This document provides guidance for applicants applying for graduate study programs through the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education using the online application form. It outlines the application process and provides a step-by-step guide to completing the online application. Key information included are details on program choices, application requirements and deadlines, the admissions procedure timeline, and next steps if offered a place. The document aims to help applicants navigate the online application system and submit a complete application.

1. UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Booklet B: Notes of Guidance for Applicants
for Graduate Study in the Department for
Continuing Education using the Online
Application Form
2008-2009
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/
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2. CONTENTS PAGE
1. APPLYING TO OXFORD: AN OVERVIEW OF THE OXFORD GRADUATE
ADMISSIONS PROCESS 5
2. USING THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM 6
3. A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO COMPLETING YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION 7
4. WHEN TO APPLY 16
5. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GRADUATE OFFICE RECEIVES MY APPLICATION? 17
6. FINDING OUT ABOUT THE RESULTS OF YOUR APPLICATION 17
7. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF I AM OFFERED A PLACE? 18
8. WHO TO CONTACT FOR FURTHER ADVICE 18
9. APPENDICES
TABLE 1 – PROGRAMME CONTACT DETAILS 19
TABLE 2 – APPLICATION DEADLINES & REQUIRED SUPPORTING MATERIALS 22
Disclaimer
These Notes of Guidance are intended to help you to apply for admission as a graduate student in the
academic year beginning October 2008 using the online application form. If you have technical queries
related to the use of the online application you should refer to the Embark Help pages which can be found by
clicking the ‘?’ symbol shown on each page of the application.
Paper Applications for Graduate Study
If you are planning to use the paper application for Graduate Study please refer to the separate Notes of
Guidance for the Paper Application Route available from www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/forms.
Please note that a failure to follow the advice given in these Notes of Guidance could cause a delay in the
handling and processing of your application, which could result in it not being considered. All candidates
should read these notes thoroughly before compiling an application.
Changes to Published Information:
We have tried to ensure that all details published here are correct at the time of going to press. In the event
of any changes to these notes, or to the information provided in the Graduate Studies Prospectus, notice will
be given on our website at: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/errata
Applicants interested in graduate studies commencing after October 2008 should contact the Graduate
Admissions Office from September 2008. This guide should not be used in subsequent years.
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3. Who should use this guide?
This guide is intended to help anyone considering applying for any graduate programme offered by the Oxford
University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE) and its partner departments. This guide contains full
advice on completing the application form, assembling your supporting documents, submitting your application,
and the closing dates. You will also find information about what happens after you have applied: assessment
schedules, how you will be notified of the outcome, allocation of a college place (if relevant), and so on. If you are
not sure if the course for which you are applying is provided by the Department for Continuing Education, please
refer to Table 1 at the back of this booklet. Applicants to other courses offered by the University should consult
Booklet A (Notes of Guidance for Applicants for Graduate Study) found on the University’s website at:
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/.
Please note that a failure to follow the advice given in these Notes of Guidance could cause a delay in the
handling and processing of your application, which could result in it not being considered.
What does this booklet provide?
* An overview of the application process
* Advice on how to complete the online application form
* Advice on gathering your supplementary materials
* Advice on important application deadlines
* Information about the admissions procedure timeframe
* Guidance on possible outcomes and the next stages
* Information about the allocation of college places
If you are intending to apply using a paper application form please use the Notes of Guidance Booklet B
for Paper Applications available from www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply
What programmes of study can I apply for using the online application?
The Appendix to these notes lists all those programmes that at the time of issue are available to apply for using
the online application
Progressing through a programme?
If you wish to progress to the next stage of a postgraduate award-bearing programme, for example to continue
immediately from a Postgraduate Certificate stage to a Postgraduate Diploma stage, or to a Master’s stage, you
should use a progression form supplied by the programme administrator rather than applying anew using the
University’s application form. Please consult the programme administrator (see Table 1). Please note that if you
have already graduated from a stage of a programme and been awarded a Postgraduate Certificate or
Postgraduate Diploma, and then decide at a later date that you wish to return to undertake a subsequent stage of
the programme, you will have to reapply using the University’s paper-based application form, to which these
guidance notes refer.
What additional information is available for non-UK students?
Booklet C provides specialist advice for international students, including details of funding awards for which you
can apply using the main University application form.
You are advised to check at an early stage whether you require and would be eligible for a visa and to apply as
soon as possible after you are offered a place at Oxford, since the procedure can take some time. Further advice
can be found on the Student Funding and International Office’s web site http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/ and at
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk
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4. Further questions about your application?
If you have a question about any aspect of your application, you should in the first instance contact the
programme administrator in charge of the programme for which you are applying. These contact details can be
found in Table 1.
Glossary of Terms used during the Graduate Admissions Process
Gathered Field
The University of Oxford operates a series of admissions cycles called ‘gathered fields’ throughout the year,
each of which has a deadline. Different subjects operate with different gathered fields and although more than
one gathered field may be shown for a programme of study, you should submit your application with its
supporting material for the earliest possible gathered field as there is no guarantee that places will be available
later in the year.
Transcript
A breakdown of the subject marks you have obtained on a course of study during your higher education that is
produced for you as an official document by the institution where you studied. A degree certificate is not
considered a valid transcript.
