study phd in oxford

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• Graduate Courses in Psychology

DPhil (PhD) in Experimental Psychology

This is a full time 3 to 4 year research degree course. Students are required to submit a thesis of up to 100,000 words in their 3rd or 4th year. Successful applicants will be registered as students with the Department of Experimental Psychology.

Course Description

The DPhil in Experimental Psychology course is based upon independent research carried out under the supervision and guidance of principal investigators and researchers within the students' chosen research group or lab within this department.  Supervision and guidance may also include co-supervision from other collaborating groups or labs, both within the department or from other departments/faculties within the University or from another institution.

FINDING A POTENTIAL  SUPERVISOR

We require all applicants for the  DPhil (PhD) in Experimental Psychology courses  to contact a potential supervisor in the first instance.

This provides applicants with an opportunity to discuss the area of research they wish to conduct as a part of their DPhil (PhD) studies and whether the potential supervisor is able to supervise their proposed project. Details of staff who may be eligible to supervise DPhil students are listed on our Faculty and Research Fellows  page.

Applicants who do not approach a potential supervisor in the first instance and/or whose proposed Research Project falls outside the area of expertise of our  Research Themes  are unlikely to be successful with their application.

The department is not able to provide funding for all candidates who are successful in obtaining a place on the DPhil course.  However, candidates whose applications are ranked most highly may be eligible to be put forward to funding competitions run within the University, that allocate Research Councils funds (e.g. MRC, ESRC) on a competitive basis. Successful applicants are also welcome to seek their own funding from other sources, e.g. charitable bodies or international scholarships.

Please see the funding page for more detailed information.

Course Structure

First Year of Study

Successful applicants are initially registered as Probationary Research Students (PRS Status). During the first year, students are expected to attend various courses, lectures and seminars which will enable them to gain the most out of their time here at Oxford and assist them with the design and analysis of their own area of research. These will typically include:

• Graduate Statistical Workshops
• Skills Training Courses e.g. MatLab and fMRI methods
• Analysis of Research Methods

The Medical Science Division also offers a large number of courses on transferable skills such as teaching and communicating scientific findings which all our students are encouraged to attend as a part of their DPhil studies.

Students are expected to be fully integrated within their own chosen group or lab and attend group or lab meetings as well as attending related seminars and conferences.

Second Year of Study

As a part of the department's Induction Programme, students will produce a poster and give a brief presentation based on their own research in the first term of their 2nd year on the course.

Third and Final Years of Study

Students submit a thesis of up to 100,000 words and attend an oral examination (the final viva).

Assessment of the Course

Assessment of students' progress on the course is monitored in three stages as well as via termly progression reports:

• Transfer of Status

By their 4 th  term, students submit a Transfer Report based on their research to date and attend a transfer viva.

• Confirmation of Status

By their 9 th  term, students are required to give a presentation and attend an interview to assess the progress of their research.

• Thesis Submission

By their 12 th  term, students will submit a thesis of up to 100,000 words and attend an oral examination, known as a viva.

Students will need to have successfully completed all stages to be awarded a DPhil in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford.

Course code

Our graduate courses.

MSc in Psychological Research (Taught Masters)

MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology (Research Course) - full-time

MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology (Research Course) - part-time

DPhil (PhD) in Experimental Psychology (Research Course) - full-time

DPhil (PhD) in Experimental Psychology (Research Course) - part-time

Graduate Admissions Information

Application Deadline: 12noon, Friday 1 December 2023

What makes a successful application

Our Graduate Admissions Procedures

Entry Requirements for this Course

University Application Guidelines and How to Apply

Choosing a College

Fees and Funding Opportunities

Fees Information

Funding Information

Further Information

What happens after you've been made an offer

Student Profiles

Graduate Career Destinations

Graduate Admissions Statistics

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

Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Geography and the Environment

Admissions guidance, potential supervisors and topics for dphil research, current graduate research, frequently asked questions, where can i get more information.

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Geography and the Environment is our premier research degree. The DPhil (or PhD as it is known in most other universities) is an advanced research degree awarded on the basis of a thesis and oral examination (assessment of other work is not taken into consideration). The DPhil is of a higher standing than the MSc by Research or the MLitt. Examiners of the DPhil must be satisfied that the thesis represents a significant and substantial piece of research, is conveyed in a lucid and scholarly manner and that the candidate has a good general knowledge of the field of their thesis. The DPhil in Geography and the Environment is offered as either a full time 3-4 year degree, or a part-time 6-8 year degree.

Students intending to read for the DPhil are initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). During their first year (or second year for the part-time pathway) of work, students must apply for transfer to DPhil status, which requires successful completion of a Qualifying Test. This involves submission of a piece of written work which is examined by two assessors. Students will also be required to undergo a similar examination to confirm their DPhil status during their third year (or by the end of the sixth year for the part-time pathway).

Full-time DPhil students must be resident in Oxford for at least six terms (2 years). It is mandatory for students at the School of Geography and the Environment to spend their first year in Oxford so that they can take full advantage of the research training which is provided. Field work undertaken in the second or third year can be counted towards the residency requirement. Currently the expected contact time for the part-time pathway is thirty days at Oxford per year, the majority of this will take place across the three eight week terms, and will include supervision meetings and core research training.

It is expected that the thesis will be submitted after three or at most four years from admission (or within the sixth/eight year time limit for the part-time pathway). The standard fee liability for students registered for the DPhil is 9 terms (3 years) (or 6 years for the part-time pathway). The University applies a termly Continuation Charge for graduate students who exceed the standard period of University tuition fee liability.

Some DPhil study in the School is supported by various scholarships and grants available through Oxford University and from sources outside of the university such as government scholarships and research council funding. In the period 2019-2021, 40% of DPhil students at SoGE were fully funded, whilst 28% were partially funded. Each year around 20% of DPhil offer holders receive funding from Oxford University. The vast majority of Oxford scholarships are open to new graduate students only. Funding options for on-course students are extremely limited. The School of Geography and the Environment is working hard to expand access to funding for all students but unfortunately we feel we must discourage students who have not secured funding for the whole period of their DPhil from taking up their place.

For more information on scholarships and funding for under-represented groups, please see the University's scholarships and funding for under-represented groups webpage.

Currently available scholarships from SoGE are listed on our graduate fees and funding webpage.

For information on graduate admissions, selection criteria, funding and how to apply for the DPhil in Geography and the Environment, please see the DPhil in Geography and the Environment webpage on the University's Graduate Admissions website.

Please also read through the following information which will help support your application.

Read the form we use to assess every DPhil application

Guidelines to writing a research proposal

Meet potential DPhil supervisors and discover the topics for research that are available.

Explore our current graduate research

Why are there multiple application deadlines?

We offer two application deadlines to maximise the time scale for candidates to prepare and make their application.

Can I apply before I secure funding?

Applications will be considered without secured funding. The college which accepts you will require you to complete a Financial Declaration form in order to meet your financial condition of admission and the college will give you a deadline for meeting this requirement. For further details please see the University's Financial Declaration webpage. If you have any questions regarding the financial declaration, you should contact your college and not the department.

Is there funding available?

What level of written and spoken english do i need.

Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency of English at the higher level required by the University. You can find details of what is required from the University's Application Guide . The department may be able to consider a waiver of this requirement if you are currently completing, or have completed within the last two years, a degree-level course that is: full-time; at least nine months long; undertaken at a recognised institution where the medium of instruction and assessment throughout the course is entirely in English. To request a waiver, you will need to write a letter or statement giving the reasons for your request and upload this to your application. We will ask you for proof by means of a letter from your institution indicating that the medium of instruction and assessment has been in English.

You do not need to submit an English language test result at the same time as your application if you have not yet taken a test or received your results; your application will still be considered (provided that all other required documentation has been submitted) by the department but any offer of a place will be conditional on your supplying English language test results at the required level.

Do I need to submit a research proposal?

If you apply for the DPhil you must submit an acceptable research proposal which addresses the questions of what you plan to accomplish and why you want to and how you are going to do it. You can find full information and guidelines on writing a research proposal on our website.

When should I expect a decision on my application?

