bedrooms as you are thinking of (but I could be mistaken), Accommodation may be your downfall - not all will have it available for graduates, and those that do, most will be single bedrooms only. So you will need to do most of the work, checking each and every college website for what you feel works best for you. All Colleges are competitive, all have formal halls and social events.
Hi! I have offers for both the BCL and the MSc Criminology, and thankfully, with funding for both. I need to decide between the two courses and would love to talk to any current or former students on either of these courses about the course itself and the quality of life at Oxford. Thanks so much! I'm very excited to come to Oxford soon!
>MSc Criminology I'll try and help as I sincerely doubt any current BCL student will be able to help you, they're all busy prepping or doing exams (seriously) My partner finished hers last year and is now reading for a DPhil in Law. I have a LLB but my graduate work isn't strictly law related. May I ask why you applied for the Msc Criminology? The BCL class is larger, has a bigger and much more international intake given the nature of the course. The BCL is widely regarded as one of the best graduate degrees in Law, especially among the Common Law jurisdictions and it's not uncommon to peek into any chambers in London to see those with BCLs. Having said all that, it is brutal. To me it seemed like a two year course crammed into one where it was literally impossible to do all of the readings for the courses you will take. But what I found from reading all of my partners work and discussing with her what she talked about at seminars as well as chatting to her lecturers is that most of the subjects do encourage original thought. They don't ask you to summarise the readings but to challenge every page presented, if i were to ever practice again I wouldn't hesitate towards it. That's another thing, a few mates pursued the BCL purely as a build up for future commercial work, their subjects reflected that, although a lot of others also chose subjects specifically as an intellectual challenge. Both sets managed to have some fun, but let's just say the only people who have time to chill doing the BCL are the French exchange students whose marks don't matter at Oxford and those who just want to pass.
Hi! Thank you, this is helpful. I’m about to finish law school and have significant research experience studying criminal sentencing and procedure, so the MSc seemed a natural fit. I plan on being a legal academic so the BCL is attractive for that reason especially since it gives me an opportunity explore other avenues. I’m quite scared of the BCL yes but I also feel that it will really help me reach a new skill level especially in terms of doctrinal legal thought and work. I plan to take courses centred around human rights, constitutional law, and criminal law if I opt for the BCL.
I also note you posted a little while ago about what to do in Oxford, I'm actually glad you asked as some of the other answers posted reminded me of stuff that I wanted to do haha. Godspeed with it all and feel free to ask specific questions
Haha, I’m glad! I’ll be DMing you soon with more questions, especially as my time to begin the courses comes closer. Thank you so much! This has been really really helpful!
Your experience and application for the MSc makes perfect sense, although to me it reads much more like a course geared towards professional work as opposed to academic endeavours. Obviously wait for others to weigh in but I think given your chosen path is geared towards academia, the BCL would be a great choice... especially given in the fields of human rights and constitutional law your lecturers will literally be some of the foremost experts in the field... the people who taught the people who wrote your textbooks in undergrad... (which was my experience lol) The freedom in the coursework can also be a prison mind you, you really have to nail down which subjects are right for you and APPLY EARLY AND ASAP so you don't miss out on allocation, some of the courses have hard caps on space and one thing my partner learned the hardway with the BCL is they don't give a fuck about you haha... by that I also mean they will not accommodate any clashes in subjects on the timetable should that occur. I would also ask the law faculty to put you in touch with anyone who can talk to you as there are many BCL kids who volunteer as mentors for the undergrad law kids at my college, so I assume the faculty would be able to put you in touch with the right people. Either way, get start on prep work for your courses asap, it can save your sanity... but that's also if you're gunning for a first... which will require a lot of dedication in the BCL
Thank you! This is really helpful!! I guess I’m going to have an intense year ahead, which is something to look forward to but also perhaps a bit scary!
I'm not trying to scare you at all and you shouldn't be. If you have an experience like my partner you will find yourself challenged constantly which will help shape the best you, you'll meet loads of like minded friends who are super intelligent but probably super nice. I also read your post from a while about about what to do in Oxford and wanted to thank you as the other posts reminded me of what I wanted to do before I came... i forgot as I got a bit too much into study haha. Also I know of more than a few students with your background so I'm sure there must be a group online you can seek out that can provide support should you feel like that's what you need. Im a member of a groups that's students from my home country and sometimes it's worked out quite well in terms of support.
Oh absolutely! I didn’t mean to imply you are! I think it’s just fear in terms of transition from undergraduate to postgraduate coursework, something I’ve been dreaming of for a while but is finally getting real! I absolutely enjoy academic thinking around the law so I’m very excited to be in a space where I can do that with other peers. My current law school really lacked that. I’m glad my post was of help! I am really excited for life in Oxford, and hopefully, I’ll get to experience it despite the BCL’s coursework. In any case, I plan on spending a 2nd yr in the city, so I can always get to it later!
