DEADLINES

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 13 November 2020
Applications more likely to receive earlier decisions

Friday 22 January 2021
Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Tuesday 2 March 2021
Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available – check Admission Status

Scholarships

For the 2021-22 academic year, the University expects to be able to offer up to 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships for new students.

Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of academic excellence and potential, and will cover some or all of your course fees and/or provide a grant for living costs for your period of fee liability. The eligibility criteria for different scholarships vary, with some being open to the majority of new graduate students and others restricted by particular characteristics, for example by degree subject or country of ordinary residence. Some scholarship schemes offer additional benefits like events to support scholars, or membership of a scholar community or leadership programme.

Specific information about scholarships for applicants from underrepresented groups is available on our graduate access page.

How do I apply?

For the majority of Oxford scholarships, all you need to do is submit your graduate application by the January deadline for your course. There’s no separate scholarship application process or extra supporting documentation required for funding. Based on the information supplied in your graduate application, you will be automatically considered for scholarships where you meet the eligibility criteria with most scholarships using academic merit and/or potential as the basis on which award decisions are made.

To help identify those scholarships that require an additional application, use the Fees, funding and scholarships search and look at individual college websites.

The vast majority of college scholarships do not require you to select that particular college as your preference on the graduate application form. They will consider all eligible applicants who apply by the relevant deadline. If you are selected for a college scholarship, we will move your place to the relevant college.

When are scholarships awarded?

Most Oxford scholarships are awarded between late February and June. The approximate date by which decisions are expected to be made will normally be given in the scholarship information available from the A-Z of Scholarships.

A scholarship may be awarded either at the same time or after you are offered a place by your department. It may be awarded either before or after you have been offered a college place.

For more information please open this link

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding/oxford-funding#content-tab–2

Starting your application

This section of the Application Guide covers:

when to apply, and our deadlines
managing your graduate applicant account and applications; and
how to complete the Application type and Course tabs of the application form.

Deadlines and when to apply

Once you’ve decided to apply for graduate study at Oxford, you should aim to do so as early as possible. It can take a number of weeks to obtain all of the documents you need, and you should allow your referees plenty of time to submit your references.

To start your application, visit the course page of your chosen course and click the ‘Apply’ button on the How To Apply tab.

We strongly recommend that you submit your application form and all of your supporting documents at least a week before your chosen deadline. Don’t wait until the day of the deadline! We may not always be able to answer your questions or help you to resolve any problems in time, particularly around our busiest application deadlines in January.

Can I apply for graduate study if I’m currently studying?

Yes, absolutely. You can apply for graduate study at Oxford during your final year of your degree.

Most of Oxford’s graduate courses commence in Michaelmas term (early October). If you receive an offer of a place, you’ll usually be required to fulfil any conditions set by your department and college by the end of August. This will include sending a final official transcript to your department. For more information about providing transcripts, consult the Supporting Documents section of this guide.

If you’re currently studying and won’t receive your final degree results before the start of term in Oxford:

contact your department to discuss whether you might be able start in a later term (research courses); or
wait and apply to begin your study in the next academic year (taught courses).

Can I start my course in a different term?

The vast majority of our taught courses begin in Michaelmas term (October) and you won’t be able to commence your study at a later point unless that is explicitly indicated on the relevant course page. For more information about Oxford’s academic terms, visit our Dates of term page.

If you’d like to start a research course in a term other than Michaelmas (October), contact the academic department directly.

Course deadlines

The deadlines for each course are stated on the course page. Most course deadlines are on a Friday at 12.00 midday UK time.

You can apply to any deadline given on the course page for your chosen course, but you should try to apply to the earliest deadline available.

If your course has more than one deadline, this means that applications are considered in two or more separate batches. You’ll usually receive a decision from your academic department about 8 to 10 weeks after the deadline to which you have applied.

November deadline

Some courses have a November deadline. If you apply in time for this deadline, you’ll be considered for Oxford scholarships. You’re also likely to receive an earlier decision than those who apply for later deadlines.