You can expect to hear the outcome of your application about 8 to 10 weeks after the application deadline. You should expect to receive college notification around 8 to 10 weeks following the department decision. This timetable is for guidance only and notifications may take longer in some cases. For further information on what to expect after you apply please see the University's After you apply webpage.

If my application is declined, will I receive feedback?

Due to the volume of applications the University receives; it is not possible to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications. For further information on admissions decisions please see the University's Decision timeline webpage.

When does the course begin?

The academic year starts in October each year and students are normally admitted for an October start. The department will notify you of the exact date in their offer letter which will also give you information about any pre-sessional courses/fieldwork that you may be required to attend and the relevant dates. Please see the University's Your offer and contract webpage for further information about your offer and contract.

Where can I find accommodation in Oxford?

Colleges are unable to accommodate all graduate students and the offer of a college place does not guarantee accommodation. The college which accepts you will contact you with regard to making an application for college accommodation. The Graduate Accommodation Office lets and manages rooms, flats and houses in and around Oxford city centre and on sites owned by the University to full-time graduate students. They also offer advice on renting private accommodation. If you wish to look for private accommodation and are based outside of the UK, please see the section on the International Students webpage about immigration checks required by law before agreeing a tenancy. We also recommend you look at the Oxford University Student Union's helpful guide on Living Out .

What are the likely career destinations of postgraduate students?

Many of our graduates are commanding influential positions in multinational corporations, in national, state and international government, in non-governmental organisations, and by continuing with further research. For further information on potential careers and alumni please see the departmental alumni webpages and the University's Careers and alumni webpage.

I need to apply for a visa, when can I expect to receive my CAS number?

CAS numbers cannot be issued until you have successfully met all academic and financial conditions which were outlined in your offer letter. You are unable to apply for your visa until three months before your course start date. In most cases we would normally start issuing CAS numbers from July onwards. Once a CAS request has been made you will receive an email asking you to check the information that has been used for the CAS request. You should contact your departmental course-coordinator to let them know that the information is correct or let them have any amendments. Once the course-coordinator has been informed, they will be able to submit the CAS request and the CAS number will be sent to you via email within a few days of submission. For further information about the visa application please see the University's Before you arrive webpage and the University's information on the Student visa .

Do I need an ATAS certificate?

It is very unlikely that DPhil students will need to apply for a certificate. For information about the ATAS certificate please see the University's Student visa webpage.

Can I work to help fund my studies?

We advise that no student should expect to fund their studies through taking on paid employment or teaching. The MSc or MPhil programmes have a very intensive teaching programme which leaves very little time to take on paid work. You should generally regard your studies as a full-time occupation of at least 40 hours per week, and you should normally be available for academic commitments during core working hours (i.e. 9am to 5pm on weekdays during term for MSc and MPhil students and year-round for DPhil). You may also have a work restriction placed on your student visa. If you do undertake some paid work, you should ensure that this does not impact on your studies. Please see the University Policy on Paid Work Guidelines for Oxford Graduate Students .

Are there any opportunities for developing teaching skills?

As the undergraduate and MSc teaching system at Oxford University is normally delivered by academic staff, there are very limited opportunities for graduate students to become involved and, if any teaching is available, it will only be available to DPhil students in their 2nd or subsequent years. Most opportunities arise from undergraduate teaching or acting as a teaching assistant on our MSc courses. Before students are allowed to commence any teaching, they must undertake an 'Introduction to Undergraduate Teaching' seminar which is held in the department each year and, after attending this, students can also take advantage of the Social Sciences Division Preparation for Learning and Teaching at Oxford seminars which are accredited.

Are there any opportunities for work experience and internships?

The School of Geography and the Environment does not normally arrange work experience or internships for DPhil students, however, many students have very successfully taken up opportunities related to their research and temporary suspension of studies can be arranged to cover any period which is spent undertaking this.

What level of supervision can I expect?

Your offer letter will state who your supervisor(s) is and you should arrange to meet with them as soon as possible after arriving in Oxford to establish a timetable of regular meetings and they will help you devise a programme that allows you to realise the full benefits of the resources and intellectual community in Oxford. Your supervisor will meet with you regularly to provide advice about your specific project and suitable research methods and they will review your progress and help you to work within a planned framework and timetable. We would normally expect that you would meet with your supervisor(s) for at least nine one-hour meetings during each academic year. It is departmental practice for all research students to have two supervisors if possible. You may be allocated two supervisors when you are admitted however, in some cases only one supervisor may be allocated and a second supervisor will be allocated at the end of the first year if a suitable secondary supervisor can be found. You can find further information on research courses and supervision on the University's Research courses webpage.

What research training is provided?

DPhil students will be required to attend a weekly training seminar which is held each term. The aim of the DPhil training programme is to welcome, introduce and orientate students into DPhil work and life at the School. The seminars will be led by academics and some sessions will involve experiences from current DPhil students.

Doctoral students at Oxford will need to combine detailed subject knowledge with thorough training in relevant quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques, as well as general research management skills, professional knowledge and career development. This combination of skills, knowledge and training is intended to help with research and also to enhance personal and professional development and employability.

DPhil students will have access to a wide range of training whilst undertaking their research at the University, including:

• Research methods training within the department, and other departments as appropriate;
• Researcher Training provided by Doctoral Training in the Social Sciences open to all doctoral student;
• Training provided by University providers such as the Careers Service, IT Services and Bodleian Library.

What workspace is provided?

DPhil students have access to the Staff Common Room where they will find a microwave, fridge and hot water. There are also three DPhil study rooms. Our large DPhil room offers space on a 'hot desk' basis and rooms two and three have allocated spaces for those who are writing up their thesis. Working space is also available in some of the Libraries.

Can I apply to the DPhil from the MPhil?

Application process.

MPhil students who wish to apply for the DPhil in the department must follow the same application process as any other applicant for the DPhil. There is no automatic progression from MPhil to DPhil and applications from MPhil students will be assessed against the same criteria as all other applicants.

Current MPhil students are eligible to be considered for all Oxford funding schemes. If you are made an offer, you will automatically be considered for funding, but you should be aware that the funding available is limited and very competitive.

One year of MPhil fees counts toward DPhil fee liability, so students who have completed the MPhil only pay full DPhil fees for 6 terms. Thereafter, students are charged the University Continuation Charge until they submit their DPhil thesis.

The DPhil thesis via the 2+2 route

Students following the 2+2 route have the same thesis requirements as all other DPhil students: the book format following the traditional thesis-style, or the article-based thesis which comprises a minimum of three academic papers.

Students who have followed the article-based format for their MPhil should be aware that papers included in the thesis must have been written whilst holding the status of PRS or DPhil. A DPhil thesis may build directly on work completed during a Master's programme at Oxford but material which has already been submitted for assessment as part of an MPhil thesis cannot be included in the DPhil thesis.

If you have any questions about the University's application process you are strongly advised to contact the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions Office, tel: +44 (0)1865 270059, or by e-mail: [email protected] taking particular care to follow the instructions in the automatic reply, in the first instance.

If you have any further questions that have not been answered by the information provided by the Graduate Admissions Office or our website then please contact the Research Degrees Coordinator at the School of Geography and the Environment.

DPhil in Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Philosophy is a three- to four-year research programme in which a candidate undertakes a doctoral level research project under the guidance of a supervisor. The doctoral work culminates in a 75,000-word thesis that is defended in the form of a viva voce examination ( oral defence). Satisfactory progress through the DPhil is checked in the form of a mini- viva voce examination taking place at the end of the first and second year of study.

The aim of the Faculty’s DPhil in Philosophy is to prepare you for an academic career in philosophy.

For information on how to make an application please see our   Admissions Procedure and Entry Requirements page .

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee recommends progression from Oxford's BPhil in Philosophy to the DPhil programme in view of the opportunity it offers to students to study a wide range of philosophical topics as well as to focus on a narrower field of research interest. Students proceeding to the DPhil programme via the BPhil will normally write a DPhil thesis which is an expansion of their BPhil thesis, although this is not a formal requirement. Indeed, sometimes, the BPhil thesis topic is not suitable for expansion into a DPhil thesis, or a student may wish to write their DPhil thesis on a different topic.