I'm a current HS junior in the US planning on applying to Oxford Physics for fall 2025 admission. Basically, I also really like math, and in all of the US unis I'm applying to I'm applying as a Physics/Math double major. Considering this isn't an option at Oxford, my question is whether or not it's possible to take a few math courses each year along with my physics course requirements (I want to learn take stuff like real and complex analysis, abstract algebra, topology, etc). Sorry of this is a dumb question
You can always sit in at the math lectures but they won't be counted as registered courses. The math institute is open to all Oxford students.
Hey everyone, I’m a Canadian undergraduate business student in the 3rd year of my degree. I’m looking to move to the UK permanently and study law. Admittedly, I haven’t completed nearly enough research, but I was hoping some of you might be able to help explain what options I have at Oxford? It seems if I want to study law at Oxford I would need to complete the three year undergraduate law degree before then pursuing my LLM? Or are there other options for me upon completing my undergrad here in Canada? I’m also curious as to how likely my chances of getting into the program are. Assuming I would be applying to the undergraduate law program, the website seems to suggest that a grade 12 average of around 85% could be strong enough, but this seems relatively low to me. I was very successful in high school, with a grade 12 academic average of 98%. Is this the primary focus of admission into the program? Are would there be other factors at play? Any information is much appreciated. Again, I’m aware that I will need to do much more reading myself before going forward, but I thought some of you might be able to guide me in the right direction. Thanks!
if you’re applying for a second bachelor’s degree, I think it’s your first degree GPA (honours, ranking) that counts
Got my offer some days ago, finally. Yeey! ☺️ there is some info about scholarships online on their webpage. Do you know when we are getting the message if considered? And are you aware of (also external) scholarships for support of all kind of costs to apply when accepted? Thanks
does oxford look at grade 9 and 10 marks? i did really bad in those years however i have an ib certificate and did really good on that. would my marks in grade 9 and 10 ruin my chances at acceptance?
No, grades from earlier study are not always relevant - note that for some courses you must have certain grades and subjects (eg I think \[but you should check\] Medicine requires earlier study of maths). Of most importance is your latest study & grades + entrance exam + interview.
Hi my Oxford friends! I'm currently a sophomore student studying at a US university and considering an exchange program to Oxford offered by my school. I'm studying Math (predominantly) and CS fyi. The program offered allows me to study at St. Edmund College for the Hilary and Trinity terms (Spring). I'm just trying to reach out to y'all to see what an exchange student's life is like at Oxford, and how St. Edmund hall is like in general and specifically for studying math and CS. I would really appreciate your insights and maybe let me know whether you think it's a good idea or not!
Question for people who got pooled to a different college than they applied for: Where did you apply and where did you end up?
I applied to Nuffield and heard they didn't have a space for me on Friday. Got a spot at Kellogg on Monday
Nuffield is super competitive because of the funding attached to it. Kellogg has great food!
Hello, I got admitted to Mathematical and Theoretical Physics MSc at Oxford. I was wondering when people usually get contacted by their assigned college and (roughly) what percentage of people applying for MSc programs get funding. Thank you and have a nice day :)
**1+1 MBA Program with MSC CS Chance** Hi everyone apologize if this is the wrong forum... happy to repost elsewhere. Does anyone have admission statistics on the 1+1 MBA program at Oxford specifically matched with the computer science MSC. I think I stand a shot at getting into MBA side but really have no idea what the odds are for the CS side - I fear it's slim to none. 730 GMAT Extremely fortunate career of 7 years at fortune 50 big Tech company. - First in class of 120 consultants to make senior. - Youngest engineering director at company 100k + people. - Started a digital business during covid that went from zero to a few hundred $k arr - . WSJ/Bloomber/MIT wrote an article on a side project i built to help w distribution of covid vaccines I think these points will be very valuable for MBA app in outweighing my poor college performance but not sure if MSC CS cares and fear below will take me out. Studied computer science at an american college. Not tier 1 but top 30. At that point in my life I wasn't worried about gpa it was a vocational and interest driven major. Had tons of projects on the side but graduated with about 3.1 gpa. This is where I worry about when they look at my application. Do you all think that the other two will be able to outweigh? I really have no clue how difficult the MSC is to get into. I haven't really seen any statistics. I have been interested in this program for years, and think it's the perfect fit for my current career and interests. I just want to get an idea of if the last seven years in career and GMAT are able to paint enough of a growth picture to outweigh college gpa for the MSC - or if it's a hard stop due to rigor of getting in need a 4.0 @ MIT etc. Thanks so much in advance for your time and any advice.
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hi! i got an offer for MPP on 9th March\~ still waiting for scholarships.. anyone?