January deadlines

Most courses have a January deadline. You must apply by the January deadline for your course if:

you wish to be considered for Oxford scholarships, or any scholarship which uses this deadline;
you are requesting an application fee waiver because you are resident in a low-income country and meet the eligibility criteria.

You’re encouraged to apply by the January deadline for your course if:

you need a student visa, as you must have your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number from the University before you can apply for your visa;
you are declaring a disability or long-term health condition, as early notice will help us support you in the college admissions process if your application is successful.

Many courses will close after the January deadline.

Applying for Medical Sciences Division courses after the January deadline

The January deadline is the latest deadline shown on the course page for many of the courses offered by the Medical Sciences Division. However, some of these courses may stay open to applications for 2021-22 entry if places are still available. Your course page will indicate if the course is remaining open to applications. Please note that if you apply after the January deadline, you will not be considered for Oxford scholarships or any scholarship that uses the January deadline.

March deadline

Some courses also have a March deadline. If you apply for this deadline, you will not be considered for Oxford scholarships.

Applying after standard deadlines

After the March deadline, some courses may stay open to applications for 2021-22 entry if places are still available. Your course page will indicate if the course is remaining open to applications. The majority of courses will have filled their places by this time, and will not remain open.

The admissions cycle ends at 12.00 midday UK time on Friday 20 August 2021. Any courses that are still open will close on this date.

Course admissions status

Each course will have one of the following indicated on the page:

Open to applications

The course is open for admission. If the listed deadlines have passed, there are still places available for you to apply for and the course will stay open until these are filled. The final closing date will be advertised on the course page at least one week in advance.

Closing to applications

The course will close on the date indicated, usually on a Friday at 12.00 midday UK time. The specific date and time of the deadline will be given.

Closed to applications

The course isn’t currently accepting applications for 2021-22 study. Occasionally a closed course may re-open later: for example, if studentships become available.

Admission via separate process

The course uses a non-standard application form, application process and deadlines, so the admissions status won’t appear on the course page.

Funding deadlines

To be considered for Oxford scholarships, you must apply by the January deadline for your course.

Other scholarships may not use the standard course deadlines, and may require an additional application. You can find deadlines and other instructions via our Fees, funding and scholarship search.

Courses may remain open or re-open after the published deadline(s) if funding opportunities from the academic department, such as studentships, become available. These will be advertised on the department’s website. The course page will provide a link to further information about the studentship, including the closing date. The course page won’t show studentship closing dates or notice of closure.

You can find more information about applying for Oxford scholarships and funded studentships as part of your application is in the Funding section of this Application Guide.

What happens if I miss a deadline?

If your application isn’t submitted and complete by your chosen deadline, with all mandatory supporting documents and at least two references, it won’t usually be considered at that deadline. If your course has a later deadline listed on the course page, your application will be moved into that deadline for assessment by the academic department.

If your application is submitted and completed after your course’s final deadline, it is unlikely to be considered at all.

If it’s important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – for example, under a January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to have your application complete and submitted at least a week in advance.

How to apply

For an introduction to Oxford’s graduate courses, visit our Courses section. You can browse our courses A-Z or by department.

Once you’ve decided on a course and are ready to start your application, read the ‘How to apply’ section of your course page and click ‘Apply’ to access the online application system.

Make sure that you choose the correct course in your application. You won’t be able to change this after you start your form or after you apply. To choose a different course, you’ll need to start a new application.

Can I use an agent to help me complete and submit my application(s)?

Create an account

When you click ‘Apply’ on your course page, you’ll be prompted to create a new graduate applicant account, or log into your account if you already have one.

You can use one account to create as many applications as you wish.

On the Graduate Application Form login page, click the ‘Create Account’ button and complete the registration form. You must provide an email address, which will be the primary email address for your account. Make sure that you will have access to this email address until your course start date. If you become unable to access this email address during the application process, contact Graduate Admissions.

If you later enter a different email address in the ‘Home Address’ field of the ‘Contact Details’ section of the application form, this will change the email address associated with your account. You will then need to use the new email address to log into your account.