FT/PT
These letters denote that a programme of study offers full-time (FT) or part-time (PT) modes of study
Non-matriculated programme
A course that does not confer membership of the University, usually a part-time course run by the Department
for Continuing Education. Non-matriculated students do not become members of an Oxford College.
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5. 1. APPLYING TO OXFORD: AN OVERVIEW OF THE OXFORD GRADUATE
ADMISSIONS PROCESS
1. The Graduate Admissions Office
receives and processes your application.
2. If your application is complete and
reaches us no later than the Gathered 8. You are required to return your signed
Field deadline for your programme of University contract to the University Card
study, the Office and to register online to enrol on
Graduate Admissions Office forwards it your programme.
to the department/faculty for assessment
in the next available Gathered Field.
3. After the Gathered Field deadline, the 7. Once you have provided all of the
Department considers all of the Non-matriculated documents to prove that you have
applications received, inviting short listed Programmes satisfied conditions set by the department
candidates to an interview as and college, the department will send you
appropriate. The Department will then a ‘confirmed offer’ letter and a University
write to you to inform you of its decision. contract.
If the Department makes you an offer,
you will be notified of any conditions
attached.
Matriculated Programmes follow steps
4 – 8.
6. The college that accepts you will write
Non-matriculated Programmes skip to to you. It will be a condition of your offer
step 7. that you provide the college with
documents to show that you are able to
fund your entire period of study in Oxford.
Matriculated Programmes
4. If the department makes you an offer, 5. If your first choice college cannot accept
your application will be forwarded to a you, the department and the Graduate
college (normally the one you have Admissions Office will find an alternative
selected as your first choice). college place for you.
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6. 2. USING THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
First you will need to register to use the online application by providing your name, contact details and an email
address. You will then be taken to the menu page where there is an overview of the stages needed to complete
your application.
1: INSTRUCTIONS Information on how to apply for more than one
programme and links to the Notes of Guidance
2: APPLICATION FORM Complete your personal details, choice of programme
and college, details of your qualifications & fields of
study, your language skills, details of other admissions
tests, add details of your referees, details of funding
you have secured or are applying for and your
accommodation requests here
3: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Upload copies of your supplementary information here
4: REFERENCES Register your referees’ email addresses here in order
that they can supply references online
5: APPLICATION INSPECTOR You can use the Application Inspector at any stage
while you are working on your application to check for
incomplete answers to questions and also that the
application deadlines for your chosen programme(s)
have not passed
6: PAYMENT Payment is required with each individual application
submitted. Only MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
7: SUBMIT APPLICATION Submit your application to Graduate Admissions
To navigate between steps on the application form, you can click the link at the bottom of each step, or you can
click on the menu on the left hand side of your screen.
If you have technical queries with the online application you can access the Support Centre by clicking on the ‘?’
symbol that appears at the top and bottom of every page.
When you reach Step 3: Supplementary Information you will be able to upload electronic copies of your
supporting documents. Please note that you do not need to have all your supplementary documents in
electronic format in order to be able to use the online application. However once you have submitted your
application in Step 7, if you need to supply further supporting materials you will need to send them to Graduate
Admissions by post or email.
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7. 3. STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO COMPLETING YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION
About You
In this section you will be letting us know your personal details, contact details, nationality and citizenship. Some
of the fields will have already been pre-populated with the details you entered during the registration process.
Where you see the search option there is no need to type. If you make a mistake click on ‘Clear’ to clear the
information
This information will form the basis of your student record, so please ensure it is full and accurate. If you have a
passport, you should state your name as it is printed there. We use your name to identify and match all
supplementary materials sent in aid of your application and for dealing with your enquiries, so please ensure that
wherever you have to give your name it is provided in the same format.
Your personal details:
FAMILY NAME:
If your family name consists of several parts, please give only the part(s) you wish to be used on all future
University correspondence. If your name contains a mixture of upper and lower case letters, please make this
clear: e.g. MacArthur
FIRST NAME:
Please state in full: e.g. Christopher, not Chris
PREFERRED NAME:
Please let us know by what first/given name you wish to be addressed.
PREVIOUS NAME:
If you have changed your family name, please let us know.
Your contact details:
HOME ADDRESS:
Please enter the address of your permanent home. All correspondence will be sent to you at this address unless
you indicate otherwise.
CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS & EFFECTIVE DATES:
If you will be absent from your home address for a long period of time (e.g. during a University term), please let
us know where we can contact you and the dates that you will be at this address.
If your address or contact details change at any time during the admissions process, you must notify
us in writing or via email so that we can update our records. Throughout the admissions process, we
may need to contact you by letter or email.
Your nationality & citizenship:
COUNTRY OF NATIONALITY:
This should be as stated in your passport (if you have one)
COUNTRY OF LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENCE:
Your country of legal permanent residence is the country where you have been living for the past 3 years,
providing that the main purpose of living in the country was not to study. If you are an international student and
are not clear on your status, the International Office may be able to help you: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/.
If you have lived in more than one country in the last three years, please give full details and dates
ETHNIC BACKGROUND
The University is required under statute to seek and return information about the ethnic background of all its
applicants for HESA (the British Government’s Higher Education Statistics Agency). The information provided is
used to monitor rates of participation in Higher Education by particular groups of people.