Each year, some students are admitted to the DPhil in Philosophy from programmes other than the BPhil in Philosophy. These students enter the DPhil initially as Probationary Research Students (“PRS”) from appropriate programmes at Oxford or elsewhere. Typically, these students will have already completed substantial graduate work in philosophy, usually equivalent to that required for the BPhil. Students may also progress from one of the Faculty of Philosophy's specialist MSt programmes - the MSt in Philosophy of Physics , the MSt in Ancient Philosophy  and the MSt in Practical Ethics .

In the third term after enrolment onto the DPhil, you are required to complete a transfer of status from PRS to full DPhil status. Two appointed examiners will interview you both on your two-page thesis outline, which explains in outline the intended line of argument or contribution to the subject, and on a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis which is typically, though not necessarily, a draft chapter of the thesis.

Students who progressed from the MSt in Philosophy of Physics course are required to write a 20,000-word thesis during their year as a PRS, as their MSt does not have a thesis element. Students who progress from the BPhil will enter the DPhil without being required to pass a year as a PRS and as a result will only have another six terms (instead of the usual nine terms) of fee liability for their DPhil.

At the end of the second year, you will be required to apply for confirmation of DPhil status. This entails an interview by one or two appointed examiners on your two-page thesis outline, which goes into some detail and comprises a reasoned statement of the nature of the proposed thesis together with a provisional table of contents, and a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words.

You should have regular one-on-one tuition sessions with your supervisor(s). These will normally happen twice per term but in some terms, especially at the start of the degree and during the final stages of the thesis, the number of sessions may be increased. You are not required to attend any taught graduate classes as part of your DPhil degree, but you are encouraged to participate in lectures, classes, seminars and other educational opportunities offered throughout the university as relevant to your topic of study.

The course has no fieldwork, industrial placement or year abroad element, but you may decide to attend conferences, workshops or research training elsewhere.

Admission to the DPhil in Philosophy

Admission procedure an entry requirements.

For information on admissions to the BPhil in Philosophy please check the  Admissions Procedure and Enry Requirements page .

FAQs about Admission to the DPhil in Philosophy

Please find answers to frequently asked questions about admissions to the DPhil in Philosophy  here .

• Teaching Opportunities

The Faculty believes that it is important both professionally and personally for graduate research students to have opportunities to teach. For graduates seeking an academic career, it is often crucial to have teaching experience when applying for jobs. For many graduate students, teaching is also an important supplement to their income.

The Faculty operates a number of schemes to help our research students secure relevant teaching experience:

• Graduate Teaching Assistant Scheme
• Graduate Lecturing Scheme
• Graduate Teaching Register

For more information on these schemes, please visit the Teaching Opportunities page . 

• DPhil Seminar

The DPhil Seminar at Oxford University provides a forum for graduate students to present and discuss thesis chapters, and workshop papers that are to be submitted for publication.  

Speaker Series:  DPhil students present a part of their dissertation to a faculty member and fellow students. The format is approximately 45 minutes for presentation, 15 minutes for faculty commentary, and 30 minutes for Q&A

Publishing Workshop:  DPhil students receive targeted feedback on papers they intend to submit for publication relatively soon. Each term participants are placed in groups of 3-4, according to topic. During each of the 3-4 workshops (per topic group) the paper of one group member is discussed. Participants will be expected to attend the workshops of their fellow group members and to have read each of the other papers in advance of the relevant sessions. The format will be approximately 10 minutes for author introduction, 30 minutes for faculty commentary, and 50 minutes for discussion. Other faculty members and students are very welcome, but are encouraged to read the paper in advance.

The Faculty expects that DPhil students will present their work in the DPhil seminar at some point during their studies: most likely in their second or third year. The seminar provides an excellent opportunity for presentation experience, as well as feedback from peers and at least one faculty member other than their thesis supervisor(s). All graduate students and faculty are encouraged to attend, and all students are welcome to present but advantage is given to those who have not yet presented a paper.

For more information, please contact the Graduate Training Student Representative .

• Graduate Placement Scheme

The Faculty operates a Graduate Placement Service which aims to support graduate research students on the job market from the final year of their DPhil until they secure a tenure track / permanent position. To find out more, please visit the Graduate Placement Scheme page . 

• DPhil Placement Record

The Faculty has an outstanding placement record, including a number of past students who have obtained positions within Oxford itself, such as an associate professorship and a junior research fellowship. Please visit the DPhil Placement Record page for an overview of the Faculty’s placements in recent years. 

Entry Requirements

For a detailed description of the entry requirements for the DPhil in Philosophy, please visit the DPhil in Philosophy page on the central university’s Graduate Admissions webpages.

We hold a Graduate Open Day in March each year, for applicants who receive an offer of a place. If your application is successful, you will receive further information about this in due course.

For the latest information on fees charged by the University, and living costs, please visit the Fees and Funding page .

Please visit our Graduate Funding page to identify various sources of funding for the Philosophy Faculty’s graduate programmes.

Please read through our applicant  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)  regarding Admission to our courses.

Useful Links

• OII >  

DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences

Page Contents

Key information, student experience, supervisors, fees and funding.

The DPhil programme in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences provides an opportunity for students to pursue cutting-edge research into the societal implications of the Internet.

As a doctoral student at the Oxford Internet Institute, you and your peers will address research questions from across the spectrum of disciplines, drawing on our multidisciplinary faculty and on the complementary strengths of your cohort of peers, who are building on literature from different disciplines to answer their research questions.

We are looking for academically excellent candidates who display the potential and enthusiasm necessary to perform research that will make a difference — to ask important questions and to adopt innovative methodologies and approaches for exploring those questions.

Our DPhil students research spans a wide range of topics, normally linked to one or more of our Research Labs, Groups and  Research topics .

This system allows doctoral students to dig deeply into disciplinary questions in, for instance, politics or sociology, while also being able to place these questions into a broader picture of how the Internet can be theorised and researched.

Over the course the programme, you are expected to produce an important and original piece of scholarship that will make a significant contribution to the dynamic area of Internet research. On completion, you will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary to excel in teaching, research, policy-making or business.

Whilst every doctoral project will follow a unique path, broadly there are three stages:

• Formulating a research question:  You will focus on developing your research questions, and research skills. All doctoral students are required to take two courses which give the necessary foundation for undertaking research in this multi-disciplinary field.
• Gathering data:  You will outline the structure of your thesis, this includes data gathering, and might include a period of fieldwork away from Oxford. Many students also use this time to start drafting journal articles, often in collaboration with their supervisors.
• Writing up your thesis and submitting:  You will concentrate on any final data gathering, and writing up the final chapters for submission of your thesis.

In addition to the formal requirements of the DPhil thesis, all doctoral students receive regular training in the key graduate skills necessary to support their research and future employment. These range from classes on specific tools or skills such as programming in Python or using content analysis software, to more generic training such as presentation skills, academic writing and peer review.

We also provide opportunities for DPhil students to gain teaching experience through mentored assistantship roles in some of the MSc courses. There are also opportunities for taking part in organising the annual student-run  Connected Life conference  dedicated to sparking exchange between disciplines and showcasing emerging Internet research.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the DPhil programme, it is expected that you will have developed your knowledge and understanding of:

• The application of one or more of the social sciences to a detailed study of the Internet and related information and communication technologies and their societal implications.
• Practices and technologies relevant to the Internet and related ICTs.
• Theories and techniques of social sciences research applicable to the field of information and communication and of emerging technologies in particular.
• Modes of communicating and applying research in the field of information and communication to such issues as the design of new technologies and the formation of public policy.
• The qualities and transferable skills necessary to excel in teaching, research, policy-making or business in your studied field, including abilities to design new technologies and to predict and analyse their impacts.
• Leading-edge research methods relevant to investigating emerging information and communication technologies in the social sciences.

How To Apply

All applications must be made through the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions site . Please ensure that you start the online application process as early as you can, to ensure plenty of time to complete your application. We particularly advise applicants to contact their referees as early as possible, and register their details in the draft application form well in advance of the deadline.

Both the full-time and part-time DPhil programmes have one application deadline in January. Only applications that are complete by the deadline, including receipt of references, can be considered by the admissions team.

