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Graduate Scholarships

Fully-funded graduate scholarships ensure Oxford attracts the very best graduate students from across the world, regardless of their financial circumstance.

• Access to a graduate education is more important than ever, given its potential to enhance career prospects both outside academia and within.
• The most frequent reason given for why graduate offer holders turn down their Oxford place is lack of funding.
• Many leading universities abroad provide full funding for all PhD students; at Oxford, only 60 percent of doctoral students enjoy this security.
• Graduate scholarships are a strategic priority for Oxford, with ambitious targets of 300 new scholarships proposed in the 2018-23 strategic plan.

The impact of Graduate Scholars

Graduate students are the engine of research in our laboratories, libraries and seminars. They make an essential contribution, and go on to play important roles in the worldwide economy and society, leading the way in their fields and pushing frontiers of knowledge.

Read their stories

Paving the way for success

For international students, a graduate scholarship can mean the difference between taking up a place at Oxford, or choosing an institution closer to home.

Read more →

Driving research into the future of energy

DPhil student Isaac Capone explains why developing new battery technology is vital to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Supporting the study of human rights law

Four human rights professionals from around the world share their experiences of studying for a graduate degree at Oxford.

Tackling disease on a global scale

Oxford's MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine is enabling graduate students to develop knowledge of major global health problems.

Teaching Fund

With your help we can attract future innovators and leaders who will address global challenges for generations to come.

Andrew Vivian

Funding postgraduate study

University and departmental funding

• Postgraduate funding search tool
• A-Z of postgraduate scholarships
• Black Academic Futures Scholarships: these offer UK Black and Mixed Black students financial support to pursue graduate study at Oxford.
• The Refugee Academic Futures Scheme: this will offer financial support to pursue graduate study at Oxford to students who are refugees or other people with lived experience of displacement.
• Care-Experienced Academic Futures Scholarships: this offers financial support to students who have experienced being in care in the UK to pursue graduate study at Oxford.
• Scholarships and funding for under-represented groups
• Continuing Education Departmental bursaries  for students on a low income.
• Prizes and awards

Course-specific funding (check your course web page for details)

• External funding
• Student loans and other government financial support
• Other student loans
• Help from your employer  (see 'Employment' tab)
• Other Sources of Funding for Postgraduate Study
• Funding for International Students

Targeted support

• Disability support funding
• Support for student parents
• Support for estranged students
• Managing your finances

Check your course web page for specific funding, bursaries and scholarships

Ask us about student funding.

Contact:  [email protected] .

Am I eligible for any graduate scholarships from Oxford and how do I apply?

Is this answer helpful.

Department of

Department of Education

Dphil in education, scholarships.

The DPhil in Education is a full-time programme which takes 3-4 years and is intended to provide graduates with a wide range of research skills as well as in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in their chosen field of educational research.

The DPhil in Education is an advanced research degree of a high standing and is awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral examination.

A full-time programme takes 3-4 years to complete and is intended to provide graduates with a wide range of research skills as well as in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in their chosen field of research.

About 80 DPhil students are attached to the Department, researching a wide range of topics, normally linked to one or more of the Department’s Research Groups. Students come from over 40 different countries and are supported by a variety of scholarships and grants. Entry is highly competitive, and applicants are required to have a strong academic background and are required to submit a research proposal.

It is also possible to study part-time for a DPhil in the department. For more information, visit our part-time DPhil page .

The Department offers some part and full scholarships to attract the very strongest students who would otherwise not be able to come and study in Oxford.

It is committed to developing the number of fully-funded studentships it can offer to DPhil students, given their importance to the Department’s research culture. The funding deadline for all graduate courses in the Department of Education is January application deadline. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered for funding offered by Oxford. Funding deadlines for other University courses can be found on the relevant course page on the Graduate Admissions website . These are all highly competitive, and require high-quality, well-crafted research proposals.

All eligible applicants for graduate study are automatically considered for the University’s prestigious Clarendon Scholarships and the departmental scholarships. You will be notified around the beginning of March if you are being considered for any of these funding opportunities.

Reparative Futures of Education Scholarship

The Reparative Futures of Education (REPAIR-ED) research project is awarding two fully-funded doctoral scholarships based within Oxford University’s Department of Education.

The REPAIR-ED project involves working with primary school communities in the city of Bristol to examine the features and mechanisms of structural inequities in education. The project will use its empirical findings to facilitate dialogues with stakeholders (schools, their communities, policy-actors and the broader public) to explore how reparative justice in education might be conceptualised and enacted.

More information about the REPAIR-ED scholarships and how to apply.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

The ESRC is the UK’s largest organisation for funding research on social and economic issues. The University, in collaboration with Brunel University and the Open University, hosts the Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership – one of 14 Doctoral Training Partnerships accredited by the ESRC as part of a Doctoral Training Network.

In order to be considered for a Grand Union DTP ESRC studentship, you must select ‘ ESRC Grand Union DTP Studentships in Social Sciences ’ in the University of Oxford scholarships section of the University’s graduate application form. You must also complete a  Grand Union DTP Application Form and upload it, together with your graduate application form, by the funding deadline for your course.

Information about ESRC studentships at Oxford can be found here . Please ensure you have read all of the guidance available on the website before you complete the Grand Union DTP Application Form . If you have any questions, get in touch with the Grand Union DTP Office .

Talbot Scholarships

This scholarship fund is the result of a bequest to the Department in honour of Ms Elfrida Talbot, who ran the first women’s hostel for Education students in the University in the early years of the twentieth century. It is normally used to part-fund a UK/EU doctoral student for three years who was seen as strong contender for an ESRC doctoral studentship. Strong contenders for ESRC studentships will be automatically considered for this scholarship: no separate application process is needed. This scholarship is usually offered once every three years.

Clarendon scholarships

The very strongest applicants for all our MSc and DPhil programmes are automatically considered for University Clarendon scholarships. There is no separate application process. These are highly competitive and each year only one or two of our students are successful. During our initial admissions screening, supervisors nominate applicants with outstanding academic records to be considered. These supervisors then prepare a supporting statement.  A departmental panel ranks these candidates and the Director of Doctoral Research puts forward a shortlist of the strongest applicants to the divisional committee.

Departmental studentships

The Department is keen to attract the very strongest MSc students and encourage them to stay on for doctoral study. The shortlist will normally be made up of those students shortlisted for the ESRC and Clarendon scholarships. Interviews and decisions will be made once the ESRC and Clarendon awards are announced.

Awards will vary in range, but will seek to make a significant contribution to the overall cost of fees. Successful candidates will be expected to make an active contribution to the academic and professional life of the doctoral students within the Department. These scholarships may not be offered every year.