This information will not form part of any assessment of your application
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8. Disability & Special Needs
The University is committed to making reasonable adjustments to enable disabled students to participate fully in
student life. In order to provide support, relevant departments and colleges of the University may need to share
information about your needs. If you disclose on your application form for graduate study that you have a
disability, information about your disability will be shared on a need-to-know basis with people in the relevant
departments and colleges, such as departmental and academic administrators, lecturers and tutors who will
teach you, and relevant library and support staff.
If you wish to discuss this section of the application form, or anything to do with University provision for those with
special needs, please contact the Disability Office:
Telephone +44 (0) 1865 280459; Fax: +44 (0) 1865 280300
E-mail: disability@admin.ox.ac.uk; Web: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/
Your choice of programme of study:
In this section you will need to:
* Search for and select the programme that you wish to study.
* Select your preferred mode of study and term start options
* Provide details of your proposed field & title of research (Research students only)
* Provide details of where you heard about the programme of study that you have applied for
* Provide details of your availability for an interview
* Provide details of your future study plans
Please note that if you wish to apply for more than one programme of study you will need to complete a separate
application and payment for each programme of study.
You can choose from:
• A research degree e.g. MSc by research or DPhil or,
• A taught degree e.g. MPhil, MSt, MSc or,
• A non-matriculated programme
You can search by keyword for the programme of study that you are interested in.
Mode of Study and Term Start Options
Please select ‘part-time’ even if your programme only offers a part-time option, as this will assist the Graduate
Admissions staff handling your application when it arrives. Similarly, if your course only offers a start-date in
Hilary Term (January), please tick this box to assist us when processing your application.
The programmes of study in Software Engineering will usually offer start dates in October, January, and April.
Applications can be made at www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/study/apply.html. Contact the programme administrator
(Table 1) for further details.
Programmes in Mathematical Finance start in Hilary Term (January) 2008.
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9. Your choice of college
Applicants for OUDCE Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas should enter ‘No College’ here, as you do not
require a college place.
College Choices
Applicants for D.Phil., M.St. and M.Sc. programmes should enter a preferred first and second choice of
college. All students studying for a master’s degree or D.Phil must be a member of a college and you should
enter your choice here. Applicants may wish to note that the majority of students on part-time degree
programmes are members of Kellogg College and most of the tutors and lecturers are Fellows of the College.
Kellogg is dedicated to graduate part-time students and has developed a unique expertise in attending to the
intellectual, social, IT and welfare needs of part-time, mature graduate students. For these reasons you may wish
to give special consideration to putting Kellogg as your first choice. If a college choice is not specified on your
application, it will be automatically sent to Kellogg if places are still available there.
Details of which colleges accept which courses can be found at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/colleges
How do I go about choosing colleges?
In order to avoid an inappropriate choice, it is important that you first consult the colleges’ entries in the current
Graduate Studies Prospectus. It may also be necessary to contact colleges directly for further information. If you
are accepted by a faculty or department, your application will be considered by the college you have named here.
If this college is not able to offer you a place (which may be for a variety of reasons, none of which reflect on the
academic standard of your application, but may, for example, relate to the number of places available for your
subject area at that college), the department which admitted you will find you a place elsewhere.
About other applications
Provide us with details of other institutions to which you have applied
About your qualifications and existing fields of study:
In this section you will be providing details on your current and previous higher education
If you are an international applicant and are unsure about how your degree compares with a UK equivalent,
contact the UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre http://www.naric.org.uk for advice.
We would expect that anyone applying for graduate study should usually have at least the equivalent of an upper
second-class result with honours in a UK Bachelor’s degree. Please consult individual subject entries in the
prospectus, http://www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate, for further information about your eligibility.
UNIVERSITY/INSTITUTIONS:
Please search for and select the University/institution that you are currently attending / have attended from the list
provided. If you are an international student and unable to find your institution in the list provided, please select
‘Overseas other’ and give further details of the institution in the text box below.
QUALIFICATION AIM/INTENDED AWARD
Please search for and select details of the qualifications/awards that you are currently studying for. If you are
unable to find your qualification in the list provided, please select ‘Other in …’ and give further details of the
qualification in the text box below.
MAIN SUBJECT
Please search for and select the main subject of your qualification.
If you are unable to find your main subject in the list provided, please select ‘Other in …’ and give further details
of the main subject in the text box below.
EXPECTED RESULT (INCLUDING GRADE/CLASSIFICATION):
Please use this box to let us know your expected standard or class of degree, or your expected final result (e.g.,
1st, Distinction).
9

10. GRADE POINT AVERAGE
If your current or previous University/institution used a GPA score and you have this information (e.g. GPA 3.8
out of 4.0) then please enter this in the box provided
Your language skills:
You can use this section to let us know if English is your first language and provide details of other languages
that you are familiar with including your proficiency in them.
Is English your first language?
If English is the language in which you express yourself most clearly, select YES from the list provided.
If English is not the language in which you express yourself most clearly, select NO box from the list
provided. You will need to enter details of your proficiency in English in the following section.