The Oxford Internet Institute is part of the University of Oxford’s pilot on selection procedures which aims to explore actions aimed at better contextualising admissions procedures for graduate students while minimising conscious and unconscious bias. For all our courses, the socio-economic data you provide in the application form will be used to contextualise the shortlisting and decision-making processes. For details about the pilot and the actions we are taking, please see the University’s page on the Pilot selection procedure.

• Full-time: 3-4 Years
• Part-time: 6-8 Years

Start date:

• October 2024

12 noon UK time (midday) on:

• Friday 5 January 2024

Professor Mariarosaria Taddeo

Professor of Digital Ethics and Defence Technologies, DPhil Programme Director (ICSS)

Rosaria Taddeo is the Programme Director of the DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences.

Laura Maynard

DPhil Coordinator

Laura is the DPhil Co-ordinator, and administrates the course.

Our induction programme is usually held in the first week of October, the week preceding the start of Michaelmas Term (also referred to as 0th week). During Induction Week students will be formally introduced to the OII’s Director, Director of Graduate Studies, Programme Directors, Graduate Studies Support team, as well as our faculty and administrative team. In addition students will be offered a full tour of the OII’s facilities and introduced to IT and library resources, followed by several informative DPhil induction sessions. There is also ample opportunity to get to know fellow students and staff through student-led social activities and an afternoon drinks reception. During October the Social Sciences Division also holds a welcome event for all new research students.

Our doctoral students are provided with hot-desk working space in the department. We are equipped with advanced video conferencing facilities and high-speed network access. The OII’s library specialises in the social sciences, technology and computing, and our students also have access to the Bodleian Libraries, the University’s main research library.

Opportunities for teaching and training

We provide opportunities for DPhil students to gain teaching experience through mentored assistantship roles in some of the MSc courses. Students will have the opportunity to attend the Introduction to Learning and Teaching at Oxford programme run by the Social Sciences Division, an interactive and discursive course in which attendees will explore common teaching formats (lectures, small groups, tutorials) and common experiences (for example, group management, preparation, presentation and delivery). Students must complete this programme if they wish to undertake a teaching assistant position at the Oxford Internet Institute.

Pastoral and Welfare Support

In addition to the pastoral support provided your college, as a department the OII seeks to support students by various means. Each degree programme has dedicated administrative support and the administrators in question will be able to help and advise students on a range of matters relating to welfare or academic matters, or point them towards dedicated sources of support elsewhere in the University. Supervisors and the Director of Graduate Studies can also serve as a source of support, in addition to our dedicated disability lead and several Harassment Officers who can assist with connecting students with the appropriate support.

Whilst every doctoral project will follow a unique path, there are common milestones that every DPhil student must pass. The information below gives a broad indication of the general milestones, but all students are advised to discuss the timeline with their supervisor.

During the programme you will move through three different stages:

• Probationer Research Student (PRS)
• DPhil Status
• Confirmed DPhil Status

DPhil Milestones

(You can find detailed information on scheduling in the OII DPhil handbook.)

Stage 1: Formulating a Research Question

Stage 1 takes place over Year 1 for full-time students and Years 1 and 2 for on the part-time programme.

All doctoral students are required to take courses which give the necessary foundation for undertaking research in this multi-disciplinary field. Both courses must be passed in order to transfer from PRS to DPhil status.

• Advanced Social Theory  provides an overview of the major findings to date regarding the social implications of the Internet, drawing material from several social science disciplines, including communication studies, sociology, and political science.
•   DSR Methods Core  and  DSR Statistics Core  provides students with the core skills, methods, theories and concepts required to undertake the remainder of the degree. It examines issues concerning the application of traditional social research methods to the study of emerging ICTs as well as the use of new methods, enabled by the Internet and ICTs, in the study of an array of social research problems.

If you come from a background outside the social sciences (e.g. in computer science), you may be asked to take appropriate courses in theory and methods offered by the OII or one of the University’s  Social Science Division  departments during your first year of doctoral studies.

DPhil students are also welcome to take any of the  OII MSc Option Papers , with the approval of their supervisor and the course provider.

In addition to these classes, students will be required to work on their thesis, and will meet regularly with their supervisor to this end. By the end of this stage, students will be expected to have formulated clear research questions and identified appropriate theoretical and methodological frameworks for addressing these questions.

Transfer of Status

As most students will enter the DPhil programme as Probationer Research Students (PRS), they will be expected to gather materials and draft a research proposal for transfer to DPhil Status between their third and fourth term in Oxford. Assuming the normal three-year programme, we expect students to complete the transfer interview by the end of their fourth term. Most students successfully transfer in the third term.

Stage 2: Gathering Data

Stage 2 usually occurs in Year 2 for full-time students and Years 3 and 4 for students on the part-time programme.

This stage of the DPhil will normally be devoted to data gathering and mapping the outline structure of your thesis. However, students will also need to make significant progress in writing their thesis, drafting at least two chapters in preparation for the Confirmation of Status milestone. This may include a period of fieldwork away from Oxford. Many students also use this time to start drafting journal articles, often in collaboration with their supervisors.

Confirmation of Status

Confirmation of DPhil Status is an essential stage on the way to the doctorate and confirms that the student is capable of producing a thesis of the necessary standard and within an appropriate timescale. It is not possible to submit a thesis for examination until DPhil status has been confirmed.

The OII’s Graduate Studies Committee expects students to complete the confirmation interview by the end of their third year for full time students; and by the sixth year of study for part-time students.

Stage 3: Writing Up and Thesis submission

Stage 3 usually occurs in Year 3 for full-time students and Years 5 and 6 for students on the part-time programme.

Stage 3 will concentrate on any final empirical work, and on writing up the final chapters for submission of the thesis. The thesis must be submitted within four years (full-time) and eight years (part-time) from the date of admission as a graduate student. In special circumstances, you may apply for an extension of time through the Graduate Studies Committee. The maximum extension permitted is two years, making six years (full-time) or ten years (part-time) of study in all.

Once the thesis has been submitted, two examiners are appointed and the examination by viva voce (an oral defence of the thesis) is scheduled.

As a graduate student you will be assigned an academic supervisor, who is responsible for your academic well-being and progress. In addition to academic supervision, you will also have a college advisor who can help with issues of student support and welfare.

You should expect to meet with your supervisor at least three to four times a term. In the early stages of your doctoral studies your supervisor will assist you in settling into the pace of academic life, help you identify your training needs in order to fulfil your research and facilitate appropriate networking across the University. As your research progresses, your supervisor will advise you on research design, provide guidance on any data collection, and comment on your written drafts. In the final stages of your doctoral studies, your supervisor will provide comments on your thesis drafts and help you prepare for milestones and the final examination of the thesis. Your supervisor may also provide career guidance as you plan your future beyond your period of study.

The following OII faculty members are eligible to supervise DPhil students. The supervision areas are intended as a guide only: please contact a faculty member directly if you would like to discuss their suitability to supervise your research proposal.

Dr Adam Mahdi

Dr Ana Valdivia

Professor Andrew Przybylski

Dr Bernie Hogan

Professor Brent Mittelstadt

Professor Carl-Benedikt Frey

Professor Chris Russell

Professor Ekaterina Hertog

Dr Gemma Newlands

Professor Greg Taylor

Professor Helen Margetts

Dr Joss Wright

Professor Kathryn Eccles

Dr Keegan McBride

Dr Luc Rocher

Professor Mark Graham

Professor Philip Howard

Professor Ralph Schroeder

Professor Rebecca Eynon

Professor Sandra Wachter

Dr Scott A. Hale

Professor Victoria Nash

Professor Viktor Mayer-Schönberger

Professor Vili Lehdonvirta

Details of fees, living expenses, and definitions of home and overseas students, together with information about potential sources of funding are available from the  University’s Fees and Funding  website.

There are a number of sources of funding for postgraduate students at Oxford. Details of all scholarships for which candidates may be eligible can be found on the  University’s Fees and Funding website.  The scholarships are all highly competitive and are awarded on academic merit.