Further information on graduate scholarships and awards offered by the University and external agencies can be found on the  Student Funding Services  website.

Self-Funding

Scholarships are awarded on entry to the doctoral programme, not at any later point. If you are not awarded a scholarship in your first year, but elect to self-fund, you will be asked by the University to sign a declaration that you have the money to cover your fees and your living expenses for the first year. It should be noted that although you are only asked about the first year, it is extremely unlikely that you will acquire funding after that. There are no additional scholarships within the University for continuing doctoral students. The Department in general and individual staff members work hard to bring in funding for doctoral students, but we cannot fund everybody. It is worth carefully considering which colleges might have scholarships for which you are eligible when you apply.

Most colleges will offer some very small grants for fieldwork, travel or conference attendance. These are in the region of a couple of hundred pounds at most.

You can work part time during your doctorate, subject to the requirements of your visa, but you must obtain the support of your supervisor to do so, and it can have detrimental effects on your progress. There are occasionally some paid research assistant posts within the Department which are advertised to the doctoral cohort but these tend to be highly sought after. We do not have undergraduates so you are unlikely to be able to supervise as graduate students outside Education do.

There are some charitable trusts outside of the University to which you might be able to apply for some funding; we cannot keep track of all the potential requirements, so you should seek these out for yourself. However, they are not likely to be sufficient to cover fees and living expenses in their entirety.

Financial assistance run by colleges tends to be for ‘unexpected circumstances’; self-funders not getting any funding in second or subsequent years is not seen as unexpected. Both the University and the Department have some limited funds for those writing up the final stages of their doctorate. These are highly competitive and there are always more requests than there is money to fulfil them.

This advice is not intended to put you off, but it is important for self-funders to have a realistic view.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO I NEED TO APPLY?

For more specific details of our admission criteria please visit the DPhil in Education course page .

HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU RECRUIT TO THE DPHIL IN EDUCATION PROGRAMME?

Approximately 25-35 students are recruited to our DPhil in Education programme each year.

CAN I STUDY ONLINE OR THROUGH DISTANCE LEARNING?

It is not possible to study at a distance or on-line on our DPhil programme.

What if I have already completed research training as part of a Masters degree?

All PRS students no matter what their previous training are required to undertake the Research Training Seminar course. This is the seminar specifically for PRS students, preparing you for the Oxford DPhil structure, creating a supportive cohort and enabling you to begin professional development for an academic or non-academic career. Other research training courses are: Beginners and Intermediate Quantitative Methods; Perspectives and Debates in Qualitative Research and Philosophy of Educational Research. The exact courses you will be required to take will depend on your previous training and experience, and the decision will be based on the evidence you provide in your application and in discussion with the Director of Doctoral Research on matriculation.

WHAT ARE THE BACKGROUNDS OF STUDENTS RECRUITED TO YOUR PROGRAMMES?

The Department offers a very wide range of courses. As well as a comprehensive Doctoral programme attracting students from all over the world, we offer full-time one year MSc in Education and in MSc Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (ALSLA) courses, as well as a range of part-time courses, some aimed primarily at UK teachers (e.g. MSc Learning & Teaching, MS Teacher Education) and some at distance learning (e.g., Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching). Consequently our courses cater to students from a diverse range of backgrounds.

For example in 2021/22, the Department had a total complement of 780 students of whom 414 were studying full-time and 366 were studying part-time. For 2021/22, across the MSc Education, MSc ALSLA, and DPhil programmes, approximately 29% of our students came from the UK, and the remaining 71% from the EU or overseas. The cohort from those programmes included students from Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, Germany, India, Malaysia, China, Mexico, Estonia, Australia, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the United States, among many others.

What our students share is exceptional academic achievement in their previous learning and an ambition to excel academically.

CAN I STUDY PART TIME?

Although doctoral research training programmes across the University tend to be structured around the needs of full-time students, we are able to offer a part-time DPhil option for students who reside and are employed locally.   See here for more information about studying for a part-time DPhil with us .

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO STUDY AND LIVE IN OXFORD?

To find out how much it will cost to undertake your studies at the University, please  visit the Fees and Living Costs webpage  for details.

CAN I APPLY FOR MORE THAN ONE COURSE?

We would strongly encourage you to focus your application on the course for which you have the most interest and experience.

CAN I APPLY FOR YOUR COURSES IF I AM IN THE PROCESS OF ACHIEVING MY QUALIFICATION TO GAIN ENTRY ONTO THE PROGRAMME?

Yes, you may apply for any of our courses whilst studying for another degree. If you are successful in achieving a place on one of our programmes, we would make a conditional offer which would include the condition of you achieving your qualification. You are required to submit an interim transcript at application. However, your final outcome would need to be available prior to you commencing the course at Oxford.

CAN SOMEONE CHECK IF MY RESEARCH PROPOSAL FITS INTO THE RESEARCH INTERESTS OF CURRENT MEMBERS OF STAFF BEFORE I SUBMIT AN APPLICATION?

Prospective DPhil applicants are expected to browse the online profiles of current members of staff to identify academics whose research interests overlap with theirs. If you can’t locate any academics with overlapping interests with yours, it is likely that your proposed area of research does not fit into the interests of current members of staff or the Department’s research centres.

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE; WHICH HIGHER LEVEL LANGUAGE QUALIFICATION IS ACCEPTABLE? AND WHAT SCORE DO YOU REQUIRE?

If you do not have English as your first language, we would like you to have achieved the higher level competence in English Language proficiency i.e. IELTS 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each component, or TOEFL 110 (Internet-based).

We do not accept tests which are more than 2 years old. We encourage applicants to apply with a successful IELTS test. If evidence that you successfully meet the English language condition cannot be provided with your application, the language requirement will be set as a condition if an offer is made.

For further information, please  visit the Application Guide .

CAN I APPLY FOR A WAIVER OF PROOF OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH?

For information on applying for a waiver of the English test requirement, please  visit the application guide .

HOW DO I APPLY?

For information about applying, see the University Admission’s DPhil page . For a more detailed explanation of the process, please  click here for the application guide .

NOT ALL OF MY QUALIFICATIONS WILL FIT ON THE APPLICATION FORM, WHAT SHALL I DO?

If you require more space on the application form, please contact Graduate Admissions for advice.

I HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE OF AN ACADEMIC SETTING FOR SOME TIME NOW; WHO SHALL I HAVE TO ACT AS MY REFEREES?

We strongly recommend that you have at least one reference from your most recent academic tutor. If you are currently in employment, you would be expected to provide a reference from your employer as well as an academic referee who is able to comment on academic capability/suitability for Higher Degree study.

WHAT DO I NEED TO INCLUDE FOR THE SAMPLES OF WRITTEN WORK?

Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each.