If you have a working knowledge of any other languages please include the details in this section. You should
include details of your competence in:
* Reading
* Writing
* Speaking
* Understanding
You can use the drop-down lists to select your competence for each of the elements listed above
English language proficiency
Please use this section to record the results of any English language proficiency tests that you have taken (if
these are applicable to you) .You will be able to upload an electronic copy of your certificate at a later stage in the
application, or you can post a hard copy to Graduate Admissions.
English is the language of instruction for all programmes we offer and it is mandatory that all theses, assignments
and examination papers are written in English. The University has set a required level of English language
proficiency for all programmes offered by the Department for Continuing Education.
If your first language is not English, you must supply suitable evidence that you have reached the required level
of proficiency before you may be offered a place. The University recognizes only certain English tests and these
requirements are set out in the table below.
Please note that your evidence should be an original certificate giving results of a test that was taken not more
than two years ago
Required Overall Additional Requirements
Score
IELTS 7.5 Minimum 7.0 per component
TOEFL 630 Minimum Test of Written English score of
5.0
Computer-based TOEFL 267 Minimum essay writing score of 5.0
Internet-based TOEFL 109
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English B
(CPE)
What do I do if I cannot obtain the original copies of my test certificates before the closing date for my
application?
You should make sure that you submit your application before the closing date. We will forward your application
to the relevant department for assessment whether or not we have received your English language test
certificate. Original copies of your English score test certificates can be submitted after the deadline. We will
forward these to the relevant department when they arrive.
10

11. Other admissions tests:
Please use this section to record the results of any other admissions tests, e.g. GRE or GMAT that you have
taken (if these are applicable to you). You will be able to upload an electronic copy of your certificate at a later
stage in the application, or you can post a hard copy to Graduate Admissions.
About those who will write in support of your application:
In this section you will add the contact details of 3 academic referees. Later, in Step 4 you will be able to register
email addresses for your referees so that we may email a reference request to them.
You will need to ensure, in good time, that your referees are willing and able to write a reference for you. We
must receive your references no later than the application deadline.
Who should act as my referee?
Your referees should normally be individuals who have taught you on previous degree courses and are familiar
with your academic work. At least one reference should be from your most recent degree course if you have
studied for more than one qualification. A character reference alone is not acceptable.
If someone listed on your application form is subsequently unable to act as a referee, you may arrange for
another person to send us a reference, as long as that person is also able to comment on your academic
performance and suitability for graduate study.
What if I want to submit more than 3 academic references?
You only need to submit 3 academic references for your application. If you wish to submit additional references
you may do so. These should, however, be provided to the Graduate Admissions Office either in writing or via
email. You can find our contact details at the back of these Notes of Guidance.
About your funding:
You must complete this section. We suggest that you also consult the Fees and Expenses and Funding
sections in the Graduate Prospectus and on our website at http://www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance/
How will you fund your programme of study? Your main and additional sources of funding.
Please select your funding source(s) from the list provided.
You will need funds for the whole period of your programme of study and will be required to provide
evidence of these financial arrangements which is satisfactory to the college accepting you. The
information you supply in this section is important to the colleges that will consider your application, and it is in
your interests to give as clear and complete a picture as possible of your situation.
You can select from the following funding options:
• Own Income
• Own Savings/Other Personal Funds
• Parents, Relatives, Friends or Private Sponsor (state which)
• UK Government funded awards or Research Councils
• Agencies - please specify which
• Other scholarships or bursaries – please specify, e.g. Rhodes, Marshall, Commonwealth
• Employer - please give the name of your employer
• Charitable or other Foundations - please specify which
• English/Welsh Local Education Authority, or Scottish Student Award
• Dept. of Education of Northern Ireland or any Northern Ireland Education & Library Board
• Local Government Award – Channel Islands, and Isle of Man
• European Union Commission
• Student Loans
• Bank loans
• Other sources
If you have selected ‘Other sources’ from the list you will need to describe these in the space provided.
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12. AMOUNT:
Please state the value of each source in pounds sterling (GBP/£) and not your local currency.
PERIOD COVERED:
For each source, please indicate the period the funds will cover, e.g. first year; all years. Please also indicate if
you do not know what period your funding will cover.
EXPENSES COVERED:
For each source, please indicate which expenses it will cover: University fees, College fees, living expenses etc.
Also state whether your funds will cover travel costs. If you do not know the answer to this question, please make
this clear on the form.
Applicants (especially those from overseas) should ensure the cost of travel to and from Oxford during
the residence periods is taken into consideration.
Candidates intending to apply for any sort of financial support or Research Council funding should ensure that
their completed University application is received in time to meet the strict deadlines of the relevant funding
bodies. If you require a formal offer before your funding application can be made, ensure that you have allowed
time for this. More information is available in the prospectus (http://www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate).
Scholarship applications: International students only
You should only complete this section if you are an international applicant and you wish to apply for a scholarship
to assist you with your studies. If you are not an eligible international applicant, please do not complete this
section and go to ‘About your accommodation needs and future plans’.
If you wish to apply for a scholarship you should also refer to Booklet C (Information on Scholarships and Awards
for International Students) for further details of eligibility. If you have any questions on scholarships you should
contact the International Office via their web pages at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/ or via telephone on Tel:
(+44) 01865 270105
Candidates for part-time Master’s and DPhil degrees may be considered for Clarendon Fund bursaries and for
Karim Rida Said scholarships, subject to meeting the other criteria for these awards.