Clarendon Scholarships

Clarendon is one of the biggest of the University’s scholarship schemes, offering around 170 new scholarships each year to academically outstanding graduates. Clarendon scholarships are competitive, prestigious and highly sought-after. As well as providing for fees and living costs Clarendon aims to enhance the Oxford experience by offering students the chance to form lasting social, academic and professional networks. Students can apply by completing the funding sections of the graduate admissions form. As part of the admissions process, the Oxford Internet Institute Scholarship Committee will decide which applicants to nominate to the University for consideration. Further details of this scholarship can be found on the University’s Clarendon Scholarships  page.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding

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 (DTP).

The Oxford Internet Institute’s graduate degree programmes are a recognised doctoral training pathway in the partnership and our  Digital Social Science pathway  is provided through two routes, MSc-to-DPhil (known as 1+3) and DPhil-only (known as +3), and is available to students studying part-time as well as those studying full-time.

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 complete a  Grand Union DTP Application Form  and upload it, together with your graduate application form, in order to be considered for nomination for the studentship.

Information about ESRC studentships at Oxford can be found on the  Grand Union DTP website . Please ensure you have read all of the guidance available on the website before completing the  ESRC Grand Union DTP Studentship Application Form . Questions can be directed to the Grand Union DTP Office at [email protected] 

ESRC studentships are open to both Home (UK) and International candidates, read more about the eligibility criteria here .

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding

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 in eligible subject areas across the Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions.

Information about applying for AHRC scholarships at Oxford can currently be found on the  Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Partnership  website. In order to be considered for a studentship you must apply by the programme deadline and tick the relevant box in the studentships section of the application form. You will also need to complete the  OOC DTP Application Form  and upload it as an additional document when completing your application.

Black Academic Futures scholarships

The Black Academic Futures programme offer scholarships to UK Black and Mixed-Black students starting doctoral study at Oxford. A pplicants need to apply to an Oxford department by the relevant programme deadline to be considered for the scholarship and ensure they include the ethnicity information in their application.

Refugee Academic Futures

The Refugee Academic Futures scheme offers financial support to pursue graduate study at Oxford to students who are refugees or other people with lived experience of displacement. The scholarships are open to all academic subjects. Each scholarship will cover your course fees and will provide you with a grant for living costs. Awards are made for the full duration of your fee liability for your course. Scholars will be offered opportunities to receive mentoring and a bespoke programme of pre-arrival and on course support.

Care-Experienced Academic Futures

The Care-Experienced Academic Futures scholarships offer financial support to students who have experienced being in care in the UK to pursue graduate study at Oxford. The pilot will include the inaugural award of the Oxford-Rees Graduate Scholarship, which supports care-experienced Social Sciences candidates.

OII Shirley Scholarship

The OII awards a limited number of DPhil Scholarships each academic year supported by the Shirley Scholars Fund which was established in honour of OII founder donor Dame Stephanie Shirley. These scholarships are open to both full- and part-time students (from any country) and all applicants who are offered a place on our programme are automatically considered for an award. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit.

DPhil Handbook 2023-24

Download the handbook for study at the OII in the academic year 2023-2024

You can find general FAQs about applying to our courses, studying at the OII, and choosing a college on the study FAQs page .

When should I apply?

The DPhil programme has one deadline in January.

Please ensure that you start the online application process as early as you can, to ensure plenty of time to complete your application. Only applications that are complete by the deadline (including letters of reference) can be considered by the admissions team. All applications must be made through the  University of Oxford Graduate Admissions  site.

How do I choose a supervisor?

Our students are supervised by OII faculty members. Please note that we will only admit students where appropriate supervision is available; please see the full list of  faculty members  eligible to supervise students on this programme. If having read these, you are still unsure who could supervise your proposed research (or if you are considering supervision by a faculty member from a different department within the University of Oxford), please contact us to discuss this at  [email protected] .

Please note that it is strongly advised that DPhil applicants should contact a potential supervisor before they submit an application to check that there is appropriate supervision for their research proposal. Once DPhil applicants have identified an appropriate supervisor they should email them directly with a brief overview of the proposed research topic. The faculty member will then indicate whether they would be suitable to supervise the proposed topic.

If I need to submit English Language Test results, when are they due?

You can read more about the English language requirements for graduate study applications in the graduate application guide.   This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level . If you already have English language test scores at the required level achieved within two years of the start of the course to which you are applying, please include them in your application. However, you are not required to provide test scores when you submit your application.

How does the DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences differ from the DPhil in Social Data Science?

The  DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences  is designed for students interested in research about the Internet and related technologies and their societal implications. Theses in this programme might include quantitative, qualitative, computational or mixed methods applied to a broad range of questions about digital phenomena and could address questions about technology policy or practice. The  DPhil in Social Data Science  is designed for students with core quantitative skills who wish to develop their skills for analysing structured and unstructured data using advanced computational techniques such as machine learning. Theses in Social Data Science might develop new computational approaches for analysing human behavioural data and/or apply such approaches to answer a social science question.

What does a good DPhil application look like? Do you have any examples?

Here is some great advice from OII DPhil alumni Bertram Vidgen on how to write your DPhil application proposal .  You can also read OII Professor Vili Lehdonvirta’s advice about picking a research topic for a DPhil application.  

What fees do I have to pay?

Course fees cover your teaching, and other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. They do not cover your accommodation or other living costs. You may have seen separate figures in the past for tuition fees and college fees. We have now combined these into a single figure.

See the University’s  guidance on fee status  and fee liability for information on  Home/Republic of Ireland ,  Islands  and  Overseas  student classification. As well as covering University and College fees, students will also have to support their maintenance costs. As Oxford is a relatively expensive place to live, it is recommended that students consult the University’s  guidance on living costs  when planning their budget, to cover accommodation, meals and other living expenses.

Do I have to live in Oxford during my studies?

Full-time students are required by the University’s regulations to be in residence in Oxford during term time. That means a commitment to be in Oxford for at least the full nine weeks of all three terms of each academic year. You also need to be available in Oxford for several events outside full term, from the induction programme to examinations. Research away from Oxford should be discussed with your supervisor. Part-time students are not required to live in Oxford, but are expected to be present in Oxford on average 30 days per year. Please see the DPhil handbook for more details.

Do you offer any intensive, online or distance-learning courses?

We do not normally offer any of our MSc or DPhil programmes in an intensive, online, or distance-learning modality. Although we do make use of virtual learning environments and various other online components of study, both full and part-time students are required to attend in person during term time due to the collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of our programmes, and the principles that underpin Oxford education as a  collegiate university.  We strongly believe that the face-to-face element of the programme is vital in providing a multi-disciplinary peer network for students to engage in ideas, discussion and debate.

We do, however, offer this programme on a part-time basis. The part-time DPhil is substantively identical to the full-time degree, but distributes the workload over five to six years for those who must fit study around work, family, or other outside commitments.

What does the schedule look like for a part-time DPhil student?

Part-time students can typically expect to spend at least 30 days physically in Oxford each year, and will be expected to commit approximately 20 hours per week to their studies. Part-time DPhil students will be expected to take core courses in Michaelmas Term of Years 1 and 2, which will mean choosing two courses in one year, and one in the other year. These courses have been scheduled to allow part-time students to take them on a single day, so students will need to be able to attend classes in Oxford one day a week for the eight consecutive weeks of Michaelmas Term, as a minimum. In addition, part-time students will need to be present in Oxford in their first year for the full Induction Week (normally held the first week of October).

There are provisions to attend DPhil seminars and supervision meetings via video conference, the latter at your supervisor’s discretion, particularly from Year 3 onwards. However, classes for the core courses and any corresponding examinations in Michaelmas Term of Years 1 and 2 can only be attended in person.

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DPhil in Theology and Religion

A DPhil — our name for a PhD — commands worldwide recognition. It will prepare and enable you to make an original contribution to your field.

Length of study

Completing a DPhil requires at least three years of full-time research, although this period can be extended if you chose to study part time. For many of our students it is the beginning of an exciting academic career.

Supervision

Our large and committed faculty of world-renowned scholars will guarantee that your work receives expert supervision and we actively ensure that you benefit from a high level of interaction with all of our staff.

Find out more about our supervisors.

Course content

You will begin research as soon as you arrive at Oxford with formal submissions of work-in-progress normally made at the end of your first and second years. Your completed thesis will be examined orally and there is no additional written examination.