The written work should be related to the DPhil in Education and should be on separate topics. If you do not have any existing material that fits this requirement, you may wish to critique an article or write a book review based on the course subject.

You may submit written work previously completed for a prior course of study if the topic is relevant, eg an assignment or chapter of a dissertation etc, provided it meets the requirements. If your work is significantly longer than the guide length it should be edited to meet the requirements.

A list of relevant references is required for your written work and should be included in your word count. [If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.] This will be assessed for understanding of the subject area, an ability to construct and defend an argument, and proficiency in academic English.

WHAT DO I NEED TO INCLUDE IN THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND PERSONAL STATEMENT?

If you are applying to the DPhil programme you need to submit a personal statement of a maximum of 1,000 words and a research proposal of a maximum of 2,500 words. Your statement and proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with a clear subheading for each.

You should submit a convincing personal statement (statement of purpose) explaining your reasons for applying to the programme and highlighting your relevant academic and professional experience. The final line of your personal statement should indicate your future plans after a doctorate.

You should also submit a research proposal written in English. An indicative bibliography is required but you do not need to include this in your word count. Your proposal should include an indicative title and a short introduction/synopsis, a discussion of the most relevant scholarly literature, and a research question or hypothesis. This issue or question should emerge from your review of the literature. Please also provide a rationale for the importance of this research topic.

Your proposal should also indicate your proposed methodological approach. This will depend on the kind of research you envisage. If empirical research is planned, then please discuss the likely ‘data’ to be collected. At this stage these ideas are exploratory, and likely to develop and change once you are accepted.

This will be assessed for your potential to carry out doctoral research, the quality and coherence of the proposal and the originality of the project.

It will be normal for your ideas to subsequently change in some ways as you develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Your proposal should focus on your proposed research topic, rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

HOW IS MY SUPERVISOR DECIDED?

Although supervisors will be allocated by the Department and it is not necessary for you to contact academic members of staff directly, prospective applicants are encouraged to approach academics whose research interests overlap with theirs to informally solicit their capacity and interest in supervising new DPhil students. You may also ask them to share with you specific publications that they have authored that you can’t access otherwise and that may help inform your research proposal. There is a section in the application form in which you can indicate your suggested supervisors. You are strongly encouraged to fill it in with two names of suggested supervisors when you apply.

AM I REQUIRED TO ATTEND FOR INTERVIEW?

Interviews are normally held with two interviewers using Microsoft Teams. Interviews will normally take place in February.

WHAT WILL THE INTERVIEW BE LIKE?

We are keen to find out more about you and your interests, and how these might tie in with the research specialisms of academic staff within the department.

For DPhil applicants, we will ask you to talk in detail about your research proposal, its design, your methodological choices and potential challenges you might face. For MSc applicants, we will ask you about your knowledge of the course, your reasons for wanting to study in this area, and initial ideas for their dissertation research.

Applicants may be asked to explain how their areas of interest link to those of the departments’ research groups, centres and academic staff.

WHEN WILL THE OUTCOME OF MY APPLICATION BE KNOWN?

Applications will be considered by the admissions panel within the Department and decisions will be made in accordance with the following deadlines:

January application deadline – mid March

You will be informed of our decision by email to ensure that you receive the outcome as soon as possible.

In the event that we are not able to offer you a place, we regret that it is not possible to provide you with feedback on your application.

CAN I DEFER ENTRY TO A COURSE?

The University will only consider requests for deferral of entry due to exceptional unforeseen circumstances, and only after all conditions set for the offer (both academic and financial) have been met.

Couldn’t find your answers under our FAQ section?

Please direct all enquiries to our Higher Degrees Office and a member of the administrative team will be happy to assist you.

Email: [email protected]

• Entry requirements
• Fees and Funding

Meet our DPhil Students

Graduate fees and funding

Currently available soge scholarships, useful information.

• None currently listed.
• DPhil Studentship: Governing residential heat decarbonisation in the UK [Deadline: 19 January 2024]

Please see the information below for further scholarship opportunities available at Oxford.

You will be liable to pay full course fees for the following period of time:

• Master of Science (MSc) Courses: 1 year.
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil): 2 years.
• Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil): Full-time 3 years; Part-time 6 years (a termly continuation fee will be charged for those exceeding the standard period of University tuition fee liability.)

For the latest information on fees charged by the University please visit the University's Fees and Funding webpage or use the Graduate Fees, Funding and Scholarship Search tool.

Scholarships

There are four categories of scholarship opportunities available at Oxford:

1) Central - Oxford University Scholarships

For details on these scholarships please see the University's Oxford funding webpage.

In order to be considered for these scholarships, you should apply no later than the January deadline for your programme of study.

These scholarships are managed by the central Student Fees and Funding team. You can apply for many of these scholarships by ticking the relevant boxes on the application form under the University of Oxford Scholarships headings. For some scholarships you may need to make a separate application. The individual scholarship web pages will indicate what application material is required.

You should use the fees, funding and scholarship search which will help you to locate Oxford University scholarships that are specific to you. The search will also give further information on applying for the scholarship and the deadline by which decisions will be made. The School of Geography and the Environment is able to nominate (shortlist) candidates for some Oxford University scholarship and we will notify successful nominees at the beginning of March. Please note that a nomination (shortlist) for a scholarship does not imply that you will be successful. The University funding office will only be able to notify successful candidates - if you are unsuccessful you will not receive notification of the outcome of your scholarship application. If you do not receive a notification by the first week in March to say you are being nominated (shortlisted) for a scholarship, or by the advertised scholarship decision deadline, you will not have been successful.

If you have any queries relating to these scholarships you should read the most popular questions section of the University website and/or submit your query using the online Ask a Question facility.

Black Academic Futures Scholarships

Up to 30 scholarships are available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, who are of Black or Mixed-Black ethnicity and who hold an offer for either a taught or research postgraduate degree, starting in the 2023-24 academic year. This includes all full-time and part-time DPhil and master's courses.

Please see the Black Academic Futures for more info.

Scholarships offered by the colleges of the University. You will need to look at individual college web pages for details of available scholarships and for information on how to apply. College Scholarships may also be included in the results of any fees, funding and scholarship search . In recent years we have been able to offer joint scholarships with the following colleges: Hertford, Linacre, St Anne's, St Antony's, and St Cross. Information on the availability of any joint college / departmental scholarships will be advertised on this webpage and the corresponding college websites.

3) UK Research Councils

To be considered for research council scholarships, applications must be submitted by the January deadline.

Research Council studentships are open to both Home (UK) and International candidates. However, the University are limited to awarding a maximum of 30% of studentships per cohort to International students.

We will notify you if you have been nominated for an award and notify you of the final decision. Most decisions are finalised by late April each year.

