MSt in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
About the course
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a group of evidence-based skills training programmes that integrate mindfulness meditation practices with cognitive-behavioural methods to reduce distress and increase wellbeing. MBCT programmes are used in many countries around the world and in a wide range of settings and contexts, including healthcare, education, workplaces and community settings. A strong evidence base supports their efficacy.
This course is not accepting applications this cycle, but is expected to reopen to applications in the next admission cycle. The information on this page has been retained to provide an indication of the course content in previous years. Fees and costs are only valid for the year which is shown and will usually increase annually. The University is under no obligation to deliver the same course in the future. This page may be updated at any time prior to the course re-opening to applications.
The MSt in MBCT at the University of Oxford is two-year part-time course offered jointly by the Department for Continuing Education and the Department of Psychiatry. The course is aligned with internationally recognised MBCT training standards and cultivates the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for skilful and ethical teaching of the MBCT family of curricula, and for contributing to the development and dissemination of MBCT.
The course is designed for professionals who would like to bring evidence-based mindfulness teaching into their work. It is best suited to those in fields such as mental or physical healthcare, education, skills training, stress reduction, wellness, or other contexts that involve working with individuals and groups in supportive ways.
In learning to be a mindfulness teacher, personal and professional development are closely intertwined. Personal mindfulness practice is essential for cultivating the self-awareness, understanding and attitudes needed to teach mindfulness to others. This course provides strong support for students’ development of mindfulness practice. It combines academic and professional rigour with the attitudes of kindness, compassion and friendly curiosity that are fundamental to mindfulness. The atmosphere of the course is warm, respectful, and supportive, and provides space to experiment and to grow as a mindfulness teacher.
Successful completion of the course leads to the award of a Master of Studies by the University of Oxford.
Course structure
The course combines in-person and online learning.
In-person teaching blocks of 3-5 days occur twice each year in Oxford. In addition, one in-person retreat of 5-6 days is held each year at a residential retreat centre in England.
Online teaching days (9am – 5pm UK time) occur at weekly or other intervals.
Each student is assigned a tutor (one of the teaching staff) for individual meetings throughout the course. Tutoring meetings support the development of knowledge and skills and provide an opportunity for discussion of questions, concerns, or topics of interest.
Students should plan to devote 6-7 hours per week to independent reading and study, personal mindfulness practice, and completion of written assignments.
Most teaching is provided by the director and tutor team, with invited guest teachers for specialist areas.
Learning and teaching
The course covers several main topic areas and includes a variety of teaching and learning methods:
- Theory and research, including psychological science related to health, wellbeing, and underlying psychological processes; relevant aspects of Buddhist psychology and their contribution to MBCT; and empirical research on the effects of mindfulness practice, mechanisms of change, and applications in a variety of contexts. Knowledge and understanding of theory and research are cultivated primarily through reading, presentation and discussion.
- Experiential understanding of mindfulness is developed through guided and independent personal practice throughout the course, a guided intensive retreat once each year, and written reflection on personal practice in light of theory, research, and underlying psychological processes.
- Teaching skills and professional competencies for delivering MBCT curricula skilfully and ethically are cultivated through skills training, reading, and supervision of a teaching project.
- Communication skills for writing and speaking about mindfulness and MBCT are developed through group discussion, skills training, a teaching project, and written assignments.
Year 1 develops all of the main topic areas, with emphasis on teaching skills, experiential understanding, and theoretical and empirical foundations. Year 2 further hones all knowledge and skills, with emphasis on teaching two 8-week MBCT courses and on completing a dissertation.
Attendance
This course is part-time. Part time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford, including residential sessions. There are also two retreats in Devon, one per year. Accommodation and food are provided for these retreats.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
The Rewley House Continuing Education Library, one of the Bodleian Libraries, is situated in Rewley House. The department aims to support the wide variety of subjects covered by departmental courses at many academic levels. The department also has a collection of around 73,000 books together with periodicals. The Jessop Reading Room adjoining the library is available for study.
The department provides various IT facilities, including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Psychiatry and this role will usually be performed by the Course Director.
It is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor for the teaching project may be found outside the core staff team.
Assessment
Marked assignments are designed to support consolidation and extension of learning and to evaluate knowledge and skills. Assignments are marked by internal assessors and examiners. The marked assignments are:
Essay 1: Psychological Science
Explores topics in psychological science and their relationship to MBCT (4,000 words)
Reflective Analysis
Integrates personal experiences in mindfulness practice with theoretical and empirical foundations of MBCT (4,000 words)
Essay 2: Buddhist Psychology
Explores Buddhist psychology and its relationship to MBCT (4,000 words)
Dissertation
An in-depth exploration of a topic related to MBCT, in an area of particular interest chosen by the student in consultation with the teaching staff (10,000 words)
Teaching Project
Each student teaches two 8-week courses of MBCT, with supervision. Recordings of all sessions from one of these courses and a written description of the experience of teaching the course (4,000 words) are submitted for marking.
Graduate destinations
Most part-time students commencing this programme are already in employment and will teach MBCT in an appropriate context to which they have access.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant subject.