About your accommodation needs and future plans:
In this section you will enter information on your accommodation preferences and on your future career plans.
Accommodation
Please note that applicants to part-time programmes are not normally eligible for college accommodation. Please
note that the University cannot offer accommodation to students on non-matriculated programmes, and that in
any event accommodation for graduate students is not guaranteed.
Applicants to MSt International Human Rights Law
Students registered on the MSt International Human Rights Law programme are offered college accommodation
during the two residential sessions and this is included in the course fees.
Applicants to MSt in Creative Writing
Accommodation and catering at Rewley House for registered students during the residence/retreat periods is
included in the course fees.
Step 3: Supplementary Information
In the following sections you will be asked to upload your supplementary/supporting materials to your application.
Please note that any document that you wish to upload to your application must be no more than 2MB in size.
Before you complete this section you will need to read the Notes of Guidance thoroughly and refer to
Table 2 for programme specific information.
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13. By the time that you have completed this section you will have:
* Identified what supporting materials are needed for your programme of study
* Identified which (if any) of your supporting materials are available in electronic format for uploading
* Identified which (if any) of your supporting materials will need to be sent to Graduate Admissions in hard
copy format
Irrespective of the programme of study that you are applying to, you will be required to submit
supporting materials with your completed application. All supporting materials should be in English unless
stated otherwise.
Supporting Materials for all Programmes of Study
The following supporting materials are normally required for all programmes of study:
* 3 letters of reference (see Table 2 for exceptions), usually academic, although a current (or recent)
employer who is familiar with your work might also be acceptable (please confirm with your course
contact given in Table 1).You have already input details of your referees earlier in the application.
* Either a statement of purpose (for taught courses) OR a research proposal (for research and
research preparation courses)
* A transcript(s) of previous higher education. It is possible, by prior arrangement, for this
requirement to be waived for students who have substantive experience but do not have a degree.
Please contact the relevant course administrator before you submit your application.
* A current CV/ résumé
You can check the additional requirements of the programme of study to which you are applying using Table 2 in
the Appendix to these notes. Supporting materials are grouped by letter:
C1 No special requirements
Only 2 references required, although you must provide the name and contact details of a third referee
C2
who may also be contacted.
C3 Specific reference forms should be obtained from course administrator
A maths entry test should be submitted directly to the course
C4 administrators. See information online at
http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/cpd/mathsfinance/courses/application.asp.
1 piece of written work.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural History: 1 piece of
written work of c2000 words.
C5 • MSt Creative Writing, this should comprise c2000 words of
prose fiction or 10 short poems or fifteen minutes (equivalent) of drama. A portfolio of more than
one genre is acceptable but the submission should total 2000 words.
C6 2 pieces of written work
C7 Supply names of 3 referees
e.g. If you are applying for a MSt in Creative Writing the additional supporting materials code is C5
A number of programmes will require an employer release form, and funding confirmation form, as a condition of
any offer.
What if some of my documents are only available as paper copies?
You can post your supporting materials to us. Please make sure that each piece of supporting material is clearly
labelled with your name and proposed programme of study. If you are sending certificates or transcripts, these
should be the original documents. If your original documents are not available, a copy will only be accepted in
lieu if it is attested to be a true version of the original by a notary public or a member of staff at your
current/previous University. An official translator or the relevant issuing body must approve the translation of
transcripts.
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14. Statement of Purpose or Research Proposal
If you are applying to a taught programme:
You should submit a brief ‘statement of purpose’, explaining your motivation for graduate study at Oxford. You
may wish to consider a number of issues such as:
* What relevant academic, research, or practical experience do you have?
* Why are you applying to this particular programme of study?
* What areas of study in the subject interest you?
The statement of purpose should be around one page long.
Some departments have chosen to offer specific advice to their applicants on the content of their
statement of purpose. Please see below:
Applicants to Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive You should use this statement to write in 500 words
Therapy and MSt in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive why you wish to attend the course and how you plan
Therapy to use what you have learned.
Applicants to MSt International Human Rights Law You should use this statement to write approximately
500 words indicating what research and professional
work you have conducted in international human
rights law, your reasons for applying to the course,
and your career objectives.
Applicants to Postgraduate Certificate in You should use this statement to outline in
Psychodynamic Counselling and Postgraduate approximately 500 words your reasons for applying
Diploma in Psychodynamic Studies for this course and how this relates to your
professional and personal development. Previous
experience of being counselled and any
counselling/pastoral work undertaken should be
included. Any previous counselling courses
undertaken (if not listed elsewhere) should be
included here.
Please note that your statement of purpose or research proposal does not count towards any written
work that you may have to submit as supporting material to your application.
How do I upload my research proposal or statement of purpose?
You can upload a saved document that you have previously written. There are instructions on how to do this in
the application form. Alternatively you can manually enter your proposal by following the link on the application
form.
Transcripts
You should submit a detailed official record of your higher education up to the present, including programmes of
study taken and grades achieved. It is not sufficient to submit a degree certificate. Current and former Oxford
students are not exempted – you should contact your college to request a transcript.
If you have an electronic or scanned copy of your transcript you should upload it using the instructions
in this section. We will ask you to send an official (paper) version(s) later in the admissions process.