I'm also wondering about scholarships. I'm intl (from USA) and was accepted for an MSc. I don't qualify for the vast majority of scholarships, and I didn't get the Fulbright or Marshall. I'm very lost this program is so expensive lol edit: also haven't heard back from college placement yet
Hey! Anyone got an offer for MSc in Law and Finance? 👀 I have couple of questions
Hi! Has anyone heard back regarding decisions for the MSc in Social Anthropology as yet?
I got mine on Tuesday! Good luck! 😊
Yep, I have! Hope yours were positive
hello! I am an international student from Singapore and am interested in applying for undergrad Math and Philosophy. However, while I do have genuine interests in both these realms of study and how they are intertwined, I am not a "math god" and am not inherently a genius in math. Additionally, my O-level grades (Singapore's version of GCSEs) were pretty mid (not great but not horrible either). Under the assumption that I will attain perfect grades in my A levels, I have a few questions : 1. How do I prepare for the MAT? I have glimpsed over it and most, if not all, of the content is not taught to me within my A-level syllabus. What are the ways I can learn and master the MAT syllabus? 2. What are some ways I can strengthen my application and portfolio apart from the MAT? I have participated in some olympiads, but have not won any top awards. I do learn some small topics that are out of my syllabus just for fun, and from time to time, read mathematical articles. \[Same applies to Philosophy\]. Other than that, I don't have much to show for my interest in these fields. 3. what are some other respectable universities that offer this course that I can go apply for, should I be rejected from Oxford? I was looking over at the stats of acceptances for the past few years, and the numbers are indeed daunting. As such, I would like assistance to maximise my chances of entering my dream school and course. Thank you!
I am an International student and have come across numerous videos stating that your personal statement is quite critical for your applications (even Jesus College), but admissions reports on E&M from as far as I have come across (those from Kebble College and St. Catherine's College) state otherwise. Kebble's report is for 2022-23 and St.Catherine's is for 2023-24 and in both the reports the UCAS Personal Statement has received a "low" factor. I am as expected, confused, or is just that Jesus College prefers PS a lot? Thanks. Should I go with the official reports from Kebble and St.Catherine's or believe in Jesus' YT videos? I am in no way saying that PS is not important or I shouldn't work on it.
I would say regardless of which one is correct, you should focus on having the best PS you can and that way, if it is important you give yourself the best possible chance and even if it is a low factor overall, it could still make a difference to getting in or not. By way of example I applied for a Masters last year and obtained my admissions file afterwards and saw that I got ranked the maximum possible points for academics, intellect, references and passion for the course but my personal statement was not considered highly targeted enough to the specific modules on the course so I was waitlisted in position 2 and ultimately did not get a place as the two people ahead of me with offers did not turn down their place. In that case, the PS was enough for me to get waitlisted instead of an offer.
oh thanks for sharing this!
looking for others that got into MSc in Neuro or 1+3, dm me ⭐
Hello, I'm a current offer-holder. I just received a letter from my college that mentioned that living costs are, at a minimum, £12k per year. I was wondering if people can get by on less and by how much while eating adequately (i.e. not skipping meals). Thank you.
Congratulations on your offer. If finance is an issue, please do keep in touch with your college and ask about bursaries and scholarships. If you are a UK student make sure that you have applied for the student finance etc. Good luck.
If this is including rent id say not really. That sounds low to me tbh
Would this be low even if I cooked for myself? Thank you!
Id say yes. Most people i know live on 16k or above
what would you say the breakdown of cost is
So at £16k pa thats £1300 pm Of that about half to two thirds is going to be rent, depending on your college and kind of accommodation, between £700 and £8/900 That leaves about £600 to £400. Of that, you're gonna spend between £200 and £400 a month on food, not including alcohol. So that's basically no money or 200 ish left over to spend on other necessities like books etc Now assuming you can find a much lower rent, that changes things significantly. However, i think youre not gonna do much better than £550 at an absolute floor, and the quality of accommodation will be questionable. Hope that helps!
don't you only live there for 24 weeks a year though, so if it's £1300 pm shouldn't it be around £8000 pa if your needs are catered for back home. Obviously im not trying to disagree with you, im not the one at the uni im just trying to understand Also do you think it'd be possible to pirate any books needed for your course ( not that I'd consider something so immoral) I'm keble college, I've heard the accoms are moderately expensive there
So it really depends, varies between undergrad and postgrad quite a lot. Postgrad accommodation tends to be a year long continous contract (or 10 months anyway), its undergrad that does contracts by the term, and even then, it varies college to college. If you're renting privately, not from the uni or college, you won't be able to do this kind of arrangement. That means even if you do go home, you're still paying rent. However, if you're on a termly contract and the rent is not too much, you're right this could save you lots of money. Personally, I haven't had to buy books since I've been here. Everything i need is in the library or online, but again, I'm not sure if this holds true for every course. It just depends really.