The School of Geography and the Environment hopes to be able to offer research council scholarships each year for the following:

The Grand Union ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership

In order to be considered for a Grand Union DTP ESRC studentship, you must select 'ESRC Grand Union DTP Studentships in Social Sciences' in the University of Oxford scholarships section of the University's graduate application form. You must also complete a Grand Union DTP Application Form and upload it, together with your graduate application form .

Applicants applying for the MSc or MPhil who, after completion of their course intend to continue onto the DPhil, are eligible to apply for an ESRC scholarship on a 1+3 or 2+2 basis. Please note that this scholarship is not available for those applying for the MSc or MPhil courses only. More information can be found on the Grand Union DTP website.

If you do not receive a notification by the first week in March to say you are being nominated (shortlisted) for a Grand Union DTP ESRC studentship, you will not have been successful.

Environmental Research NERC Doctoral Training Partnership

This is available to DPhil students only. You do not apply directly to the School of Geography and the Environment but directly to the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) through one of the three research streams. More information can be found on the Environmental Research DTP website.

Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership

The AHRC provides public funding in support of research into the arts and humanities, for approximately one quarter of the UK's research population. Oxford participates in the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership, providing a number of scholarships each year to students working on eligible subject areas across the Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions. Information about applying for AHRC scholarships at Oxford can be found on the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership website.

If you do not receive a notification by the first week in March to say you are being nominated (shortlisted) for an AHRC scholarship, you will not have been successful.

4) External

You can find information on funding available from external organisations, trusts, and companies that provide support to graduate students on the University's External scholarships webpages. These are managed by organisations external to Oxford, therefore various application processes and closing dates will apply. If you have any questions you should contact the relevant organisation directly.

In recent years our students have been successful with many awards offered by both the University and external organisations such as:

• Kwok Scholarships
• Rhodes Scholarships
• Clarendon Awards
• Commonwealth Scholarships
• OSI/FCO Chevening Scholarships
• Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Scholarships
• Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme
• Hill Foundation Scholarships (Graduate)
• China Oxford Scholarship
• China Scholarship Council - University of Oxford Scholarships
• Felix Scholarships
• Oppenheimer Scholarship
• Fulbright Awards
• Marshall Scholarships
• CONACyT, Mexican Government Funding
• Frost Scholarship
• Oxford - Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarship
• Oxford Kobe Scholarship
• St Antony's College: Swire Scholarships
• St Antony's College: Swire and Oxford & Cambridge Society of Kenya Scholarship
• Trudeau Foundation Scholarship
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• IJURR Foundation Scholarship
• Cost of living in Oxford , University of Oxford
• The British Council's website is a useful source of information, see Study UK and the Scholarships and Funding page .
• Association of Commonwealth Universities - awards are primarily intended for Commonwealth graduates, but the majority of awards are also open to those from non-Commonwealth countries.
• Postgraduatesearch.com - postgraduate funding .
• Prospects - the UK's official graduate careers website.
• Internationalscholarships.com - financial aid, college scholarship and international scholarship resource for students wishing to study abroad.

• Study at Merton
• Graduate Study

Graduate Study: Graduate Scholarships for 2024-25 entry

• Merton already has a higher than average number of scholarships available to enable graduate students to study at Oxford and increasing the funds available from our own resources and the generous gifts of donors is a priority for the College. Our interim goal is to offer one per subject area per year.
• These scholarships are only available for applicants to programmes of study for which the College normally considers.
• Our scholarships are generally made in partnership with the University and NONE of them requires a separate college-specific application .
• The applications of all eligible candidates will automatically be considered on the basis of the University application form for graduate study, regardless of whether or not you state Merton College as your preferred college on your graduate application form, which should be submitted by the January deadline (unless otherwise stated).
• If you are offered a scholarship at Merton College you will also be offered a place at Merton College in order to take up the award; this will take the place of any earlier college offer you may have received.
• The schedule of scholarships offered changes each year. Details of 2024 Scholarships will be published in August/September 2023.
• The University website has a Fees, Funding and Scholarships search tool  designed to assist graduates looking for funding sources.
• The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding is an external resource from GradFunding which provides a database of alternative funding opportunities (for example, from charities and trusts) and advice about how to apply for them. The University has subscribed to the guide: Current Oxford students can use their University email address to access the guide.
• Offered – One each in Economics, Law, Biology, Computer Science, Medical Sciences; and three further awards in Humanities.
• Eligibility – Home/Overseas applicants for subjects the College normally considers.
• Value - Course fee and a grant for living expenses at the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend rate.
• Duration – Up to four years (depending on period of fee liability).
• Application – Via  University application form for graduate study  by the January application deadline.
• Eligibility  – Home/Overseas applicants for subjects the College normally considers.
• Value  - Course fee and a grant for living expenses at the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend rate.
• Duration  – Up to four years (depending on period of fee liability).
• Application  – Via  University application form for graduate study  by the January application deadline.
• Offered –  One for a student from, or undertaking research in, Sub-Saharan Africa
• Offered –  One for a student undertaking research in History
• Merton College will be supporting scholarship provision for the  Black Academic Futures  scheme as a funding partner.
• Offered  - annually.
• Eligibility  – UK applicants.
• Value  – £5,000 from Merton College and £5,000 from the Faculty of Law.
• Duration  – one year.
• Application  – Via  University application form for graduate study  by the January application deadline. Eligible candidates will be identified to the College by the department and the College will make its decision in late May based on the University application form.
• Eligibility  – British.
• Eligibility  – Home/Overseas applicants for the BCL or MJur.
• Value  – £5,000 from Merton College and £5,000 from the Faculty of Law.
• Why Merton?
• How to apply
• Admissions FAQs
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• Profile: An English Graduate Scholar
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Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate funding in the social sciences division.

The University of Oxford offers a variety of funding opportunities for those looking to undertake graduate study. The following are some of the key funding schemes open to those applying for courses in the Social Sciences Division.

Funding opportunities

Esrc grand union dtp.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest organisation funding research on social and economic issues. The University, in collaboration with Brunel University London and The Open University, hosts the Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) which offers funding and training to postgraduate students in specific subject areas.

Information about ESRC studentships at Oxford and the application process can be found on the  Grand Union DTP website . Please note that these studentships are only open to candidates applying to start a new programme, rather than for current students already enrolled.

Clarendon Scholarships

Clarendon is Oxford’s flagship graduate scholarship scheme, open to all applicants for DPhil and Master’s courses. Clarendon scholarships are competitive, prestigious and highly sought-after. Like all fully-funded Oxford scholarships, Clarendon covers course fees, and provides a grant for living expenses. If you apply by the funding deadline for a full or part-time Master's or DPhil course at Oxford, you will  automatically  be considered for a  Clarendon Scholarship . Funding deadlines can be found on individual course pages on the Graduate Admissions website . 