What should I do if my previous institution cannot issue official transcripts?
You should ask them for an official record setting out in detail the elements of the course you have taken and, if
possible, the grades achieved. In the case of Oxford graduates, a statement of marks achieved in individual
honours papers will suffice. If the policy of your institution is that the transcript should remain confidential, you
should ask for it to be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office, and ensure that it arrives by the deadline
for the gathered field in which you wish your application to be considered. If your institution does not produce
transcripts, please obtain written confirmation of this policy from the relevant registry authority. You should also
ask a referee to provide details of your results to date instead.
14

15. Other admissions test certificate(s)
You should use this section to upload an electronic copy of your admissions tests that you have taken such as
the GRE or GMAT. We will ask you to send an official (paper) version(s) later in the admissions process.
English proficiency test score certificate
You should use this section to upload details of your English Proficiency Score (if this is relevant to your
application). We will ask you to send an official (paper) version(s) later in the admissions process.
CV/Résumé
You should use this section to upload your CV/ Résumé
This should include a summary of your recent achievements, including details of:
* Activities
* Honours
* Publications
* Experience relevant to your application
Additional written work that may be required in support of your Application
Depending on what programme you are applying for, you may need to include extra written work that is IN
ADDITION to those materials listed above. This section includes advice on the content and format of this work.
Please refer to the Table 2 supporting materials reference code for the programme that you are applying
to check what is required.
How do I upload my written work?
You can upload a saved document that you have previously written. There are instructions on how to do this in
the application form. Alternatively you can manually enter your written work by following the link on the
application form.
Checklist
Please only tick the boxes for those documents that you have uploaded to your online application. If you are
submitting paper copies of any of your supporting materials separately to the Graduate Admissions
Office do not tick the corresponding boxes in the checklist.
Step 4: References
In this section you will be able to provide email addresses for your referees. We would recommend that prior to
completing the online application you should obtain the agreement of each of your referees. Your referee will
receive an automated email informing him/her of the online reference process and will be able to submit a
reference on your behalf via a secure server. Please note that you will not be able to see or access your
references.
Do I have to use online references?
You will have to provide the names and contact details of your referees in Step 2, but you can choose not to
register them to supply references online. If your referees would rather send a paper copy of a reference they are
welcome to do so. Please ask that each of your referees provide two copies of their reference in a sealed
envelope, and that they have signed across the seal and covered their signature with a clear adhesive tape.
Instructions for the completion of references
There is no special reference form. References should be in the form of a letter. You should ask your referees to
comment on your academic fitness and general suitability for the proposed programme of study, and for any
other information they consider to be relevant to your application. If they have knowledge of your recent study it
would be helpful if they could indicate the standard attained.
15

16. Step 5: Application Inspector
The Application Inspector can help you check for any missing areas in your application form.
You can use the Application Inspector at any stage of your application to check for completeness and if you are
unsure about application deadlines for your chosen programmes of study.
Step 6: Payment
The application fee is £25 per programme. Only MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
Payment is required with each individual application submitted.
Your application will not be able to proceed to the next step until the payment fee has been credited.
Step 7: Submit Application
You will need to enter your name in the space provided to certify that all the information in your application is
accurate and true. Then click on ‘Confirm signature’.
You will then be asked to click ‘Submit my Application Now’. You will be sent two emails to confirm that your
application has been received.
Once you get the first email, this means that your application form has been successfully submitted. Once you
get the alternative email, this means that your application form has been received by University of Oxford
Graduate Programmes.
Important: There may be a time lag between your application being submitted and it being received. This is
because the Graduate Admissions Office may take a few days to receive your application after it has been
electronically delivered to them.
4. WHEN TO APPLY
When to Apply
Each programme of study may have up to 6 gathered field deadlines. We recommend that you should:
• Check Table 2 in these notes to see what gathered fields are accepted for your chosen programme
of study. The application closing dates are given at the top of each page, with a tick ( ) used to
indicate that the closing date is used by the relevant course.
• Submit your application with its supporting material (see Table 2 for Special Requirements) for the
earliest possible gathered field.
Gathered Field Deadlines
Deadlines are enforced strictly. The Graduate Admissions Office (GAO) must receive your materials by the
deadline. If the programme to which you have applied requests that copies of your materials are also sent to
them directly, this requirement is in addition to, and not instead of, the formal application you must make to the
GAO.
Gathered Field Deadlines for Admission in the 2008-09 Academic Year
The deadlines are:
1: 26 October 2007
2: 23 November 2007
3: 18 January 2008
4: 14 March 2008
5: 16 May 2008
6: 25 July 2008
16

17. Some Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma courses will accept paper applications after
the final deadline if places remain. Please contact the Programme Administrator (see Table 1) for further
details.
5. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GRADUATE OFFICE RECEIVES MY APPLICATION?
Your application will be held in the Graduate Admissions Office until all the necessary supporting material has
been received. It is your responsibility to make sure that any required supporting material not uploaded with your
application is sent to the Graduate Admissions Office at the earliest opportunity and is clearly identified with your
full name and programme of study.