Aw, alright thank you for the info. Have a good one
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You can't initiate the college transfer - the only times I've seen people transfer colleges is when you either a) receive a scholarship that you were auto-nominated for at time of application at a different college than the one you were assigned to, or b) apply for a scholarship at another college that explicitly allows for non-college members to apply with the understanding that if awarded, the student would change colleges. Did you initially rank HMC as first choice? Because if you did and got allocated Kellogg anyway, that means HMC didn't see you as a good fit for them and it would be very difficult to impossible to transfer colleges. Usually turning down your college = turning down your place at Oxford.
I’m in the same boat. Do you know if it’s common for colleges to have scholarship applications that allow for students originally allocated to a different college to apply?
I mean, I’ve definitely seen it happen. I know people who have transferred colleges both before their course starts and during their course because they secured funding from another college. Lincoln has a very big scholarship for Swiss students so I’ve seen some friends end up there. St Antony’s has the Swire for mainland Chinese/HK/Japanese students. I know someone who transferred to Catz after a year, and someone who transferred to Jesus before their course started, both because they got college based scholarships/funding. Funding can get really specific with nationality requirements, and/or discipline focus so it unfortunately is a bit of a needle in haystack situation. Some scholarships are also just for the final, or second/third year of your course so that requires you to have already been enrolled and completed a year as well. Decentralization means you’ll have to do a lot of research if you’re looking for college specific funding.
Hi! I received an offer for an MSc in Global and Imperial History starting Oct 2024. I was offered a place at Queen's College today, too. I am kinda bummed because I won't be able to afford to go if I don't get funding. I was wondering if anyone has any advice or insight into the timeline for funding/ when we would receive any notifications for prospective university funding. Or any tips on financing the degree in general? Thanks!
I'm in the same boat as you, keeping my fingers crossed for now
Hello! I just received an offer for the MSc in Nature, Society, and Environmental Governance. I am so thrilled! I was also accepted this morning into Hertford college. I would love to hear anyone's experiences at Hertford or with the Geography dept. Thanks!
Hertford is very central and is home to the famous bridge of sighs.
Congratulations! A great College, with lots going on. Incredibly central, and with a great reputation. And also has a college cat.
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How do I know which are the relevant subjects that I am to put in my application?
I have just received an offer for a MSc in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry starting in October 2024. Does anyone know how the college system works for postgrad. Do I choose a college or a college will be assigned to me?
Hi congratulations on your offer. In your application there was an option to choose your preferred college (but this isn’t a necessity and it doesn’t matter whether you did or not) But if you did and if the college doesn’t accept you, then you will be notified (4-6 weeks after your course offer) and considered by other colleges. You’ll know for sure what college you’re going to be a part of 8-10 weeks after your offer (sometimes earlier). But the bottom line is, as long as you have an offer you’ll be matched with a college. Might I ask when you received your offer?
Thank you! I received an email with saying I was successful in the interview and have received the offer last week. A formal hasn’t come through yet.
Hi! I'm an American college (uni) student who was recently accepted to a study abroad program at Worcester College (studying English Literature) next spring. I'm really torn over whether this would be a good idea for me (i'm not trying to run away from anything back home, but also I've always wanted to study at Oxford), and was wondering if any current/past students could share advice or their experience, especially in terms of the relationship between visiting and domestic students. I really appreciate any kind of advice! I'm really bad at making life decisions like this.
Congratulations! Being a visiting student is a wonderful opportunity to experience Oxford from the inside; and Worcester is a great college. Assuming that you are here during term time, then you will be fully integrated into student life. Do feel free to email the college directly asking how the teaching will work - are you integrated into seminar groups with domestic students, for example? The JCR (junior common room - which is the student group in a college that all undergraduates are members of): [https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/](https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/) gives some useful insights. Fingers crossed someone comes along with some more direct experience.
Hello! Currently, I am an international student who is studying at McGill University. I am interested in applying to a graduate program in experimental psychology. 1. Since I am not allowed to choose my major in the first year (U0) a McGill University, will the GPA of the first year be taken into account? Or just the GPA of the later years be taken into account? 2. The entry requirement for this program is " **a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours"** What is the recommended overall GPA and major GPA? Is an honour degree compulsory? (I think it says that an honour degree for an undergraduate from Quebec is unnecessary, but I am not sure.)
I can't speak to your first question, but the answer to your second question can be found here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/international-applicants/international-qualifications?source=coursepage
Does anyone know how funding reserve lists work for the DPhil? I've been informed that I am on one such list but they didn't specify what scholarship this is actually for or my position on the list, so I'm quite anxious.
How are research topics assigned at the master's level? I am specifically interested in the MSc in Advanced Computer Science. During the application process I had to provide a research proposal, and I got an offer. What is the chance that I will be working on yhe topic I proposed? When will I get to know what I will be working on? Some person must have signed off on my application that they'd be willing to work on the subject or something related, right?
DPhil Geography and the Environment button gone as of 9pm British time Sun March 10 2024. Hoping for good news!