There is no taught component of the programme but all of our students choose to take advantage of our extensive selection of seminars, lectures and reading groups in order to broaden and enhance their knowledge of both their area and the wider field.

If you are interested in joining our community find out how to apply and take a look at the University’s fees and funding page.

You may also be interested in reading our handbooks for Postgraduate Research Students.

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DPhil (PhD) in Oncology

• Course Structure
• The molecular basis of transcription-coupled DNA repair
• Deciphering key steps in the metastatic process of breast cancer by focusing on the role of MAFF
• Understanding the role of innate immunity in treatment-induced normal tissue injury
• Interaction between DNA Polymerase theta inhibition and cGAS/STING activation
• The paradox of AMER1 driver mutations in colorectal cancer
• Mapping the LARP1/1B interactome in cancer
• MRC iCASE Project Teledyne e2v -Technological advancements in radiotherapy leading to dose deliver via FLASH
• Developing a novel cancer vaccine for low mutation burden tumours derived from the non-coding genome
• Clinically-motivated and physics-informed deep learning for contouring tumours using multimodal cancer imaging
• Investigating the immunomodulatory effects of drug combinations with PSMA targeted radiopharmaceuticals
• How to Apply
• Fees & Funding

KEY DATES FOR 2024/25 ENTRY

Applications for 2024/25 entry are now closed.

Applications for entry in 2025/26 will open in September 2024.

If you have any questions that are not answered on our webpages please contact us:

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The Department of Oncology offers science graduates and clinical research fellows the opportunity to undertake doctoral research leading to a DPhil in Oncology.

The DPhil in Oncology is a 3 to 4 year full time programme, built around a specific research project. You will be admitted directly to a particular research area within a research group or laboratory led by a Principal Investigator, who will be formally appointed as your DPhil supervisor. A range of research projects are offered each year in subject areas covering the entire spectrum of oncology. Please review the list of DPhil projects available for entry in the 2024/25 academic year. 

You will have the opportunity to attend departmental seminars, as well as academic and professional skills training sessions developed specifically for postgraduate research students. The majority of your training will be hands on, either one-to-one or in small groups, in a laboratory environment as you learn the skills you need to address your specific research question.  At the end of your studies you will be assessed via submission of a written thesis of up to 50,000 words and a  viva voce  (oral examination) with two examiners.

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• MSc in Quantum Technologies
• DPhil in Astrophysics
• DPhil in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics
• DPhil in Atomic and Laser Physics
• DPhil in Condensed Matter Physics
• DPhil in Particle Physics
• DPhil in Theoretical Physics

From working alongside experts in their field to having access to specialist facilities, we train and equip our graduates to do the best research in the world – come and join us to pursue your passion and fulfil your potential.

Each year, we welcome some 100 graduate students to our department to study for a 3 to 4-year DPhil research degree – which is equivalent to a PhD. Graduates can choose from a range of specialisms across our six sub-departments of astrophysics; atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics; atomic and laser physics; condensed matter physics; particle physics; and theoretical physics.

Our DPhil degrees are research-based across an exceptionally broad range of topics and many of our groups are interdisciplinary. You will be part of a dynamic and world-leading research community and you will join an existing group that typically comprises at least one lead academic as well as postdoctoral research assistants or fellows and other research students.

Your research work begins on day one and will be underpinned by a taught graduate course in the first year that runs in parallel. You will also have the opportunity to follow courses taught at other departments across the Maths, Physics and Life Sciences division. Our department runs an active programme of seminars and colloquia giving students and academics the opportunity to regularly come together for specialist and interdisciplinary discussion.

Why Oxford?

As a graduate student at Oxford’s Department of Physics, you will work alongside world experts and have access to the department’s world-class facilities – from the ultra-low vibration and ultra-low temperature labs in the state-of-the-art Beecroft Building to our in-house specialist SRFs and mechanical and electronic workshops and technicians. Our students also get to benefit from the close relations we foster with other facilities in the UK and around the world: in the UK, these include the leading science and innovation campus at Harwell home to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Diamond Light Source synchrotron among others; internationally, it extends to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, T2K in Japan, DUNE in the USA and large telescopes around the world.

We want our graduates to be as diverse as the science they investigate. We are actively pursuing our equality, diversity and inclusion agenda and you can read more about it here: equality, diversity and inclusion

DPhil courses

Each of the six sub-departments within the Department of Physics offers a DPhil course for postgraduates and many of our research projects are inter-disciplinary. Prospective students apply to the sub-department of their choice however we welcome applications to multiple sub-departments if your interests span sub-departments or if you are undecided. Find out more about our six DPhils below.

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DPhil (PhD) studies in Mathematical Finance @ Oxford

The Mathematical and Computational Finance Group (MCFG) at Oxford is one of the largest and most dynamic research environments in mathematical finance in the world.

We combine core mathematical expertise with interdisciplinary approach. We foster lively interactions between researchers coming from different backgrounds and a truly impressive seminar programme, all this within one of the world's top universities, singular through its tradition and unique environment.

If you are passionate about mathematics and research and want to pursue a DPhil in Financial Mathematics, Oxford simply offers one of the best and most exciting places to do it!

 Research Topic and Supervisor Allocation

We welcome students with their own particular ideas of research topic as well as students with a broad interest in the field of Mathematical Finance. You have an opportunity to tell us about your research passions, and indicate potential supervisors, in your application form. This will be followed up during the interview.

In light of this, if you are offered a place, an appropriate supervisor will be proposed prior to your arrival in Oxford. However, there can be some flexibility over this once you arrive.  Keeping with the Oxford tradition, we offer our students independence and respect as early researchers, and always aim to match students with the most appropriate supervisors.

Outstanding students with a strong background in analysis, probability and data science are welcome to apply for our DPhil program. Each year we receive a large number of excellent applications. The selection process is extremely competitive and we can only admit a handful of candidates each year.

In order to apply for DPhil studies in Mathematical & Computational Finance, please indicate your interest in Mathematical and Computational Finance on your application form. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview -- either in person or by video call.

For general information on DPhil please consult our  Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) admissions pages .

For the CDT Mathematics of Random Systems please consult our  the CDT website .

Or please contact  @email .

Funding for DPhil students is available from a variety of sources. Please note that some funding opportunities have deadlines: it is advised to apply before the deadline in order to maximise your chances of receiving funding.

Funding is also available through the  Centre for Doctoral Training in Mathematics of Random Systems . To apply for this program please How to Apply .

Email:  @email Phone:  +44 (0)1865 615234

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DPhil Graduates

Doctoral Research

DPhil in Anthropology

The DPhil in Anthropology trains students in the preparation of independent and original research in Anthropology. You will develop your scholarly communication of the results of such research and prepare for academic employment in anthropology or related fields, or in a professional environment where sensitivity to cross-cultural variability is required.

You will develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts, techniques, principles and theories in social and cultural, medical, biological or cognitive and evolutionary anthropology and apply it in designing and implementing an original and independent plan of research. This may be through  fieldwork   with human subjects, though this is not compulsory.  You will have the opportunity to use research methods of anthropology, including qualitative and quantitative aspects (which can include statistical methods and, where appropriate, mathematical modelling) and to present the results of your research in a well written, carefully argued thesis.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will be in regular contact and who you will typically meet at least two to three times a term. Your  supervisor  will help develop and guide your project and  provide feedback. You will work on your own extensively however, and will need a high level of motivation. 

Full-time and part-time study options are available.

Please note this is not offered as a distance learning course.

Dr Elizabeth Ewart  is the Course Director for DPhil in Anthropology

Dr Elizabeth Ewart  is the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

For admissions questions please contact the  Graduate Courses Administrator .

Apply here for the DPhil in Anthropology

The application deadline is now early January each year.

DPhil in Migration Studies

The DPhil in Migration Studies is offered jointly by The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) and the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID). As a DPhil student in Migration Studies you will undertake an interdisciplinary in-depth project focused on a specific and important contemporary challenge facing the world by drawing on world class research departments, centres and scholars. Academics from SAME and ODID can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects. Examples include migrant integration, identity formation, transnationalism, urban change, diasporas, humanitarianism, asylum and refugees, citizenship, health and wellbeing.