Preference will be given to applicants with professional experience in mental or physical healthcare, education or skills training, stress reduction, wellness, or other contexts that involve working with individuals and groups in supportive ways.
Your background should have equipped you to:
- read theoretical and scientific literature relevant to MBCT
- write the essays and other assignments described above
- work with individuals and groups in ways which require relational skills.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
You are expected to have:
- knowledge of mindfulness-based approaches, and to have attended at least one face-to-face or online eight-week MBCT-L (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life) course run by an experienced provider. The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation offers many courses.
- personal experience of insight meditation practice and a personal meditation practice of at least one year
- some experience of working with or facilitating groups.
- access to suitable groups with whom to teach MBCT under supervision
- substantial professional experience in mental or physical healthcare, education or skills training, stress reduction, wellness, or other contexts that involve working with individuals and groups in supportive way
Publications are welcome but not required.
Assessors screening applications and interviewers are looking for the following qualities:
- commitment to acquiring the knowledge and skills related to the practice and teaching of MBCT
- ability to take advantage of academic teaching, as evidenced by prior learning history
- openness to new ideas and the ability to absorb, communicate and use new information and concepts
- ability to meet the time and study commitments of the course
- ability to present a coherent argument in written English
- psychological and personal suitability to benefit from and contribute to the course, as well as the delivery of MBCT
- knowledge and understanding of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is desirable
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process and are expected to take place in March.
Applicants will be shortlisted in accordance with their ability to meet the criteria for admissions.
Performance at interview will play a significant role in assessment against the selection criteria. Interviews are held following the application deadline and will be conducted by a minimum of two interviewers.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Departments offering this course
This course is offered jointly by the following departments:
Department for Continuing Education
The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is recognised throughout society. An intensive, initial period of higher education is not always enough, or possible, in times of rapid social, economic and technological change. The Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning for professional and personal development.
The department provides high-quality, flexible, part-time graduate education, tailored for adults. Students can undertake graduate-level certificates, diplomas and taught master’s degrees in a wide range of subjects. Increasing numbers of courses are delivered in mixed mode, combining intensive periods of residence in Oxford with tutored online study.
The department recruits adult students of all ages on a regional, national and international level. Many courses are offered jointly with other academic departments around the University. Courses are offered in the following areas:
All postgraduate students on the department's courses are members of its Graduate School. The department's Graduate School aims to provide a stimulating and enriching environment for learning and research. It also supports intellectual and social interaction between graduates of different disciplines and professions from the UK and around the globe. Interdisciplinary research seminars, training opportunities and other events are offered by the Graduate School in support of this goal.
The department's Graduate School will help you make the most of the wealth of resources and opportunities available, paying particular regard to the support and guidance needed if you are following a part-time graduate programme. The department’s graduate community comprises over 600 members following taught programmes and more than 70 undertaking doctoral research.
The department is located in a block of attractive Victorian houses in Wellington Square in central Oxford close to some of the University's major libraries and museums and to the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. The city's historic sites, colleges, shops and restaurants are only a few minutes' walk away. The modernised and extended site has its own fully equipped seminar rooms, library, reading room, student computing facility, graduate school study/social room, dining-room, common- room, garden seating areas and short-term student accommodation. Depending on the programme you are taking with the department, you may require accommodation at some point in your student career. The department has 35 en-suite study bedrooms, all with high quality amenities, including internet access.
The Rewley House dining room has seating for up to 132 people. A full meal service is available daily. The department operates a Common Room with bar for students.
All masters' and DPhil applicants are considered for Clarendon Scholarships. The department is committed to seeking scholarship support for other students wherever possible.
Department of Psychiatry
The Department of Psychiatry offers supervision in a wide range of research areas including laboratory-based neuroscience, brain imaging, literature synthesis and psychological and pharmacological treatment research.
The Department of Psychiatry offers up-to-date seminar room facilities. Meeting rooms are also available for social and networking events. The department also offers excellent IT facilities and support.
The Department of Psychiatry provides well-equipped suites for psychological testing and patient consultation as well as laboratories that support basic neuroscience, clinical and experimental medicine research. There is also a brain imaging facility, the Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, on site. These resources and other state-of-the art technologies are also provided by our allied departments in the Medical Sciences Division. Students are also encouraged to attend seminars and research meetings which are held frequently within the department.
Funding
For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £16,100 |
| Overseas | £19,205 |
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
This course has residential sessions in Oxford. You will need to meet your travel and accommodation costs in attending these sessions. There are also three retreats; two in Somerset and one in Devon. Accommodation and food are provided for these retreats, but you will need to cover your travel costs. Further, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSt in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees:
Three overall, academic and/or professional
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Professional references are accepted if these are relevant to the course.
Your references will support your academic ability and suitability for the course.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Statement of purpose:
A maximum of 500 words
Your statement of purpose should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in. You are also required to include a summary of some of the most important discoveries you have made through your own personal meditation practice, including challenges.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for your motivation for applying to this particular programme of study and how you plan to make use of the material learnt in the programme.
Written work
A maximum of 500 words
Please include a written critical discussion of approximately 500 words in which you discuss the following: ‘Are there any limits to the usefulness of MBCT in the area of mental health?’.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.