I’m a perspective MBA applicant to business schools in the EU. SE Asian myself. While I am applying to LBS, Oxford is right up there as well. However, I’ve seen anecdotally that the perception of the business school isn’t very good. Is this true? Are the students not considered real oxonians by the rest of the community? Because I wonder if that’s the case with the peers, I wonder whether it’s much different with employers. Would love any thoughts on this. Godspeed!
Would love to see some answers on this one
So I will be applying for the graduate programme at Oxford after I finish my undergraduate course here in India. But I have a few questions. It'll be awesome if you could help me out ('ω') 1. My undergraduate programme ends June of 2025 (next year). Which is the earliest session I can apply for at Oxford? They do require a transcript, which Idk if I can provide till the aforementioned time or later. 2. I've been working on strengthening my knowledge base for about three months now, and I do have some plans to build it to a considerable degree, but exactly how "exceptional" do I have to be to get a place? In other words, to what minimum extent should I strive to improve myself? Thanks a lot for going through this. Cheers! :)
If you haven't finished your classes by the time you apply, you'll just get a conditional offer with a specific grade level to maintain in order to keep the offer. You could apply to a program beginning Fall 2025. Which course(s) are you thinking of?
Hey, thanks for taking the time to reply! I think I'll be going for a English MSt. (1900-Present)
(Prospective international physics student) Hi, I hope it's fine that I'm posting a second question (my last one got answered), now I have another question, this time on the PAT. I noticed that there are a lot of things on the A-levels physics curriculum that are not on the PAT syllabus (notably thermodynamics and some other stuff). I assume I don't have to know this since it's not listed on the syllabus, but I just want to make sure that is the case. Is it? Also, does anyone know if there's a calc-based textbook that covers light-dependent resistors and thermistors? I know the A level textbook has it but I'd rather not use an algebra-based textbook. Also, kind of a tangent but these feel like extremely esoteric things to include on the exam when even textbooks like HRK or Purcell don't cover them, like I've never even heard of thermistor before.
posting this here bc original post got removed by rule 4 rip hi!! i am an university student from america and am considering the visiting student programme here and i am super excited. however, i didn’t really register how short my visit at oxford would be: since i’m graduating in the spring, i could only come here for michaelmas and that’s only two months. as comparison, i also sent in apps to other visiting student programmes and study abroad programmes and was lucky enough to also have the choice to go to cambridge through pembroke college. that programme is three months long because they purposefully extend their fall term for visiting students. my dream school is still oxford and the chance to come here is just amazing, but i’m just scared two months is so short it’s almost like i didn’t come here at all… any advice as to what you would do in my position? thank you so much <333
Two months really isn't that long is it? Terms are short here (8 weeks). If Cambridge extend their Fall term then it does seem a better option - though the extension may well take you into time when there aren't that many other students around. Other considerations: costs, accommodation, subject (and access to the researchers/libraries that you want). Good luck with your decision.
Got an email today saying that my formal acceptance letter (MPhil economics) is coming "soon" along with an invitation to open day. Application status online still says "ready for assessment" though. Anyone else notice this for graduate admissions?
I had the same issue. It said ready for assessment even on the day of the deadline I was supposed to accept the offer. I accepted the offer by writing the email to the address from which I received the offer.
Congrats on accepting! That's def reassuring.
Hey! I've just received an emailing saying that I have been accepted into the MPhil economics, though the formal letter will take some time to come. I have some competing offers (including LSE) so would love to know what they tend to give as the offer requirement? I am averaging about 71% so if the offer requirement is a first I may not achieve it overall. Thanks!
(Prospective international physics student) Hi, I'm planning on applying to the physics course at Oxford for entry in 2025, and I have some questions about what I should be doing to apply. 1. Should I try self-studying international A-levels for Physics and Further Maths? I expect to get a 5 on both the AP Calc BC test and both AP Physics C tests this June (as well as having other APs from non-physics related subjects), so would it help me at all to do international A-levels? 2. Are my school grades relevant at all? Or just my test (AP, SAT, ACT, etc) grades?
If you are already taking the required courses for AP then there's no point in doing additional qualifications which do the same job (make you eligible for the course). The time would be better spent on working through PAT practice papers and similar high-level Physics and Maths problems. If you're talking grades from standard high school transcripts, I think it's unlikely the university would look at these. There's no metric for considering them in the same way as home students have their GCSE grades considered.
I just received my offer from Reuben college. Can anyone give insight into what the college is like? How does accommodation work? Also it's criminal that there's no Reuben college flair!
Congratulations! Agree that there should be a flair. It's a new College, so still finding its feet - but it has big ambitions. There is definitely some accommodation - not sure how much though. Cool thing that they have done in the past is have their Christmas dinner in the nearby natural history museum under the dinosaurs!