If the form is incorrectly completed, or if required materials have not arrived in the Graduate Admissions Office by
the deadline, your application may not be processed or assessed. We will endeavour to contact you as soon as
possible to advise of any problems of this kind, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you have followed the
instructions in these Notes of Guidance and in the Graduate Studies Prospectus
(http://www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate).
Completed applications are forwarded for consideration by the appropriate admitting body. Details about our
assessment criteria are given in the Prospectus, and on our website. One of five decisions will be made:
* Unsuccessful application
* Offer of a place, with conditions
* Offer of a place, with no conditions
* Re-evaluation: your application will be assessed again in the next gathered field, OR
* Waitlist – a place on a waiting list, to be used should spaces become available (Only applies if you were
being assessed in the last available gathered field)
6. FINDING OUT ABOUT THE RESULTS OF YOUR APPLICATION
Timetable for Admissions Decisions:
GATHERED
1 2 3 4 5 6
FIELD
Deadline 26 Oct 07 23 Nov 07 18 Jan 08 14 Mar 08 16 May 08 25 July 08
*
Dept. decision 23 Nov 07 18 Jan 07 14 Mar 08 16 May 08 27 Jun 08 8 Aug 08
1st choice
college decision 8 Feb 08 8 Feb 08 25 April 08 6 Jun 08 18 Jul 08 15 Aug 08
expected
Expected final
21 Mar 08 21 Mar 08 23 May 08 11 Jul 08 8 Aug 08 22 Aug 08
college decision
*
AFTER these dates, the department to whom you applied will contact you by letter.
Please note that the Graduate Admissions Office staff members are not permitted to
disclose the outcome of your application.
If you submit applications for more than one course, and subsequently receive more than one offer, you may be
set a deadline by when you must choose a preferred offer.
17

18. 7. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF I AM OFFERED A PLACE?
Applies to applicants for a D.Phil, MSt, or MSc only.
If you receive an offer of a University place, you will be informed that you have a guaranteed college place.
First, the college you chose on your form will be sent your application. If that college cannot offer you a place,
your application may be referred to your nominated alternative choice or your department will attempt to find you
a place elsewhere, before returning your file to the Graduate Admissions Office for ‘allocation’ if necessary. The
final college decision date listed in the table above is advisory; in a minority of cases this process can take
considerably longer.
What happens if my details change during the application process?
If your personal or contact details change, or you wish to provide additional information in support of your
application, you should send these to the Graduate Admissions Office using the contact details listed below. Most
changes will require us to receive written confirmation from you, either by post or e-mail.
How can I follow up the progress of my application?
Please allow the admissions process to run its course. If you wish to follow up your application, you should
contact the Graduate Admissions Office, who will be able to offer you further advice. You will be asked to clearly
identify yourself by providing certain personal information. We will be unable to disclose information to anyone
else regarding your application.
8. WHO TO CONTACT FOR FURTHER ADVICE
For questions of an academic nature about our progammes of study
You should direct these to contact given in Table 1.
If you are an international applicant
You can find further information from the University’s International Office at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/
If you have general questions about the University or the application or admissions process
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/
Further enquiries should be addressed to:
The Graduate Admissions Office
University of Oxford
PO Box 738
Wellington Square
OX1 9FB
Tel: (+44) 01865 270059
Fax: (+44) 01865 270049
Email: graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk
Our web address is: http://www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate
18

19. Appendix
Table 1
Contact details for the Programmes of Study offered by the Department for Continuing Education. For all queries, please use the contacts below in the first instance.
Programme of study email Phone web
Postgraduate Certificates:
PGCert Architectural History ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270369 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
PGCert Bioinformatics bioinf@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 281892 http://bioinfomsc.stats.ox.ac.uk
PGCert Clinical Supervision sarah.gimigliano@obmh.nhs.uk 01865 556648 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
PGCert Computer Security info@softeng.ox.ac.uk 01865 283525 www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/
PGCert Nanotechnology nano@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286951 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/nano
PGCert Object Technology info@softeng.ox.ac.uk 01865 283525 www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/
PGCert Provision of Healthcare to cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286941 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health
People Experiencing Homelessness
PGCert Psychodynamic Counselling psychodynamicstudies@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270384 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
PGCert Software Engineering info@softeng.ox.ac.uk 01865 283525 www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/
Postgraduate Diplomas:
PGDip Advanced Cognitive Therapy kim.morris-smith@obmh.nhs.uk 01865 223986 www.octc.co.uk/
PGDip Bioinformatics bioinf@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 281892 http://bioinfomsc.stats.ox.ac.uk
(normally via progression from PGCert)
PGDip Cognitive Therapy kim.morris-smith@obmh.nhs.uk 01865 223986 www.octc.co.uk/
PGDip Mathematical Finance mathsfinance@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286940 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/mathsfinance
19

20. PGDip Paediatric Infectious Diseases cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286941 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health
PGDip Psychodynamic Practice psychodynamicstudies@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270384 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
PGDip Software Engineering info@softeng.ox.ac.uk 01865 283525 www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/
(normally via progression from PGCert)
Master’s:
MSc Advanced Cognitive Therapy kim.morris-smith@obmh.nhs.uk 01865 223986 www.octc.co.uk/
(via progression from PGDip)
MSc Applied Landscape Archaeology ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270369 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
MSc Bioinformatics bioinf@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 281892 http://bioinfomsc.stats.ox.ac.uk
(via progression from PGDip)
MSt Creative Writing ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270369 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
MSc English Local History ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270369 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
MSc Evidence-Based Health Care cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286941 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health
MSc Experimental Therapeutics cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286941 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health
MSt International Human Rights Law iphumrts@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270281 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/ihrlmst/
MSc Mathematical Finance mathsfinance@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286940 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/cpd/mathsfinance
(via progression from PGDip)
MSt Mindfulness-Based Cognitive
Therapy wendy.swift@psych.ox.ac.uk 01865 226468 TBA
MSc Nanotechnology nano@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286951 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/nano
(via progression from PGCert)
MSc Professional Archaeology alison.macdonald@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270370 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
MSt Psychodynamic Practice psychodynamicstudies@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270384 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
MSc Software Engineering info@softeng.ox.ac.uk 01865 283525 www.softeng.ox.ac.uk/
(via progression from PGDip)
20

21. DPhils:
DPhil Archaeology (OUDCE) ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 278240 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
DPhil English Local History ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 270369 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate.asp
DPhil Evidence-Based Health Care cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk 01865 286941 www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health
21

22. TABLE 2
Available Hilary Supp.
