How can we help you?

Thank you for agreeing to provide a reference in support of an application for postgraduate study. We provide detailed advice for referees on this website and our frequently asked questions portal. All the links below will open in a new window so you can continue to refer back to this page.

If you haven't done so already, please consult out dedicated page that provides information for referees. The page provides guidance for submitting your reference, information about what we're looking for in a reference letter, and advice on automated emails, reminders and deadlines.

If you're looking for more information about the course the applicant has applied to, you can find the course using our A-Z of courses.

We also offer some specific answers to frequently asked questions:

• Where can I find the deadline for submitting my reference?
• I cannot find my link to the online reference form, what should I do?
• Can I submit a reference by email?
• How do I convert my document to PDF file format?

Admission to the majority of the postgraduate courses offered on this website requires that you already hold, or are in the process of completing, an undergraduate degree. In a small number of cases, substantial professional experience may be considered as an alternative to a degree qualification. Please consult the entry requirements on our course pages for details.

If you don't hold a degree and aren't currently studying for one, you may wish to consider applying to one of the many undergraduate degree courses at Oxford. If you have a query about any of these courses, please contact the undergraduate admissions team online (telephone support is not available for undergraduate courses).

Some of the courses we offer don't follow the standard application process that's described on this website. Which course does your enquiry relate to?

All enquiries about this programme should be directed to the Medical School using the contact details shown below.

For information about admission to the pre-clinical stage of medical training, please see the accelerated course details and prospectus on the Medical Sciences Division website. If you have a query about the pre-clinical stage of medical training, please contact the Medical School directly by email (via geadmin@medsci.ox.ac.uk).

For information about admission to the clinical stage of medical training please contact the Medical School by email for further information (via enquiries@medsci.ox.ac.uk).

This three-year, full-time course leads to the qualification of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) from the University of Oxford. The course aims to provide a thorough and integrated academic, clinical and research training in clinical psychology.

On successful completion, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health & Care Professions Council and for Chartered status with the British Psychological Society. The course is unique in being fully funded and run from within the NHS. All trainees are currently employed by the Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust and are associate members of one of the following colleges: Harris Manchester College, Green Templeton College, St Cross College, or Worcester College. 

For further information, visit the Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training website or contact the admissions team directly by email.

The Skaggs-Oxford Programme is a joint five-year programme in biology or chemistry at Scripps Research based in either La Jolla, California or Jupiter, Florida, and the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, leading to the award of a joint PhD/DPhil degree.

The first stage of admission to the Skaggs-Oxford Programme is administered by Scripps Research. The course page provides full details about the course, information about the application process, and contact details for all enquiries.

Open the Skaggs-Oxford course page

The National Institutes of Health Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Programme (NIH OxCam) is a four-year doctoral programme. You undertake a collaborative project in biomedical research involving two supervisors - one at an NIH facility in the US and one at either Oxford or Cambridge. 

For this course, you must first apply to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The course page provides full details about the course, information about the application process, and contact details for all enquiries.

Open the NIH OxCam course page

The Saïd Business School manages its own application process and uses a separate application system for all courses, except the MSc in Law and Finance. Please contact the school directly for all enquiries. Links to individual course pages, which contain the relevant contact details, can be accessed via the list of Saïd Business School courses:

List of Saïd Business School courses

We would like to tailor our advice based on your progress in applying. Please can you tell us what stage you've reached in the application process?

Thanks for starting an application with us. Would you like assistance or advice with completing the application form, or is your enquiry about something else?

Thank you for submitting an application. Is your enquiry related to the outcome of your application?

There's lots of advice we can offer if you're thinking about starting an application. What would you like to know more about?

What aspect of your application can we help you with today?

Do you know whether your application is complete and ready for assessment?

What would you like to ask us about today?

If you're thinking about postgraduate study at Oxford but aren't sure where to start, our guide to getting started provides information about:

• choosing a course to apply to;
• investigating what funding is available, and the
• steps you need to take to before starting your application.

The guide provides a ten step journey to starting an application at Oxford.

Oxford offers a wide range of graduate courses from postgraduate certificates to doctorates. Before you start looking for a course in a particular subject area, you may want to learn more about the different types of course that we offer, such as Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or  Doctoral training programmes (CDTs and DTPs).

If you're already familiar with the types of postgraduate courses at Oxford, you may wish to narrow your search by choosing a department. Our A-Z of courses offers the ability to search by keyword, so you can enter a topic of interest. You can also filter by course type, as well as restricting your search to full-time, part-time or online study.

Whatever method you use to select a course, make sure you that read carefully the entry requirements section of the course page before starting your application. If you're still unsure where to start, our guide to getting started is the best place to begin your journey.