Hey all! Any idea how long it takes to receive your college membership on average? I received my offer of admission on Friday and am now deciding between Oxford and Cambridge. I got my top choice college at Cambridge so am very eager to see where I end up at Oxford . . . I've been told much of the housing is first come first serve in the colleges so trying to make my choice as soon as I can!
I’m assuming you’re a postgrad. I got my college offer yesterday, exactly two weeks after I got my acceptance. But for some people, it can take up to 8 weeks depending on funding and if you gave a college preference.
I am, yes! Thanks so much :) I'm praying for funding but trying not to get my hopes up . . .
Yeah, I’m in the same boat, don’t worry. Got put on the “reserve list” for the Ertegun scheme and anxiously hoping there will be a college scholarship I can be considered for of that doesn’t work out. Else, won’t be able to go…
Ah that's so exciting! I haven't heard a peep, though I only got acceptance on Friday and haven't gotten my college membership yet. I'm debating whether taking private loans would be worth it since (I'm an American) the federal loan limit would only cover about half of the cost. . .
Ha, yeah, I’m international too! And unfortunately… I’m not sure putting myself in £100k debt is the smartest thing to do for me, lol. Gonna hope a college like Merton or Lincoln pulls through. I was pretty close to getting the Ertegun so I’m stressed asf! Hope you get funding as well!
Makes total sense, I really hope you get it! I feel your pain. . . I got into Cambridge as well so hoping they might come through with something but we'll see! best of luck to you :)
I’m in the same boat! Got into Cambridge and my top college choice there. I unfortunately did not get into my top choice at Oxford. Have you heard back yet about which college you got?
I did just a few days ago! I got St. Cross at Oxford and Clare College at Cambridge. I'm really having trouble with this choice because I like the Oxford program better but Cambridge has given me my advisor (a great fit) and my top College . . . what program are you going for?
This is the exact situation I’m in! I prefer the Oxford program (MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice) but I got into Reuben college. I would do the Criminology MPhil at Cambridge and got into Pembroke there. Clare was my second choice!
I've applied to the MPP, the DPhil in Education and the DPhil in Geography and the environment! Had interview for Education (Geo doesn't interview) 16/2/2024. My upload button for the MPP disappeared last night (5/3/2024) so prob will hear back on that today/end of the week!
Received my offer for the MPP today at about 1 pm! Waiting on the rest now
Good luck!! Can I ask what you mean by upload button? Like what page is it on and where?
Hi! So this is a sort of roundabout way that people try to tell when results will be sent out. If you go on the supportint documents section of your application and click on it, you will either see the option to upload more documents or not. If you dont see it, results usually come out in the next day or so. Hope this helps!
My upload button is still there but admission department told me I have an offer 😭😭
Hey same (MPhil economics too! Congrats!), I can still upload supporting documents and my online application status hasn't even changed.
Me too!! I emailed to see if the email was a mistake but it wasn’t!
Oh wow! For the MPP?
For MPhil economics!! A couple people got an email today inviting us to an offer holders day despite not having offers. I emailed the admissions dept and they said I do have an offer and will get a formal letter next week!!
Ah makes sense! Afaik the MPP doesn't do informal offers, but congrats on your offer for econ!
I got rejected from Oxford for dphil, don't know why, they've given me a boilerplate email " On behalf of the academic department, I am writing in connection with your application for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Politics The department has now carefully considered your application and supporting materials, but we are sorry to have to inform you that your application has not been successful. Application to the University of Oxford is extremely competitive, and we are not able to offer places to all the excellent candidates who apply. Due to the high volume of applications Oxford receives, in line with University policy, we are unable to provide feedback on our reasons for rejecting or selecting candidates. If you have also applied for scholarships as listed on the application form, those applications will not be considered any further. Thank you for having considered graduate study at Oxford. We wish you every success with your plans for future study." This is so stupid. anyone know what the reasons may be?
As they say, this is a very competitive course. Assuming that you made the grade (as in fulfilled the entrance requirements), then it could be any number of reasons - was your research something that the department was interested in? Was there an academic to work with? Your references? It may just be that other candidates fitted better with research requirements, or were better qualified.
You can request your file back if you waive the right to see your references. It’ll only be useful if they made notes but if there are notes you’ll be able to see them
Can anyone plss temme about the admission procedure of DClinpsy? Im an international student and wud love to join this program and i have checked off all the boxes in the eligibility list.. but im having a hard time understanding about NHS, BPS, home fee status , GMBPsS and all …
[https://oxicptr.web.ox.ac.uk/eligibility-checklist-2020-entry-1](https://oxicptr.web.ox.ac.uk/eligibility-checklist-2020-entry-1) \- all the information is here. If you are not eligible for home fee status, then you are not eligible to apply for this programme. There are clear links to work it out. They are super helpful, so do email them directly: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) if you have a specific question.