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme

The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme provides outstanding university graduates and professionals from developing and emerging economies with the opportunity to pursue fully-funded graduate studies at the University of Oxford, along with a comprehensive programme of leadership development, long-term mentoring and networking. The majority of eligible programmes are based in Social Sciences Departments. There are additional steps you must complete in order to be considered for these scholarships. Details on eligibility and the application process can be found on the University's Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme page .

AHRC OOC DTP

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) provides public funding in support of research into the arts and humanities. This includes some subjects formally based in the Social Sciences Division at Oxford, including Law, Archaeology, Anthropology and Politics. Oxford participates in the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP), providing a number of scholarships each year for doctoral students. Information about applying for AHRC scholarships at Oxford can be found on the OOC DTP website .

Other sources of funding

There is a wide variety of funding available at Oxford for graduate study. Details on funding available to candidates applying to start a new course can be found on the University’s Graduate Fees and Funding pages .

Please be aware that the majority of Oxford scholarships are open to new graduate students only, and funding options for on-course students are extremely limited. The University offers some tips on securing extra funding on its Other Graduate Funding Sources page .

Oxford-Rees Care-Experienced Graduate Student Scholarship

The inaugural award of the Oxford-Rees Scholarship will be awarded for 2023 entry. It will support care-experienced Social Sciences candidates.

For the purposes of selection, ‘care experienced’ means having been looked after by the state or your local authority, or as a looked-after child. This could include:

• living with foster carers under local authority care;
• living in a residential children's home;
• being 'looked after at home’ under a supervision order; or
• living with friends or relatives in kinship care – either through a formal arrangement (such as a Special Guardianship order) or an informal arrangement, without local authority support.

You do not have to meet the legal definition of being a care leaver to be considered for this scholarship. 

Support is being provided by funding partners across the University and colleges. These scholarships are open to applicants to all academic subjects and will provide funding packages to assist with course fees and living costs.

How to apply

Graduate Scholarships

New Applicants

You will automatically be considered for all Faculty awards and all chambers awards for which you are eligible. Other scholarships may require you to complete a separate application procedure; if so, there will be information about how to apply in the scholarship description.

Current PRS and DPhil students

The application process is currently under review. Please check back here from time-to-time for current information.

Take a look at our  Graduate Scholars  and find out more about their experiences.

3 Verulam Buildings Scholarship

4 new square chambers scholarship, alastair mcbain international human rights law scholarship.

Mansfield College

All Souls Hugh Springer Graduate Scholarships

Oxford University Scholarships

Allan Myers Scholarships

Ann kennedy graduate scholarship in law.

Lady Margaret Hall

Arts and Humanities Research Council Awards

Full funding for research students

Barnett Bequest scholarship

Merton College and Faculty of Law

BCL and MJur needs-based bursaries

Faculty of Law

BCL and MJur Scholarships

Brasenose College and Faculty of Law

BCL Scholarship

Magdalen College and Faculty of Law

BCL Scholarships

Jesus College and Faculty of Law

Beer Family Scholarship

Lady Margaret Hall and Faculty of Law

Clarendon Scholarships

Full funding for graduate students

COMBAR/Oxford Faculty of Law Scholarships

Funding for black and mixed black ethnicity students ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, commencing the BCL

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

MSc in International Human Rights Law

Cornelia Sorabji Scholarship

Somerville College and Faculty of Law

Crankstart Graduate Scholarships

Daniel slifkin scholarship.

St John's College

Des Voeux Chambers Oxford Scholarship

Dphil bame scholarship.

Christ Church and Faculty of Law

Oriel College and Faculty of Law

Dr and Mrs Ambriti Salve Scholarship

Exeter College and Faculty of Law

Eldon Law Scholarship

Esrc scholarships.

DPhil in Criminology and DPhil in Socio-Legal Studies

Ethics in AI Scholarship

Full DPhil Scholarship supported by Schmidt Futures grant (the Institute for Ethics in AI)

Ewald Scholarship

The Queen's College and Faculty of Law

Felix Scholarship

Funding your studies

All eligible candidates will automatically be considered for the college scholarships, with no need to provide further information to either the college or university, and regardless of which college (if any) is stated as a preference on the graduate application form., these scholarships are only available for incoming first year students, not on-course students or students at a different college.  scholarships are normally awarded between march - june each year. , oxford-reuben graduate scholarships, an exceptional opportunity to enable you to study your passion, live your dream, and transform the future..

We are committed to building a strong portfolio of funding opportunities to support Reuben College students in their graduate studies. This includes full scholarships, and for on-course students, small grants to support conference participation or other academic related costs incurred on your course. Reuben is proud to actively encourage equality, diversity and inclusivity within the College and the wider academic community. Without financial support, students from a number of ethnic minorities and other under-represented backgrounds can often struggle to continue their studies at graduate level. This means that there are then fewer students from diverse backgrounds going on to careers in academia, and less diverse voices are heard within the University. As a college, we have set ourselves the target of offering 50% of our scholarships to students from under-represented or disadvantaged backgrounds.  

Whilst some scholarships cover full course fees and maintenance (normally at the level of the Research Councils UK (RCUK) minimum doctoral stipend) for the duration of the course, others are awarded in conjunction with other scholarships (for example, Clarendon and UKRI) to together provide full funding.

To be eligible, students must usually apply by the January gathered field, and for a course for which Reuben College admits graduate students. Eligible applicants are nominated by their department for the various scholarships that Reuben offers and there is no additional application process made to the College. Applications will be selected by the individual departments on their own criteria, which will include academic excellence, as well as the other appropriate criteria for eligibility. If not already at Reuben, successful candidates will be transferred to the College in order to take up the scholarship, as these scholarships are only tenable at the College.

Reuben College is committed to a target of offering at least 50% of its scholarships to students from under-represented groups and is supporting the University’s Academic Futures scholarships .

Funding advice and resources

The University offers excellent advisory services for your financial needs, as well as a wide range of sources of financial assistance. 

• University of Oxford fees & funding advice pages
• University-wide scholarship and funding opportunities  (provides guidance on application deadlines and eligibility)
• External funding options and advice
• Fees, funding and scholarship search tool
• Graduate Access pages for students from under-represented groups
• A-Z scholarship listing  
• US federal loan information

Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships

Full scholarships to support outstanding students on the 1+1 MBA.

Established in 2014, the Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships provide up to six full awards covering both the Master's and the MBA degrees. Scholars can pursue any of the  1+1 MBA partnering programmes  and combine it with our MBA. 

Recipients are exceptional individuals who can demonstrate the potential and commitment to finding scalable and sustainable solutions to world-scale social challenges.