FAQs - Applying to Oxford

As well as belonging to an academic department, all graduate students at Oxford also belong to a college (except those taking non-matriculated courses). The collegiate system is at the heart of the University’s success. Although your college won't provide teaching or supervise your studies (as it may do for undergraduate students), it can provide support, facilities and membership of a friendly and stimulating academic community. 

Your journey to postgraduate study at Oxford should begin by choosing a course to apply to. Once you've decided on a course, the 'college preference' section of the course page will show which colleges accept students from that course. When you fill in the application form you'll have the option to specify a preference for any of the colleges that are listed on the course page. Alternatively you can choose not to state a preference and let us find you a college place.

If you're unsure whether to express a college preference or aren't sure which college to choose, our guide to choosing a college provides information about factors you may wish to consider. Our college pages provide a helpful guide to what each college has to offer. Remember that if you do state a preference for a college, you may still receive an offer from a different college. This may be because the college has filled its places or already has sufficient numbers of applicants from your subject area.

FAQs - Colleges

You can find the entry requirements for each course in the 'Entry requirements' section of its course page.

If your qualifications aren't from the UK, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the grades and qualifications that are considered equivalent to the University's minimum entry requirements.

If your qualifications aren't listed, or you are still unsure whether your previous academic study will enable you to make a competitive application, contact the relevant academic department using the contact details on the course page, under 'Course-related enquiries'.

The Graduate Admissions Team cannot advise you on your likelihood of being accepted for a particular graduate course. Remember that Oxford’s graduate admission process is very competitive. The University is committed to supporting applicants from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups via a range of graduate access schemes, but you are unlikely to be offered a place if your qualifications are below the minimum entry requirements for your course unless you have significant extenuating circumstances. Similarly, meeting the minimum entry requirements doesn’t guarantee that your application will be successful.

FAQs - Entry Requirements

The deadlines for each course are stated on the course page. We strongly recommend that you submit your application form and all of your supporting documents at least two weeks before your chosen deadline.

To be eligible for Oxford scholarships, you must apply by the December or January deadline used by your course. If your course uses a November deadline, applications submitted by this deadline will also be eligible for Oxford scholarships. The 'Oxford scholarships' section of the application form will be removed after the funding deadline for your course has passed. As this may not happen immediately, please do ensure that you apply by the funding deadline for your course if you wish to be considered for funding.

Our Application Guide provides further information about the different deadlines, including what happens if you miss a deadline. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Deadlines

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources. The 'Funding and costs' section on each of our course pages may also provide information about course-specific funding that's available.

Our Application Guide provides further information about funding and applying for scholarships. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Funding

In order to take up a place on one of our courses, you must be able to demonstrate English language proficiency at the University's standard or higher level. Each course page states the required level for that course. You can use out self-evaluation tool to help you decide whether you need to provide evidence of English language proficiency:

Self-evaluation tool

Our Application Guide provides further information about English language proficiency, and deals with the following topics:

• Do I need to demonstrate my English language proficiency?
• Tests and minimum scores
• Do I need to have test scores when I apply?
• Providing English language information and scores.

You may also wish to consult the information about English Language Test waivers and the circumstances under which that may be considered. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - English language

If your qualifications aren't from the UK, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the grades and qualifications that are considered equivalent to the University's minimum entry requirements.

If your qualifications aren't listed, or you're still unsure whether your previous academic study will enable you to make a competitive application, contact the relevant academic department using the contact details on your course page.

Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - International qualifications

The application fee is £75 per taught course application (MPhil, MSc, MSt, PGDip, PGCert and MPhil + DPhil Economics) and £20 per research course application (CDT, DPhil, MSc by Research, DPhil Neuroscience (1+3), MPhil Socio-Legal Research and MPhil Law) unless you are eligible for an application fee waiver.

The fee is used to deliver our Graduate Access programmes, as part of the University’s commitment to increasing access to study at Oxford. This helps us to support applicants and potential applicants from all backgrounds, at every stage of their journey into graduate study at Oxford.

Application fee waivers are available to some groups of students and full details about the different types of waiver that are available can be found in our Application Guide. The application fee section of the Application Guide also provides information to help if you: 

• are having difficulty paying the application fee;
• would like someone to pay on your behalf; or
• would like to know what payments method are accepted.

Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Application Fee

There is a wide range of accommodation available in Oxford for graduate students, provided both by the colleges and the University. In addition, many graduate students secure accommodation in the private sector. Ordinarily, your college will explain their process for applying for accommodation when you receive your college offer.

Our Accommodation page proves further information about accommodation for graduate students, including college accommodation, University accommodation and private accommodation. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Accommodation

As part of your application, you will need to supply a number of supporting documents. The list of documents will depend on the course you are applying to and can be found in the 'How to Apply' section of the relevant course page. This provides information about each required document, such as guidance on length/word count and how it will be assessed.