Please note, this is not offered as a distance learning course.

Click here for details about ESRC Migration Studies Studentships 2023-24

Dr Peter Walsh  is the Course Director for the DPhil in Migration Studies

Dr Elizabeth Ewart  is the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

Apply here for the DPhil in Migration Studies

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Course code: RJ_MD9P1

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About the programme

The Doctor of Medicine (DM) degree has been redeveloped as a part-time, variable-rate doctoral programme of up to eight years duration, open to doctors employed in the NHS locally or by the University. The degree will be academically comparable to a DPhil but the aim is that because research work will be in synergy with clinical duties, a DM student will be able to take significantly less time out from their clinical training. The rate at which research is undertaken will vary, depending upon the needs of the student.

All  departments within the Medical Sciences Division  will host students on the programme (except for the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences).

The interim Director for the DM is Professor Chris Pugh. The  Medical Sciences Graduate School Office  has day-to-day responsibility for organisation and administration of the programme.

Entry requirements

Students will be expected to have a medical degree and hold full registration with the UK General Medical Council. If the applicant’s degree is from outside the UK, reference will be made by the admitting body to the GMC advice on overseas qualifications. In addition, applicants will need to hold an appropriate contract of employment at the time of application at ST1 grade or above (including those who have completed their training) within the University of Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Primary Care within Oxfordshire or in an approved NHS Trust from the following list:

• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
• Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

For a full list of entry requirements, please visit the Graduate Admissions' DM course page .

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please see the Doctor of Medicine course webpage .

The deadline of the next gathered field for applications will be Friday 23rd August 2024 . 

Programme format

The DM will have the traditional doctoral milestone assessments of transfer and confirmation embedded within it. As this is a variable intensity programme, the timing of these may vary from student to student, but will be set at the beginning of the course, based on an agreed study plan. Each student will also complete a training needs analysis to enable relevant support to be provided to them for their research. It is anticipated that DM students will require less supervision than a traditional DPhil student and that meetings with supervisors may be either monthly or termly, depending upon the intensity of the study and the stage of the research.

The submitted thesis will be assessed through a viva, comparable to that used for DPhil students.

Full details of the DM programme format can be found on the Graduate Admissions' DM course page .

For examples of case studies comparing the DM vs a DPhil degree, please see this document .

Fee information

Given the variable intensity model of the programme, 75% of the total fee will be payable as a ‘registration fee’, with the remaining 25% payable at the time of submission.

Visa information

Applicants who would require a visa should already hold a Skilled Worker (formerly Tier 2) visa for their employment in the UK. If a DM student were to leave their employment while on-course, and thus cease to hold their Skilled Worker visa status, the University would be unable to sponsor a Student visa.

Contact information

Enquiries about DM study may be addressed to: [email protected] .

Information sessions

Two online briefing sessions were held in January and February. The slides from the January session aimed at prospective applicants are available as a pdf document .

DPhil in International Development

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College preference

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About the course

The DPhil in International Development provides an opportunity for outstanding students to pursue in-depth multi- and interdisciplinary research, guided by leading scholars in the field, into processes of social, political and economic development and change in the global South.

Academics at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects, including migration, refugees and humanitarianism; urban, agrarian and environmental development; political and social change and conflict; state-making and disciplinary regimes; public health and social policies; global governance, diplomatic studies, and security; economic growth and structural transformation; macroeconomics and public finance; firms and households; poverty and inequality; and technology. The department also has close connections with other departments and research centres across the University.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor, whom you will typically meet two to three times a term. The supervisor will help develop and guide your project and, at later stages, provide feedback on chapter drafts. However, you will work to a significant extent on your own, and you will need a high level of motivation and self-discipline.

During an initial probationary period as a Probationer Research Student (PRS), you will develop and begin work on your thesis topic. You will be offered training in relevant research methods, language, computing and other skills, and you will have the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars and classes in your general topic area. Full-time students are expected to be resident in Oxford for the PRS period.

As a PRS, you will also take one taught course, either in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to your research, which will be examined. Full-time students usually transfer to full DPhil status by the end of their first year and part-time students usually transfer by the end of their second year.

Following satisfactory progress and transfer to full DPhil status, you may leave Oxford for up to three terms (six terms for part-time students) in order to conduct fieldwork, if the project requires. You will then continue the course by carrying out your own research under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will continue to meet or correspond with regularly. Full-time students should return to Oxford after fieldwork for at least three terms.

Time to completion depends on the complexity of an individual student’s research programme and on the amount of fieldwork that may be required. The University considers that the normal time for completion of the DPhil should be three to four years (four to eight years for part-time), or for students who transfer to the DPhil after the MPhil in Development Studies two to three years (four to six years for part-time), although the exact time will vary depending on the complexity and ambition of the project. In exceptional circumstances there are procedures in place which allow students to apply for extensions of time or to suspend their status for fixed periods of time.

Further information about part-time study

Applicants wishing to study part-time while in employment will be asked to provide a letter from their employer confirming that they are supportive of the study and are willing to release them from the workplace for study in Oxford, independent study and any fieldwork necessary for data collection. In addition, where appropriate, students will be required to obtain the written agreement from their employer for the use of their employer’s data in their research.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend classes, seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford for a certain number of days each year. In your first year as a probationer student, it is expected that you will need to be resident in Oxford for a minimum of 48 working days in the year in order to participate in induction activities at the start of the academic year and then classes and seminars for your Qualifying Examination. The exact days will depend on the choice of course for the Qualifying Examination and whether the classes take place in Michaelmas or Hilary term.

After the probationary period, you will be required to be resident for a minimum of 30 days of university-based work each year, normally coinciding with the full terms of the academic year. These days will be arranged with the agreement of your supervisor and will be for the period that your name remains on the Register of Graduate Students unless individually dispensed by the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee.

There will be limited flexibility in the dates and pattern of attendance, which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford Department of International Development and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. 

In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.

The availability of supervision varies year on year and candidates are advised to review the list of eligible supervisors from the department’s webpage for the DPhil course to ensure their areas of interest are compatible.

Each student/supervisor relationship is different and the number of meetings varies, but generally, students are likely to meet with their supervisor two or three times per term.

You will be admitted initially as a Probationer Research Student (PRS). At the end of your first year, you will be examined on one taught course (either in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to your research). You must pass this course with a strong performance in order to transfer from PRS status to full DPhil status. You also need departmental approval of a fully developed research plan, which you will present in your transfer paper to two assessors approved by the department’s graduate studies committee. Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for and achieve transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. The department’s preference is for Transfer to be completed by the end of the third term (full-time) or sixth term (part-time) in order for students to commence fieldwork during the Trinity Term summer vacation.

Assessment of progress will be made during sessions with your supervisor and also in more formal viva voce assessments – for the Transfer of Status and for Confirmation of Status (usually at the end of the third year for full-time students and end of the sixth year for part-time students). More information on these two assessments can be found in the course handbook on the ODID website's course page.

DPhil students submit their thesis for examination three to four years (or six to eight years for part-time) from the date of admissions and defend their thesis in a viva voce examination which takes place between the student and their two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

Through the DPhil, I learned critical thinking skills that have guided me in a variety of contexts. Because of the programme’s multidisciplinary approach to research and impact, I am equally comfortable engaging with academic, policy, and media audiences.  Sam, DPhil student

Graduates of the DPhil in International Development have a strong track record in developing academic careers in universities and research institutions across the world. The department’s alumni now hold positions at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leicester, London (LSE and SOAS) and Sussex in the UK, and at the Australian National University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dartmouth College, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and the Universities of Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Leiden, Leuven, Melbourne, Peru, Port Harcourt, Rome, Roskilde, York (Canada), the Western Cape (South Africa) and the Witwatersrand (South Africa) overseas, among other institutions.

Other former students have taken up influential positions in governments and major international institutions, including the World Bank and UN organisations such as UNCTAD and UNHCR, and in NGOs.

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 master's degree with a distinction or a very high 2:1/merit  in a relevant social science subject; and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant social science subject.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. Most successful applicants have strong backgrounds in one or more core disciplines: history, politics, anthropology, sociology, or economics, or combinations of these disciplines (e.g., Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). It is also expected that they should already have familiarity with key literature in the proposed field of study.