You will benefit from a range of on-course opportunities such as attending prestigious conferences, termly events and scholar community activities, spring 'trek' to New York hosted by the Pershing Square Foundation, and mentorship opportunities. 

The Pershing Square Scholarship

Scholarship details

Course fees for both the Master's degree and MBA programme, plus a grant for living costs of at least £17,668 per year for both years of study. 

Number available

Eligibility criteria.

You will be considered in order of priority for the scholarship:

1.   New applicants to the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme

• You must be admitted to a 1+1 MBA partnering programme  and to the MBA prior to the selection process (waitlisted or re-evaluated applicants will not be considered)

2.   If you apply to any full-time one-year Master’s course that is not currently part of the official list of 1+1 MBA partnering programmes, and to the MBA (as a separate application)

3.   If you are:

• moving into your MBA year and have not been considered for the scholarship in the previous year (eg waitlisted/ re-evaluated applicants)
• admitted to the MBA while studying on one of the 1+1 MBA partnering programmes

Selection criteria

• Academic achievement demonstrated through degree results, GMAT or GRE score, previous university prizes and awards, and other academic achievements.
• Leadership potential demonstrated through experience and motivation.
• Strong personal character, integrity, and commitment.
• Intention to focus on addressing world-scale social challenges in your career, either in an existing organisation or through the development of a new enterprise.
• Ability to envision how to achieve scalable and sustainable solutions to these challenges.
• Articulated vision on how the Oxford 1+1 MBA will allow you to fulfil your objectives.

You are advised to highlight these attributes in your 1+1 MBA application, scholarship essay and interview answers. 

How to apply

You must submit a complete application for both courses and upload the scholarship essay in the 'Funding' section of the 1+1 MBA programme application by the deadline to be considered. 

Answer the following question in no more than 500 words:

• How do you intend to change the world and what does this tell us about you as a person?

Each of our  partnering programmes  has its own application form, deadlines and requirements.

You must apply by 5 January 2024  for the 1+1 MBA and for your chosen Master's programme by its own deadline, either in December or January. Application deadlines for 1+1 MBA partner programmes can be found on the relevant course page on the Graduate Admissions website .

Selection process

Shortlisting is planned to take place in early April with candidates expected to be invited to interview in late April or early May.

Meet our scholars

Scholarships for exceptional individuals.

Hear from our on-course scholars and learn about their backgrounds, careers, and plans. 

Our extraordinary community of scholars are  exceptional individuals who are inspired to address important social issues by reimagining the possible and delivering scalable and sustainable impact across the globe.  

Scholar community

As part of the scholarship, recipients have the unique opportunity to benefit from a range of on-course activities and priority access to School events. Through fostering a positive and stimulating community, they are encouraged to share ideas, experiences, skills, as well as creating new initiatives.

See what our scholars have recently been up to.

The transition from MSc to MBA for a Pershing Square Scholar

Kate talks about finding her place in the MBA cohort.

Founding a Fintech: The story of a financial inclusion startup in Latin America

Diego discusses his experience starting a Fintech business.

The unique journey of having a baby during my MBA

Sophie balances pregnancy and motherhood with the MBA.

2023 Best & Brightest MBA

Diego makes the top 100 Best & Brightest MBA students in the world.

Oxford is the journey, my transformative first term

Adam evaluates his unique experiences and possibilities at Oxford.

Trash Talk: How to transform our approach to waste management

Ryan debunks commonly-held assumptions about waste management.

Combining Oxford's MSc Water Science, Policy and Management with the Oxford MBA

Kate contemplates her journey to Oxford.

My Oxford 1+1 MBA experience so far: a catalyst for future impact

Sophie reflects on her first year of the Oxford 1+1 MBA.

Scholarship co-curricular activities

As a scholar, you will benefit from a range of on-course opportunities which are unique to the Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships.

These opportunities have been designed to enhance the scholarship experience and help to prepare you intellectually, professionally and practically for your future leadership positions.

• Opportunity to speak and play an active part in global forums such as the  Oxford Africa Business Forum
• Opportunity to attend prestigious conferences and events throughout the year eg the Ditchley Conferences
• Termly lunches with the MBA Director
• Annual dinner with the Dean and/or members of the Saïd Business School Senior Leadership Team
• Networking and career events

Events and opportunities change from year to year. You are welcome to suggest opportunities that appeal to you and shape the termly timetable. 

You will have the opportunity for mentorship and networking with inspirational individuals and organisations that are part of the Pershing Square Foundation's community.

Mentors can include members of  the Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship Advisory Board,  faculty and members of the Saïd and wider Oxford University community, and Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship alumni.   

New York Trek

You will be invited to take part in a 'trek' to New York hosted by the Pershing Square Foundation, where you can participate in meetings and workshops with leading innovators and change-makers.

Pershing Square Foundation

The foundation supports exceptional leaders and innovative organisations that tackle social issues and deliver scalable and sustainable impact. It is committed to supporting areas such as economic development, education, healthcare, justice and the arts.

The Pershing Square Foundation’s gift of £7.8m has endowed the scholarships in perpetuity. The University of Oxford has provided a further £5.2m under the Oxford Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund, taking the total funding to £13m.

Apply to the 1+1 MBA

Visit our programme pages to find out more about the programme, the admissions requirements, and how to apply. You can also contact the MBA recruitment team for a discussion about your suitability for the programme. 

Learn more about the programme

Partnering programmes

Learn more about our 1+1 MBA partnering programmes

• Please contact us if you have any questions about the scholarship or your eligibility.
• [email protected]

March 29, 2024

On March 27, students across the country — and around the world — celebrated as they were notified of their acceptance to Emory’s undergraduate Class of 2028. These students applied under the Regular Decision admission plan.

A total of 34,914 students applied this year across all admission plans. Students admitted to Emory’s Class of 2028 hail from all 50 states and are citizens of 110 countries; 15.7% will be the first in their families to attend a four-year college or university.

Applicants can apply to  Emory College of Arts and Sciences ,  Oxford College  or both. In total, Emory admitted 5,058 students to the Class of 2028, with 3,453 admitted to Emory College and 2,792 admitted to Oxford College. Of those students, 1,187 were admitted to both colleges and may choose which to attend.

Each location offers a robust education with a distinct atmosphere. The Atlanta campus is home to Emory College, plus Emory’s renowned graduate and professional schools, all minutes from downtown. Oxford College, located 38 miles (61 km) east of Atlanta, is home to a close-knit community of approximately 1,000 first- and second-year students.

Whether they begin at Emory College or Oxford College, students complete their degrees in Atlanta by continuing in Emory College, applying to Goizueta Business School or transitioning into the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing .

“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding class to Emory,” says President Gregory L. Fenves. “As the Class of 2028 embarks on their college journey here, they will find an innovative academic experience uniquely tailored to their goals, eminent faculty dedicated to mentoring them and a community deeply vested in supporting them. We are eager to welcome our newest Eagles and empower them to learn, grow and flourish.”

Emory offers both Early Decision and Regular Decision options for undergraduate applications. Watch as Early Decision students react to learning that they will be the first students in Emory's Class of 2028.

Flourishing at Emory

At Emory, students will find a community dedicated to helping them flourish academically, personally and professionally. 

The university offers 80 majors, 60 minors and 13 preprofessional tracks to choose from. The Pathways Center on the Atlanta campus and the Oxford Center for Pathways and Purpose help students prepare for professional paths that integrate what they learn in the classroom with hands-on, high-impact experiences like internships, undergraduate research and intentional advising and career services.

Students also benefit from the community-building work Emory offers across the university. From programs like the Belonging and Community Justice Identity Spaces , Emory Interfaith Center and First-Gen Week initiatives to thriving student organizations and exciting athletics events on both campuses, there are multiple in-roads to seek out new friends and perspectives.

The Emory Advantage program works to decrease barriers to enrollment by eliminating need-based loans as part of undergraduate students’ financial aid packages. Instead, eligible students receive institutional grants and scholarships. This initiative allows more students to graduate debt-free, reflecting the university’s commitment to making an Emory education accessible to talented students regardless of their financial resources.

Emory also participates in the QuestBridge National College Match program, which matches outstanding high school seniors from low-income households with some of the nation’s best colleges. This fall, Emory offered admission to 85 QuestBridge Match Scholars. An additional 254 students who applied through QuestBridge, but did not initially match with Emory, were admitted through Regular Decision.

Emory’s admissions process will continue throughout the spring. Given the Supreme Court's ruling on the use of race in college admissions,  Emory is not able to release specific data on the makeup of its incoming class until that process is complete. Emory plans to release data for the enrolled class later this year.

• Emory College
• Oxford College

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Energizing the Future with Lithium

M. STANLEY WHITTINGHAM

EDUCATION: BA, MA, and PhD in Chemistry at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom

WHAT HE DOES NOW: Distinguished professor of chemistry at Binghamton University; director of the NorthEast Center for Chemical Energy Storage (NECCES); founding director of Battery-New York

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Michael Stanley Whittingham, PhD, is a distinguished professor of chemistry at Binghamton University in New York. In 2019, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, alongside Akira Yoshino, PhD, and John B. Goodenough, PhD, for the development of lithium-ion batteries.

He made the first benchtop, room temperature, lithium-ion battery in 1972, while working in the research and development lab of ExxonMobil. This initial discovery set the precedent for future research in rechargeable, lightweight, and high voltage battery science.

Why lithium? Lithium is the lightest, most electropositive metal. Thus, in electrochemical cells it provides a high voltage and energy density. These properties make it great not only for devices like laptops and cellphones, but also for transportation and grid storage.

These days, Dr. Whittingham is working toward making the whole battery infrastructure more sustainable and eco-friendly. He recently won the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize of $3 million, which recognized how the combination of solar energy and lithium battery storage is helping the fight against climate change.

—Nejra Malanovic

This interview was edited for length and clarity. 

How did you get into electrochemistry?

While I was doing my bachelor’s degree at Oxford University, I became interested in how ions move in solids. I then did some similar work during my postdoctoral research at Stanford University from 1968 to 1972. There was some interest back then in a new idea for a sodium sulfur battery, where we used a solid material as an electrolyte for conducting ions, but it required temperatures around 300 °C. So, after Stanford, I went to Exxon and requested that we try doing everything at room temperature. We had multiple successes, and I was hooked.

What has changed for you personally and professionally post-Nobel Prize award?

My year was unique since we were awarded the Nobel Prize the year before COVID really changed things, but one of the biggest differences is that I think people listen to me more now. We work closely with our local, state and federal politicians, as well as the federal agencies. I tell scientists that you can't do it all on your own. You can come up with the greatest invention, but if the policies aren't in place, it's not going to happen.

What new technologies related to your work are you most excited about?

Our interest these days is to make the whole battery infrastructure more sustainable and eco-friendly. I’d like to see them get rid of N-methyl-1-pyrrolidone (NMP), which is a nasty organic chemical that is a result of battery manufacturing. I’d also like to get rid of any materials that cause forever chemicals, per- and polyfluoroakylsubstances (PFAs) to form and persist in the water. We can do that with better chemistry.

Electrochemistry is often not well covered in gen chem, it’s a last topic for most—what is your opinion on that?

The challenge is that electrochemistry and thermodynamics all come together, and thermodynamics is very boring. Electrochemistry is very simple. When I went to Stockholm for the Nobel Prize, the British Ambassador brought some 8- and 9-year-olds with them, and we built batteries together. So, it's something you can do as a young kid. We need to get younger kids excited about science by having more activities that they can do themselves, such as making digital clocks using potatoes as batteries.

What advice do you have for high school chemistry students?

Do something that excites you. Don't do it for the money because you'll be unhappy later. Be willing to take risks. If something comes before you, grab it and run with it. I've had a number of those, and I think it's important not to shy away and be conservative. If you see an opportunity, it’s critical to take advantage of it, particularly as a high school student!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I tell my colleagues we need to stop teaching chemistry like we used to teach it 70 or 80 years ago. It hasn't changed since! We’ve got to make it much more relevant. Plan to talk about lithium batteries right there in the beginning. Stop teaching Charles's law and all these other things. I recommend using applicable examples! How much sodium azide do you need to inflate an airbag in your car? Give them relevant homework assignments so they can understand how chemistry fits into society. When I taught general chemistry, specifically when I did the organic component, I used polymers as an example— addition polymers and condensation polymers— these are what I call more relevant things.

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About the course

This is a research degree leading to the award of a DPhil in Chemistry. The course admits students across the full breadth of research in the department, which focuses on fundamental science aimed at making significant and sustained long-term impact.

The main aspect of the course is an original research project, which develops research skills, knowledge and expertise in an area of cutting-edge chemistry. You will work with one or more academic supervisors, on a project that falls within the department's research themes:

• Advanced Functional Materials and Interfaces
• Chemistry at the interface with Biology and Medicine
• Energy and Sustainable Chemistry
• Innovative Measurement and Photon Science
• Kinetics, Dynamics and Mechanism
• Theory and Modelling in the Chemical Sciences

Many students work on projects that cut across the traditional boundaries of chemistry, and some work in interdisciplinary fields that exploit the department's strong connections with other departments of the University.

