Readmission, transfer and confirmation of status

Option One

The majority of students who intend to pursue doctoral studies are registered as a Probationer Research Student (PRS) and then apply for transfer to the status of a DPhil student (DPhil status). Alternatively, you may apply for transfer to MLitt or MSc by Research status, or might be admitted to this status as a result of the transfer process.

View key milestones if you began your research degree: 

• As a PRS and intend to progress to a DPhil
• As a PRS and intend to progress to an MLitt or MSc by Research

Option Two

If you are following any of these courses:

• MPhils offered by the departments/faculties of Anthropology, Classics, Economics, Geography, International Development, Politics and IR, Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, Social Policy and Intervention, Sociology, Medieval and Modern Languages, Theology
• BPhil in Philosophy

You may be able to apply to progress from the master’s course directly to DPhil status without going through the PRS stage, providing:

• you reach a suitable level of attainment in your master’s course; and
• the research topic proposed for the DPhil is a development of the research contained in the thesis. The transfer of status process is waived.

View key milestones if you began your research degree following an Oxford master’s course that enables you to progress straight to DPhil status.

If you are following any other taught master’s degree at Oxford (MSt, MSc, MPhil) or at another university and wish to move on to a DPhil course, you will need to apply for admission as a Probationer Research Student (PRS).

Your time on the master’s course does not count as time as a PRS at Oxford. Admission to PRS status from a master’s course is not automatic. You must be able to demonstrate that you are well-fitted and well-qualified to conduct work for a research degree.

The standard period of fee liability for a DPhil is nine terms (12 terms for a DPhil through one of the Doctoral Training Programmes). If you have already been awarded an MPhil, a BPhil or an MSt in (Socio-) Legal Research from the University of Oxford and are following a doctoral course, you may have a reduced standard period of fee liability. College continuation charges may be payable beyond this period.