1 2 3 4 5 6
for Term Materials
Online see key
Programme Title FT/PT Code 26-Oct 23-Nov 18-Jan 14-Mar 16-May 25-Jul Start p.13
Application
PGCert Architectural History YES PT 000050 C5
PGCert Bioinformatics** NO PT 000070 C2
PGCert Clinical Supervision YES PT 000080 C1
PGCert Computer Security NO PT 000100 Contact info@softeng.ox.ac.uk C2
PGCert Nanotechnology^^ YES PT 003540 C2
PGCert Object Technology NO PT 000190 Contact info@softeng.ox.ac.uk C2
PGCert Provision of Healthcare to People Experiencing Homelessness** YES PT 003620 C2
PGCert Psychodynamic Counselling YES PT 000220 C2 & C3
PGCert Software Engineering NO PT 000270 Contact info@softeng.ox.ac.uk C2
PGDip Advanced Cognitive Therapy NO PT 000020 Contact kim.morris-smith@obmh.nhs.uk C7
PGDip Bioinformatics** YES PT 003630 C2
PGDip Cognitive Therapy NO PT 000090 Contact kim.morris-smith@obmh.nhs.uk C7
PGDip Mathematical Finance**^ NO PT 000180 Y C4
PGDip Paediatric Infectious Diseases YES PT 003860 C2
PGDip Psychodynamic Practice * NO PT 000240 Contact psychodynamicstudies@conted.ox.ac.uk C2 & C3
PGDip Software Engineering NO PT 000260 Contact info@softeng.ox.ac.uk C2
MSc Advanced Cognitive Therapy NO PT 000010 No direct entry to this course - see note † below C1
MSc Applied Landscape Archaeology YES PT 000030 C6
MSc Bioinformatics** NO PT 000060 No direct entry to this course - see note † below C2
MSt Creative Writing YES PT 003360 C2 & C5
MSc English Local History * NO PT 000120 Contact ppcert@conted.ox.ac.uk C6
MSc Evidence-Based Health Care** YES PT 000130 C1
MSc Experimental Therapeutics YES PT 003801 C2
MSt International Human Rights Law YES PT 000160 C1
MSc Mathematical Finance** NO PT 000170 No direct entry to this course - see note † below Y C1
MSt Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy NO PT 003850 C7
MSc Nanotechnology ** NO PT TBC No direct entry to this course - see note † below C2
MSc Professional Archaeology YES FT/PT 000210 C6
MSt Psychodynamic Practice NO PT 000230 No direct entry to this course - see note † below C2 & C3
MSc Software Engineering NO PT 000250 No direct entry to this course - see note † below C2
DPhil Archaeology (OUDCE) YES PT 000040 C6
DPhil English Local History YES PT 000110 C6
DPhil Evidence-Based Health Care** NO PT 003340 C5
22

23. If you wish to apply for any of the programmes which are not available for application online, please refer to Notes of Guidance Booklet B for Paper Applications
available from www.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply
* The next start dates for these courses will be in Michaelmas Term (October) 2009. Enquiries about Applications can be made via the Programme Office see
Table 1 for contact details.
**These courses require an employee release form or funding confirmation as a condition of an offer.
^ The PGDip in Mathematical Finance starts in Hilary Term (January) 2009.
^^ For applications to the PGCert in Nanotechnology for Michaelmas Term (October) 2008, applicants should use gathered fields 3 to 6 (with preference given to
the earlier of these). Gathered Fields 1 and 2 (26 October 2007 and 23 November 2007, respectively) are open (exceptionally) for a Hilary Term (January) 2008 start
to the PGCert in Nanotechnology. Applicants wishing to start the PGCert in Hilary Term (January) 2008 must use gathered fields 1 or 2. and submit a paper
application.
† Entry for these courses is via a PGCert/Dip as appropriate, with progression to the MSc via application on successful completion of preceding level.
The Programmes of Study in Software Engineering will usually offer start dates in October, January and April. Applications can be made via the Programme Office
see Table 1 for contact details.
23