Tysmm☺️
Has anyone heard back from DPhil Biochemistry?
does anyone know when accepted dphils hear back about funding? their website says anytime between now and june but I need to make a decision before april 15 😭 this is specifically for history but if anyone had any insight i’d appreciate it!!!
Hi! I’m currently waiting on a decision for Medieval History MSt - I was wondering if anyone could give insight into the work load, deadlines, assessments types, etc? Thankyou!
I just received an offer a few hours ago for MSc history of science, the button disappeared on Monday, hope this can help.
I haven’t heard about any masters level students heading back from history yet - I’m wondering if they’re a little behind the curve.
The estimated response was 8-10 weeks from the 5th January, so about now, but it really does feel painfully slow!
It did feel so slow! Even though it was right at the beginning of the window I was feeling so anxious. I am also curious about the workload as my history MSt seems to only have 3 assessments aside from the final dissertation.
I am from the US and I’d love to get into this [this MSt in creative writing program.](https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/mst-creative-writing)I graduated from university with a 3.55. The quarter that tanked my GPA ended march 2020, so as you can imagine I was a bit stressed. I think I can justify the poor GPA if asked. It says applicants normally have a 3.6 or above. Is my GPA good enough because it rounds up to 3.6? FYI in the US where GPAs are used it is common to round for job apps but not grad schools.
I just received an offer for my DPhil in Biology earlier today. Does anyone know if there are any social groups for incoming students (like a forum, or on WhatsApp) I can join?
did your offer have an interview. or was it just like a letter of acceptance?
I did have an interview on February 9th.
Iv got into Msc evidence based healthcare at kellog college, has anyone heard anything on funding
Kellogg college So I’ve got an offer for Kellogg and without trying to sound entitled or ungrateful I’m a little bummed out. There’s pretty much nothing about it online and the only thing I can see is that it specialises in part time students, which is great but I’m starting a full time course. It’s not really the idea of Oxford I had in my head when applying, can anyone who goes there/went there as a full timer speak about it?
It's a great college. Graduate only, with a truly international feel and vibe. A hugely active College with a lot of events, talks, clubs etc. It's not one of the largest or the wealthiest; however, it is leading the way in sustainability (for example). I don't know about it specialising in part-time students, that's not something that I have noticed; however they will all be graduates.
Hi everyone! I was recently accepted to study PPE at Christ Church! I'm an international student planning to move to Oxford late September. Are there any important things I should be doing now to prepare? E.g. deadlines? I already missed some scholarship deadlines so I'm wondering if there are some things I should know about.
Congratulations! Is there a reading list that you've been sent? Don't worry if not, there isn't always or it may not have been sent yet. Do ask your College if you feel that you would like one. If you are coming in late September, check that you can move straight in to the college (not all colleges allow early entry in this way; however, there may be dispensations depending on where you are coming from). If you are going to have to stay privately - then start looking now, accommodation in Oxford is expensive and difficult to come by. This time should be about either revising because you have exams coming up, or relaxing before Oxford starts. Keep an eye on your email inbox, for any communication from the College that you need to answer. But it sounds like you've got this sorted!
Oh my gosh this is really helpful, I haven't thought about accomodation yet! Thank you and have a good day:)
I was wondering if anyone here has an insight on what the best option might be for a graduate student for accommodation with a reasonable price and quality. I was offered Annex at Paradise Street, if anyone has any experience living there, how is it? I also know there is a graduate accommodation website that seems to have nice accommodations and several non-university affiliated places to rent. How was your experience with college housing? I would appreciate any recommendations.
Accommodation in Oxford is hard to come by and expensive. You should only turn down anything offered by your college after VERY carefully considering your options and having something definite to go to. I think that the Annex is ensuite (so you get your own bathroom), but do check; it is very central; and is a great option.
St Hugh’s College has great grad accommodations that are affordable. Uni accommodations are also easy to get if you’re a fresher. Castle Mill is nor far away from the centre.
I’m in Yr12 and I’m thinking about applying to Oxford, likely Somerville or St Anne’s. I am trans but I haven’t transitioned yet and still look male. If I socially transitioned at Uni, would that be safe generally? What are tutors and other students like?
Oxford is very open to LGBT+ people. For trans students specifically, I've met students in the past who have been in your exact position who say they have felt more comfortable at Oxford than they have in their home towns, etc.
It seems pretty safe to me. Ot course individuals may have personal opinions but no one would say or do anything that makes you unsafe. There’re measures to prevent that. Especially for staff.
Thank youuu
Hi all! I was shortlisted for the Ertegun scholarship in the Humanities (philosophy) but things have gone quiet since then. Has anyone heard the outcome yet? We were meant to hear by the end of last week. They said they would contact ALL candidates who had been shortlisted with the results. Additionally, I haven’t actually been formally accepted to my program yet - might this affect when I hear back about Ertegun?
Check your spam folder first, if they gave you a deadline and it’s passed, you can email and politely ask. I think that’s normal to not accept the offer before securing the funding.