Our Application Guide page proves further information about supporting documents, including requirements and how to upload them to the application form. The page includes dedicated sections on the following topics:

• Official transcripts
• Statements of purpose and research proposals
• Written work
• Other documents (eg an English language test score report/certificate)

In addition to the Application Guide, our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Supporting Documents

Our Application Guide page proves further information about references, including how to choose and register referees. The page also includes dedicated sections on the following types:

• Tracking your references
• Adding or changing a referee

In addition to the Application Guide, our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - References

Our decision timeline provides an overview of what happens after you have submitted your application. It includes dedicated sections that provide advice and guidance on the following topics:

• Academic assessment (including shortlisting, interviews and potential outcomes of your application)
• College places (if you are applying to a course with college membership)
• Scholarships and funding

The entry requirements for each course can be found on each course page. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Selection Process

If you are applying to a course with college membership and were accepted by the academic department, you are guaranteed a college place. You can see whether there are colleges associated with your course on your course page. 

The process of college placement will begin automatically once your academic department accepts you and you do not need to contact colleges yourself. 

You will usually find out which college will be part of your offer around 8 to 10 weeks after receiving your offer from the academic department. Once you are accepted by a college, you will not be considered by any other colleges.

Further information about college places, including advice about tracking your college place, can be found in our decision timeline. Our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Colleges

Our Visas and immigration page provides detailed information about visa requirements, including the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). Our extensive database of FAQs also provides helpful advice:

FAQS - Visas and immigration

Our Application Guide explains how to apply for graduate study at Oxford, including how to complete the application form and provide supporting documents. If you've consulted the guide and still have a question, our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Application guidance

Our Application Guide explains how to apply for graduate study at Oxford, including how to complete the application form and provide supporting documents. If you've consulted the guide and have a technical question (eg about file formats for supporting documents), our database of frequently asked questions also covers most common queries:

FAQs - Technical assistance

The University of Oxford’s Graduate Applicant Self Service tool allows you to manage your application once you have submitted it. The tool allows you to:

• Identify whether your application is complete and find out what documents are still required
• Upload any missing documents
• Re-send notifications to your referees, edit their details or register new referees
• Update your contact details
• View your application documents
• View the outcome of your application
• Accept or decline offers
• Access and download relevant documentation
• Withdraw your application. 

If you upload replacement documents after the deadline (excluding transcripts and language test scores), we will reject them, as accepting them would change the completion date of your application and result in your application being considered late and not considered by the academic department.

You can access Graduate Applicant Self Service for submitted applications after you log in to the online application system:

Applicant Self-Service Guide Log in for self service

If you are still missing any required documents after you apply, you will be able to upload these via Graduate Applicant Self-Service. If you are uploading a document that has previously been uploaded, the original will be removed/replaced, except for transcripts and test scores, where multiple documents will be retained on your application. You must ensure that you upload any missing documents before the application deadline for the course you are applying for.

Please do not upload any documents that are not required to support your application, such as a degree certificate or photograph.

Once your application is ready for assessment, you will only be able to upload transcripts and/or English language test results. After this point, you will not be able to upload updated versions of the following:

• CV (if a separate one is required for your course)
• written work
• research proposal
• statement of purpose

If you upload replacement documents after the deadline (excluding transcripts and language test scores), we will reject them, as accepting them would change the completion date of your application and result in your application being considered late and not considered by the academic department. If your application was incomplete at the deadline, we will accept outstanding documents if they meet our requirements, but your application will still be considered incomplete at the deadline and is unlikely to be assessed by the academic department. If a later separate deadline is in operation for the course to which you are applying, your application will become complete for that deadline.

Once a decision has been made on your application, no further documents can be uploaded.

FAQs - Supplementary Materials

You will usually find out by email whether your application is successful from your academic department about eight to ten weeks after the application deadline.

If the course has closed to applications more that ten weeks ago (refer to the deadlines and 'admissions status' on the relevant course page) please contact the department directly using the details on the course page.

If the course is still accepting applications, or ten weeks have not yet passed since applications closed, please be assured that the department will be in touch once a decision has been made. There is no need to contact anyone to discuss your application at this stage.

Our decision timeline provides more information about what to expect after you have submitted an application. You may also wish to read the frequently asked questions about the selection process.

Please contact the department directly using the contact details provided in the correspondence from the department. Alternatively, you can contact the department directly using the details on the relevant course page.

Our decision timeline provides more information about what to expect after you have submitted an application. You may also wish to read the frequently asked questions about the selection process.

We're glad we were able to help you today. Please return to this page at any time to ask a further question.

We're sorry that this didn't answer your question. You can search our list of frequently asked questions, or ask a specific question and we'll be happy to reply by email. If you would prefer to contact us by phone, please consult our telephone support hours.