Graduates: Frequently Asked Questions
M.Phil, M.St and D.Phil applications
On-line application problems
Q. I can't get the system to accept my application. What shall I do?
A. Run the 'Application Inspector' at the end of the form. This will tell you what is wrong.
Make sure:
- In the Funding boxes you have entered 3 amounts, even if they are nominal, e.g. £1.
- In your Referees' details you have entered everything INCLUDING an e-mail address. If you do not have an email address for your referee, please contact Graduate Admissions on graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk
- In the Programme of Study section, you have chosen a college and entered it, or chosen the ‘I have no preference’ option.
- In the Full-time / Part-time choice, you have entered 'Full-time'.
General questions
Q. Can I apply for the M St / M Phil if my first degree is not in Linguistics?
A. YES. Many of our students have first degrees in other subjects: English, Classics, and Modern Languages are the most common.
Q. Please send me a prospectus.
A. We do not publish a printed prospectus. All the information you need is on-line here at http://www.ling-phil.ox.ac.uk
Q. What is the deadline for applications?
A. Application deadlines are available at http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/linguistics.html
For Master's courses, applications must be submitted for either the November or the January deadline. No Master's applications can be considered after the January deadline.
For the D.Phil., applications must be submitted by the November, January, or March deadline. Depending on availability of places, D.Phil. applications may also be considered after the March deadline.
Studentship applications for all degrees must be submitted by the January deadline.
Q. Are there any courses in English Language?
A. No, the Faculty does NOT teach English for learners of the language. There are many reputable English Language schools in Oxford.
See http://www.englishuk.com/en for help in choosing a school.
Q. Are there any short courses or summer courses?
A. No.
Q. Can I do the M.St / M.Phil part-time, by distance learning?
A. No. You must be resident in Oxford and attend the lectures.
Q. Please send me an application form.
A. The Faculty does not send out application forms: application must be made to the Oxford Graduate Admissions Office. See http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/apply/index.html
Q. Shall I send my application to you in the Centre for Linguistics and Philology?
A. No. It must be submitted on-line to the Graduate Admissions Office. See the University's Application Guide on How_to_apply.
Q. Which college shall I choose? I don’t understand which college offers the best Linguistics course.
A. The colleges do not provide the teaching for our courses. The teaching is done in the faculty. Everyone who studies at Oxford has to be linked to a college for administrative reasons (see http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/colleges/). Many of our graduate students are in graduate colleges such as St. Cross, Wolfson, or Linacre.
Q. When will I hear if my application has been successful?
A. You will receive a letter from the Graduate Studies Administrator some weeks after the closing date.
Q. If I am offered a place, can I defer my entry for a year?
A. Not normally. You must take up the place for the year of the offer. See the University's Application Guide on Accepting_your_offer for help with this question.
Q. What is PRS?
A. A PRS student is a Probationary Research Student, who will later be confirmed as a D.Phil student, if all goes well.
Q. Can you consider an application after the final deadline?
A. ALL APPLICATIONS must come through the route described above, following the deadline dates given. No one can be given priority or preference. For the M.St and M.Phil courses, there is only one starting date – October – for which the latest application date is mid-January. For the D.Phil only, in exceptional circumstances and if places remain, it may be possible to consider an application after March.
Q. Can I study Applied Linguistics? Second language acquisition?
A. You cannot study Applied Linguistics in this faculty. The Department of Education (http://www.education.ox.ac.uk) works in this field and offers an M. Sc. degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition.
International students
Q. Do I need to take a test for my English?
A. YES, if you are a not a native speaker of English. A good command of English is essential for success in all these degrees. If English is not your native language, you are required to achieve the higher overall score, with any additional requirements, given on http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/apply/internat_students.html. If you are currently following another programme conducted in English, or have done so in the recent past, we may exempt you from this requirement, but we reserve the right nevertheless to insist upon it. Please supply your test result with your application if possible. Visa requirements on this issue have recently become much more demanding.
Q. Do I need to send a certificate of my proficiency in English? I am not taking the test until later this year.
A. YES. Send it to the Graduate Admissions Office as soon as you have it.
(see the Admissions page )
Q. Do you have any scholarships for international students to help finance my studies?
A. Colleges, the University and the International Office have sources of funding.
(see http://www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding/prospectivegrad/ )