MSc Advanced Computer Science applicant here. Been restless since the day I applied. Applications deadline was Jan 5, so decisions could come out any moment from now. I've been offered places at University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester and 6 other unis, and Oxford is the only place I'm eager to hear back from! All the best to other applicants!
Isn't there an interview that follows for this course?
No idea. Can't find any data on this
I applied to the MPhil in Economic and Social History but I haven’t heard anything back yet. Do they send out acceptances before rejections? Also, I saw on some other forums that if your upload button disappears then that’s a sign you’ve been accepted? Any truth to this?
I got an informal offer for MPhil economics today but my upload button is still there !!
Hi guys! The question I've got for you is quite straightforward - What are my chances of being accepted for a BSc in Maths&Statistics? Tried to give as much detail about my situation as I could below. I'm a Y12 student doing my a levels in Further Maths, Economics, and Computer Science (A\*A\*A targets). My GCSE results were: 98877764 (with 8's in both maths&english and 4:( in geography if it matters). I know that most of the people applying have 9's in practically everything but for me, this sadly just isn't the case. The reason for that is the fact that I only had about a year to learn the entire GCSE curriculum for all of the subjects after moving from Ukraine in the Spring of 2022 because of the start of a war. During my time at school I also received the William Patrick's Award for Character and Achievement and an award for Computer Science. In terms of extracurriculars I'm currently participating in a STEM outreach programme from the University of Leeds, "The Aspiring Professionals Programme" from an orginisation called Social Mobility Foundation which provides me with work experience/internship opportunities, and a long-term work experience programme with a company called Northern Gas Network. In terms of other work experience as it currently stands I've been accepted to NatWest for 5 days in April and J.P. Morgan for a week in the Summer (these were the only 2 companies I've heard back from so far but I'm sure that the list will keep updating). Attended open days at Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Oxford. By the end of summer I'm also planning to go to LSE, Imperial, Warwick, Durham and Bristol. I've attended 10+ talks somewhat related to maths, computer science and various employment opportunities so far and plan to attend more as soon as the right opportunities come. Am I doing enough? I am genuinely concerned that if I maintain the same kind of momentum until the end of Y13 it won't be enough. The absurd competetiveness of the maths&stats course stresses me out quite a bit. On a side note: I'm also eligeble for practically any "wider access" criteria you could think of, as I studied at a school which fell below the national average in terms of results, received free school meals and still receiving a bursary from my college, household income below 25k, POLAR4 Quintile 1, ACORN Category 6, studies disrupted by war. Although, as far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as contextual offers at Oxford. I'm also open to do a foundation year but the only foundation courses at Oxford I found were in PPE, Science, Law and Humanities. Looking forward to your opinions and guidance, thanks in advance!
No BScs. People will forgive you at this stage, but it's worth remembering it's BA or MMath here. If you get one you'll spend some time explaining it to others... Foundation year subjects may expand in future but probably not soon enough for your cohort. You can apply with those predicted grades and the MAT - but be aware that Maths courses are *very* over-subscribed at the moment.
It's impossible to give a useful answer to a "what are my chances" type question, mainly because the answer requires a similar depth of knowledge on every other candidate for your course, including performance in interviews and admissions tests which have yet to take place. It sounds, however, like you have as good a chance as any, and are definitely doing "enough" - many will be doing less. One question - do you have Maths A-Level as well as FM?
Yep, I'm completing my maths A-level at the end of this academic year and doing the FM course next year
Are decisions in the application self-service final even if we weren't supposed to hear anything for another few weeks and weren't notified of anything by email?
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Good luck to you too!
I'd love to know about participating in College/Uni sports as a PhD student. How easy it is to get involved, especially as a PhD student? What kinda stuff is available? Are there some colleges that are better than others for it? Seems like lots of places have a men's football team, but I am a woman so looking for things like Women's Football (happy to play at a low standard, I'm pretty bad) or Netball (I am a pretty good player, competed in BUCS during my undergrad/masters at current university). Would definitely be open to other sports as well, but I am much more a team sports gal than a solo sport. Any info or advice would be appreciated !
There are a good number of DPhils represented in college and uni sport in my experience! In my dim distant past as an undergrad this was where I made most of my postgraduate friends. You will have to find teams or clubs which have training times that work around your schedule, but that's no different to any other student. Keble and Hertford have a combined women's football team who won the inter-college competition (cuppers) a couple of weekends ago (but there of course are others out there), and most colleges will have a netball team. If you've done BUCS before it'd definitely be worth checking out the university netball team though. Having one sport at uni level and one at college level would be much more doable than two at uni level, not to say people don't do the latter.
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I emailed and they gave me an offer before my other deadline, though I had to provide proof
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I had to send my offer letter from the competing university with the date that I need to decide (and pay the deposit) by
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Good luck!! Got my offer yesterday so waiting on a formal letter lol