Current Oxford graduate students

If you’re a graduate student currently studying at the University, you’ll need to create a new application account rather than logging into your existing one. In this case, you can use the same personal email address that you used for your previous account. Any applications you submit will be merged with your existing student record.

You can access your graduate applicant account using the following link: www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/applyonline.

Use your email address and password to log in. If you forget your password, you can request a new one via the ‘Forgotten Password’ link on the login page.

If you have forgotten your login email address, or you are unable to access your account even after resetting your password, contact Graduate Admissions.

Using the application form

The application form is compatible with most web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox and Safari. If you’re using Internet Explorer, you’ll need to use version 9 or later.

The form is also compatible with most tablet devices, although some may not display it correctly.

Each tab of the application form will display a symbol that indicates your progress in completing the tab:

a blue ‘tick’ indicates that you have answered all of the mandatory questions on the tab;
a red ‘cross’ indicates that one or more mandatory questions has not been answered, or that there is an error in one of the fields.

Mandatory questions are marked with an asterisk (*). If you see an error message when you try to leave a tab, you can click ‘Cancel’ to stay on the page and edit any fields that have an error, which will be highlighted in yellow. Alternatively, you can click ‘OK’ to proceed to the next tab of the application form and return later to make any corrections.

Getting help

You’ll see a question mark symbol beside some of the questions on the application form. Hover your mouse cursor over this symbol for additional information or instructions.

Follow the sections of this Application Guide as you complete your application form. You’ll also find links to relevant FAQs on each page.

Multiple applications

Can I apply to more than one course?

You can apply to as many courses as you like for 2021-22 study, and many applicants apply to more than one course. If you are applying to more than one course, check that you meet the entry requirements for each one and that all of the relevant courses are still open to applications.

For each course, you will need to submit a full and separate application with all supporting documents, including references, and pay an application fee. This policy applies to all applications except:

applications to more than one Physics DPhil: these do not require a separate application.
if the application fee has been waived (see Application fee waivers): each application will still require a full and separate set of supporting documents.

You will not be able to study a full-time graduate course alongside any other graduate course at Oxford or any other institution.

How do I start another application?

You may use your graduate application account to create as many course applications as you wish. Only applications you’ve submitted will be visible to departments. All other applications will be deleted automatically at the end of the following admissions cycle.

To start another application, click the ‘Apply’ button on the relevant course page and log in to your graduate application account.

Alternatively, log in to your graduate application account and select ‘Start New Application’ on the ‘My Applications’ screen. If you are currently working on an application, you may need to click the ‘Save and Close’ button at the bottom of the screen before you can start a new application.

You will need to search for your graduate course using the search tool:

enter one keyword from the course title and select your course from the list; or
type in the course code, which is available on the course page.

You will only be able to select courses that are still open to applications. If you don’t see the course you’re searching for in the list, check the course page to make sure that it is still open for the current admissions cycle.

If you start another application, the application form will automatically fill in some of the information you have already provided.

Can I apply again to the same course?

You may apply to any particular course only once for 2021-22 study.

The only exception is that it may be possible to apply more than once to a research level course, if you are applying with significantly different research proposals and receive authorisation from the relevant academic department.

Applying more than once to the same research course

It may be possible to apply twice in a given year for a research-level course (eg DPhil, MSc by Research and MSt courses in Socio-Legal Research) if the applications involve significantly different research proposals. Contact the academic department to confirm whether a second application will be permitted.

If the department confirms that you can apply again, you must submit a separate application with all required supporting documents and references, and pay an application fee for both applications.

Our online application system does not permit an applicant to apply twice for the same course. If the academic department authorises a second application, it will inform Graduate Admissions and a link will be sent to you via email which enables you to create this new application.

If your application is unsuccessful in the current admissions cycle, you are welcome to apply again to the same course in the next admissions cycle (for study in 2021-22). The application form will be available from September 2020.

Deleting or cancelling applications

You will not be able to delete your application yourself after you have submitted it. Your application will be automatically deleted at the end of the following admissions cycle.

If you wish to withdraw your application after submitting it, you should contact Graduate Admissions and we will arrange this on your behalf. Once your request for a withdrawal has been processed, you will receive an automated notification email.

Your application fee is non-refundable, even if you withdraw your application before it has been assessed by the academic department.

Application type

On the ‘Application Type’ tab of the application form, you must select an application type before you can proceed to any other part of the form. You can return later to change this.

If you select an application type that is not ‘Standard’, you will not be able to proceed to the next tab until you have entered a valid authorisation code.

Standard

You should select the standard application type if your application does not fall into one of the other application types that are described below.

If you select this application type, you will need to pay the application fee of £75 per application.

The £75 application fee will be waived if you are eligible for a waiver. Application fee waivers for standard applications are available for:

UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
residents in a country listed as low-income by the World Bank.

You can check if you might be eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply. Full instructions about how to apply for an application fee waiver, including any deadlines, can be found on our Declaration and Payment page.

Application fee waivers for UK applicants from low-income backgrounds

If you’re a UK applicant from a low-income background, you can start your application using the ‘Standard’ type while your eligibility for an application fee waiver is being considered. If it is determined that you’re eligible for an application fee waiver, you will be asked return to this tab of the application form, select the ‘Standard – application fee pre-paid’ type and follow the instructions below. If it is determined that you’re not eligible for an application fee waiver you can continue with your ‘Standard’ application, but you will need to pay the £75 application fee before you are able to submit it for assessment. Further details and instructions can be found on the Declaration and Payment page.

Application fee waivers for residents in a country listed as low-income by the World Bank

If you indicate on your application form that you are resident in an eligible country (please refer to the list of eligible countries), you will be asked additional questions relating to this waiver scheme. If your answers to these questions indicate that you are eligible for this waiver, you won’t be directed to the payment screens when you submit your application. Further details and instructions can be found on the Declaration and Payment page

Standard – application fee pre-paid

You should select this application type if you are making an additional application to an eligible research course that is closely related to your first application. You can check whether the course is eligible by verifying that it is on the permitted list of closely associated courses and that all other conditions of this scheme have been met. You will need to request an application fee waiver code and enter it in the application form. You will not be able to proceed to the next tab until you have entered a valid code. The £75 application fee will be waived for eligible applications of this type.

You should also select this application type if you are making an application for which the application fee has already been paid or a further payment is not required (eg if you’re a UK applicant from a low-income background and your eligibility for an application fee waiver has been confirmed). You will need to provide a valid authorisation code and will not be able to proceed to the next tab until you have entered one.

Readmission

If you’re currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and applying for a research course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply for readmission. The £75 application fee will be waived for eligible applications of this type. You must meet the same deadlines and requirements as other applicants.

The following Oxford students are eligible to apply for readmission:

MSt, MSc, MPhil, MPP, MFA, BCL, MJur, BPhil or MTh students applying to any DPhil course except the DPhil in Management Studies;
BCL and MJur students applying to the MPhil in Law;
PGCert in Nanotechnology students applying to the MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care.

To apply using this application type, you will need to obtain an authorisation code from your student self-service account and manually enter (do not copy and paste) it into the application form. You will not be able to proceed to the next tab until you have entered a valid code.

Where can I find my readmission code in Student Self Service?

After you’ve logged into Student Self Service, select ‘Academic and Assessment Information’. Under the ‘My student record’ heading, select ‘Check my details’ and locate the ‘Display Authorisation Code’ button at the bottom of the screen.

Once you’ve found your authorisation code, return to the ‘Application type’ tab of the online application form. Select ‘Readmission’ from the drop-down menu and enter your authorisation code into the text field that appears.

The authorisation code must be entered manually, without full stops, spaces or other unnecessary characters. Copying and pasting the code may cause an error.

Rhodes Scholar – newly selected

Please select this application type if you are a newly-selected Rhodes Scholar making a graduate application to Oxford.

Rhodes Scholar – enrolled

Please select this application type if you are a Rhodes Scholar currently enrolled at Oxford and applying for a further taught or readmissions course with confirmed Rhodes funding.

Courses by department

The University of Oxford has four academic divisions, made up of individual departments, faculties or other centres, and a Department for Continuing Education, which offers courses across a range of subject areas.