A typical week would primarily be spent carrying out your research, along with attending research group meetings, preparing reports, and keeping up-to-date with the scientific literature. You will also have access to a range of training opportunities, including specialist training within the department on key research techniques. Alongside your research project, you will be expected to develop your transferable skills, and many courses and opportunities for this are provided by the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences division and the wider University.

The Department of Chemistry has a strong and vibrant research community, of which you will become part, and you will be encouraged to attend a range of events including seminar series, lectures from distinguished visiting researchers, and the annual Graduate Symposium.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Chemistry and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Chemistry.

You will join a research group supervised by one or more members of the Department of Chemistry, sometimes in collaboration with other departments.

If you require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to develop a new range of skills, your supervisor will work with you to ensure that you have additional support.

All students have meetings with their research supervisors to discuss and review their progress. These typically occur weekly or fortnightly.

You will be admitted as a Probationary Research Student. At the end of the first year, you will undergo a Transfer of Status assessment, to ensure that you have the potential to gain a doctorate. This assessment is made by independent assessors on the basis of a report, a short presentation and an oral examination. Assuming that you satisfactorily transfer to DPhil status, your research proceeds with quarterly reporting throughout the rest of your course. By the end of the third year, you must pass the Confirmation of Status assessment, to ensure that you are on track to complete the thesis within a reasonable time.

You will be expected to submit a DPhil thesis within, at most, four years from the date of admission. Your thesis will be read by two examiners, one of whom is normally from Oxford and one from elsewhere, and you will be assessed via the thesis and an oral (viva voce) examination. The examiners will judge, along with other requirements, whether you have made a significant and substantial contribution to your particular field of learning.

Graduate destinations

This is a new course, formed by the amalgamation of four of our previous courses: DPhil in Chemical Biology, DPhil in Inorganic Chemistry, DPhil in Organic Chemistry, DPhil in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry.

Students who have graduated from our previous chemistry doctoral courses often remain in chemistry. Many continue in academic research as post docs and, later, run their own independent research programmes. Some go into the educational sector, and some go into industry (particularly the health-related industries such as pharmaceuticals). There is a wide variety of other destinations, including scientific writers, patent attorneys, government and the civil service; and a few go into financial services.

The department runs annual careers events for graduate students, and the Oxford University Careers Service offers a variety of specialist support. The department also hosts a large number of visits from prospective employers, where students can find out more information. There is an Alumni Officer, who keeps in touch with graduates, and the department runs a number of social and scientific events for them.

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 in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. 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 for entry in 2024-25

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 subject relevant to the proposed research. Normally this will be a chemistry degree, but degrees in other physical sciences or in a biological science may be suitable.

Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

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.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• A previous master's degree (either an integrated maser's degree or stand-alone) is preferred, but is not required.
• Prior publications are not expected but may help to indicate your aptitude for research.
• Applicants with substantial professional experience are welcome.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor and have an understanding of the background to their proposed area of study.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  standard 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 standard level are detailed in the table below.

*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.

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.

The criteria for shortlisting are academic merit, references and motivation. 

Interviews are arranged directly by the prospective supervisors and usually they are conducted via MS Teams. Typically, the interview lasts 30 minutes and it may include discussion on your research interests and subject-related questions.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

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.

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.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a  Student visa (under the Student Route) . For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.

Students are supervised by some of the country’s most gifted research chemists, many of whom have world-class reputations. You will work in an environment which encourages and inspires you to acquire and develop a wide range of communication, study, and research skills.

Workspace will be related to individual circumstances. If undertaking experimental work, you will be provided with space in a laboratory with access to all the required equipment. If undertaking theoretical research, you will have shared office space.

The department has one of the largest and well-resourced research laboratories in the world. You will have access to the Department of Chemistry IT support staff, to the Radcliffe Science Library and other university libraries, and centrally provided electronic resources, technical workshops and glass workshops. Experimental facilities are available as appropriate to the research topic. The provision of other resources specific to your project should be agreed with your supervisor as a part of the planning stages of the agreed project.

Oxford is one of the leading chemistry research departments in the world, with around 80 academic staff carrying out international level research and an annual research income of around £15 million.

In the most recent national assessment of research (REF 2021) 66% of our research output was judged world-leading, and 32% was judged internationally excellent. The department has a number of research themes, including:

• chemistry at the interface with biology and medicine
• sustainable energy chemistry
• kinetics, dynamics and mechanism
• advanced functional materials and interfaces
• innovative measurement and photon science
• theory and modelling of complex systems.

The facilities at Oxford for research and teaching are among the best available in the UK, with a wide range of the latest instrumentation and a huge computational resource networked throughout the University and beyond to national computing centres. Among the facilities available are the latest in automated X-ray diffractometers, electron microscopes, scanning tunnelling microscopes, mass spectrometers, high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers and specialised instruments for the study of solids.

For 2024 entry and beyond, the Department of Chemistry will offer the DPhil in Chemistry and MSc by Research in Chemistry courses, which amalgamate the previous research degrees offered in Chemical Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical & Theoretical Chemistry.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

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.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

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.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

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

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research 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, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. 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. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

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 . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the DPhil in Chemisty:

• Balliol College
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

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's 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  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. 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.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses

If you apply to this course and up to two eligible associated courses from our predefined list during the same cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee.

The list of eligible associated courses may be updated as new courses are opened. Please check the list regularly, especially if you are applying to a course that has recently opened to accept applications.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You should make contact with the academic (s) in your area of research to discuss potential research topics and likely availability of funding. You can approach academic staff directly via the contact details provided.

General enquiries should be made to the Graduate Studies Team.

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.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) who you would like to supervise your research. 

The department recommends that you name three to four proposed supervisors and list them in order of preference. Your proposed supervisors can be from different sections of the chemistry department. Assessment of your application may be delayed if no proposed supervisors are listed.

Referees: Three overall, of which at least two must be academic

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.

Academic references are preferred, although a maximum of one professional reference is acceptable where you have completed an industrial placement or worked in a full-time position.

Your references will be assessed for:

• your intellectual ability
• your academic achievement
• your motivation and interest in the course and subject area
• your ability to work effectively both in a group and independently
• your research potential in the chosen area

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 1,000 words

Rather than a research proposal, you should provide  a statement of purpose. 

Your statement 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.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your statement will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• your ability to present a coherent case in proficient English
• your commitment to the subject
• your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
• your capacity for sustained and intense work
• reasoning ability
• your ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace

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 . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Open - applications are still being accepted

Up to a week's notice of closure will be provided on this page - no other notification will be given

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 10 November 2023 Applications more likely to receive earlier decisions

Friday 19 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Friday 1 March 2024 Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available - see below

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 March . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

† Contact the department using the details below if you wish to discuss an alternative start date

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Chemistry

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 272569

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide