How to apply

An up-to-date list of courses for which Nuffield is accepting applications may be found here.

The relevant course page of the University’s graduate admissions website provides definitive information about the deadline by which your application needs to be made. The University Decision Timeline is also a useful tool.

Please bear in mind that, in order to be considered for most scholarships and sources of funding, you must submit your application for graduate study by the relevant January deadline. For more information, please see our ‘Funding your Studies’ page.

Once you have decided which course(s) to apply to, you need to prepare and submit your application via the University’s online system.

A step by step guide on how to apply for your courses can be found on the University Graduate Admissions pages.

When you apply to the University, you can state a College preference on your application form or, if you have no particular preference, you can let the University assign you a College. There is no guarantee that your preferred College will accept you, but if you are offered a place by the University you are guaranteed a College place somewhere. Specifying a College choice on your application will normally mean that your application is sent to that college first for consideration, after the University has accepted your application.

When it comes to funding opportunities, please note that you don’t necessarily have to select Nuffield as your first choice of College. As decisions about admission at Nuffield are effectively funding decisions (because of our funding commitment), the College works closely with the relevant Departments and Faculties to shortlist the most competitive applicants in accordance with the selection criteria relevant for each course. Find out more about how Nuffield selects students here.

For further information about possible funding opportunities, please see our Funding Your Studies page. For guidance on whether Nuffield is right for you, read the University's general guidance about choosing a college, or visit our 'Why Nuffield' Page. 

If you are accepted to a course by one of the University’s departments, your application will then be considered by the Colleges. All applicants who have received an offer for a course will be guaranteed a College place. It will usually take eight to ten weeks overall after the departmental offer to find out which college will accept you.

Applications received by Nuffield are assessed by the relevant subject admissions panels, in accordance with our selection criteria.

If you get an offer from Nuffield, you will receive a College offer letter and a financial declaration, which must be completed and returned by the student. Any offer of a graduate place at Nuffield will be conditional on you being able to provide evidence of how you will fund your studies in the first year of your course. (The offer from your department may also carry academic conditions). For further information about possible funding opportunities, please see our Funding Your Studies page.

Once these conditions have been met, you will receive a confirmation of offer letter from the College and a copy of the student contract to sign. You will also receive a letter from your department confirming your completion of conditions and inviting you to confirm your intention to enrol at the University of Oxford.

Students are then required to attend a registration session in College at the beginning of Michaelmas term.