It is relatively rare for applicants to be successful whose primary academic training is in fields such as management or business, and it is also rare for us to accept students who are primarily trained in engineering or the sciences. We welcome applicants with professional experience in development, but this is not generally seen as a substitute for previous social science study.

The master's degree must be completed and a final transcript made available to the department by the end of August prior to the start of the DPhil.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.8 out of 4.0 for those marks most relevant to the proposed DPhil programme of study.

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 required.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Research or working experience in a relevant area may be an advantage but is not essential. Evidence of training in research methods is required.
• Publications are not expected or required for admission, but any which you have should be added to your CV.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.

Further guidance

• It is essential that you apply as early as possible and ensure that you submit all required materials by the advertised deadlines.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher 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 higher 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 not normally held as part of the admissions process.

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.

The Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) is recognised as one of the world’s leading research centres in development studies. 

As a doctoral student you will become part of a vibrant research community. The department hosts some 70 outstanding academics researching in four broad themes: political change, conflict and the environment; economic development and international institutions; migration and refugees in a global context; and human development, poverty and children. We host a diverse set of research groups that are at the forefront of their specialist fields: the International Growth Centre, the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, the Refugee Studies Centre, the Technology and Management Centre for Development, Young Lives and Choosing Islamic Conservatism. These all contribute to the doctoral programme by providing case studies, fieldwork support and specialist supervision, alongside scholars working independently.

You will have access to a wide range of seminars organised by the department as well as an enormous variety of events across the wider University. The department has its own lively and well-attended weekly DPhil work-in-progress seminar, at which you can present your ideas and receive feedback from your peers.

You will also have access to training opportunities provided by the Social Sciences Divisional Office, which offers advanced research and career development training.

The Social Sciences Library , the largest freestanding social science library in the UK with considerable print and digital strengths in development studies and a specialist librarian, is nearby. This is complemented by the world-class resources of the Bodleian Library and the satellite libraries. As alumni of the University, students can sign up for lifetime access to key online journals.

Doctoral students share a dedicated work area of the building, with full IT facilities, including computers, printers, scanners and Wi-Fi access. Technical support is available through the department, your college and the University’s IT Services , which also offers training courses. Course materials are available online via Canvas, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment.

Department facilities

In addition to the dedicated doctoral work area there is a common room area where students from all the department's courses can gather. Light lunches are available during term in the department’s cafeteria.

International Development

Studying international development at Oxford means engaging with some of the most pressing issues of our time: from global governance and security to migration and human rights; from poverty and inequality to technological innovation and enterprise; from children and youth to environmental change and sustainability.

At Oxford you will take a unique, multi- and interdisciplinary approach to examine these and other complex issues affecting the countries of the developing world and the emerging economies. The approach encompasses economics, politics, international relations, anthropology, history, sociology, and law, and teaching is provided by world-class scholars in these fields. Our courses also offer small class sizes, personal supervision, training in methods, and the opportunity to research and write an original thesis and make an active contribution.

The department is a lively community that is recognised internationally as one of the top centres for research and teaching in development studies. It hosts some 70 distinguished academics and a number of externally funded research groups that are at the forefront of their specialist subject areas.

Our students come from across the world. At Oxford, they are taught to develop as critical and independent thinkers and when they leave us they go on to forge varied and successful careers as scholars, practitioners and policy-makers in the field of international development and beyond.

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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.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

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

Part-time study

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, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. Most students will choose a topic which will require them to do fieldwork for their thesis. This will usually be done after transferring status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. Students should note that they will have to meet all costs of fieldwork themselves and these costs are likely to include travel and related costs such as visas, accommodation, subsistence, translation and research assistant services if required. These costs will vary widely according to the location and length of the fieldwork and the department estimates that these costs may range from £2,000 to £20,000 or more. Each DPhil student is able to apply for a fieldwork grant of £700. This is awarded once only. Students who have fieldwork grants from ESRC are not able to apply for this grant. Further information will be provided in the course handbook. You may also be able to apply for small grants from your college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year (more in your first year), and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further 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.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

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 for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Exeter College
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Merton College
• Pembroke College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hugh's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• Wolfson College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

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 and when to apply  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 .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

It is advisable but not necessary for you to make contact with potential supervisors before you apply. However, as an offer of a place cannot be made if there is no suitable supervisor in the department, you are advised to check the department's website to see if your proposed research matches with research being done in the department.

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. 

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

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.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, academic writing ability and motivation. Academic references are preferred. Non-academic references, for example from work colleagues, are not highly weighted.

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.

Research proposal: A maximum of 3,000 words

The research proposal should be written in English only and should set out your research topic succinctly. 

The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

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

This will be assessed for:

• originality of the project
• evidence of understanding of the proposed area of study
• engagement with the extant literature and potential for contribution to existing bodies of scholarship
• the ability to present a reasoned and analytical case
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of three to four years)
• knowledge of research methods and sources.

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

Your proposal should focus on the research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

Written work: Two essays, a maximum of 4,000 words each

Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts from longer pieces of work are acceptable, but should not come from the same piece of work and should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context. Please note that multi-authored works are not acceptable. Work that is not academic, for example journalism or popular writing, is not appropriate.

The writing samples should preferably be on a development-related topic. The word count does not need to include your bibliography or footnotes.

This will be assessed for a comprehensive understanding of the subject area; your ability to construct and defend an argument; your powers of analysis; your powers of expression; and your familiarity with the literature on the subject.

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 - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

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 Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the  Oxford Department of International Development (ODID)

• Course page , including eligible supervisors
• Funding information  from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
• 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 281827

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

View related courses

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

Web Results

Oxford bound: jepson scholars receive full scholarships for their graduate studies, student experience.

Since 1902, Rhodes Scholars have received comprehensive scholarships to pursue graduate programs at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. At the University of Richmond, the Jepson Scholars Program offers a similar opportunity to graduates of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies.

Philanthropists Robert S. Jepson Jr. and Alice Andrews Jepson created the Jepson Scholars Foundation in 2019 to cover tuition, food, housing, and fees for graduating Jepson School seniors who receive the award to pursue a one-year master’s program at Oxford.    

“Future leaders will gain firsthand experience at a renowned global institution and live and work in an international environment,” said Jepson, a Georgia businessman who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Robins School of Business. “With the benefit of a world-class undergraduate and graduate education, Jepson Scholars will be prepared to lead both at home and abroad.”

Since the program’s inception, eight Jepson Scholars have graduated from Oxford, and another six are on track to graduate in 2024. They have earned master’s degrees in varied disciplines including Chinese studies, theology, and education.

This fall, three 2024 leadership studies graduates will matriculate at Oxford as Jepson Scholars.

Delaney Demaret , a leadership studies and global studies major from Elk Grove Village, Illinois, will pursue a master of science in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance. She was a member of the University of Richmond’s Amazon Borderlands Spatial Analysis Team and completed her Jepson School internship in Peru with the nonprofit Conservación Amazónica. She recently presented her senior research on the violence associated with the extraction of resources from the Amazon at the Conference of Latin American Geography in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Anum Merchant , the daughter of Indian immigrants, has long had an interest in immigrant and refugee issues. The leadership studies and political science major from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, volunteered with immigrant communities as an undergraduate and wrote her senior thesis on the effect of populist politics on pluralism, specifically looking at host countries’ treatment of refugees and immigrants. She plans to get a master of science degree in refugee and forced migration studies at Oxford.

Trevin Stevens  of Johnson City, Tennessee, also majored in leadership studies and political science. Last summer, he got a taste of state politics and policy when he completed his Jepson internship working for the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth through a prestigious Virginia Governor’s Fellowship. He researched and wrote three policy briefs about the U.S. opioid epidemic for his Jepson School senior honors thesis. He will pursue a master of public policy at Oxford’s renowned Blavatnik School of Government.

Both Demaret and Stevens said the education they received at Richmond has given them the foundation they need to succeed in their graduate programs.

Merchant agreed. “Richmond has prepared me well, and I am excited to expand my horizons even more and build on my education at Oxford.”