Admissions Criteria

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS CRITERIA FOR D. Phil. and M.Sc. by Research in Inorganic, Organic, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry or Chemical Biology FOR ENTRY IN 2014-15

Within equal opportunities principles and legislation, applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Academic ability
Proven and potential academic excellence.
Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or to have achieved a first class or an upper second class undergraduate degree (or equivalent international qualifications) in a subject relevant to the proposed research. Normally this will be a Chemistry degree, but degrees in other Physical Sciences or in a Biological Science are often suitable.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA we seek is 3.6 out of 4.0 but the average GPA of our successful applicants is 3.8. The minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score we seek is 550 (verbal) and 750 (quantitative).

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or equivalent. Appropriate indicators will include:

Academic references/letters of recommendation, which support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group.
CV and academic transcript.
Research proposal or statement of purpose This will be assessed for the coherence of the proposal; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study; the ability to present a reasoned case in English); commitment to the subject.
Performance at interview(s) Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process. The criteria for shortlisting are academic merit, references and motivation.

2. Availability of supervision, teaching, facilities and places
The following factors will govern whether candidates can be offered places:

The ability of the Department of Chemistry to provide appropriate supervision, research opportunities, teaching and facilities for your chosen area of work.
There are minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted onto Oxford’s research and taught programmes.

The provision of supervision is subject to the following points.

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

3. English language requirement
Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency in English at the standard level required by the University,http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/apply/application_guide/ag_1_basics.html#aenglish_language_requirements .]

4. Deadlines and required full set of application materials
Applications may be received at any time during the year. Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before submitting an application. If you are applying for a University Scholarship, such as a Clarendon Scholarship, you must apply by the January deadline, see
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/apply/application_guide/ag_1_basics.html

5. Whether you have yet secured funding
This is not taken into consideration in the decision to make an initial offer a place, but the initial offer of a place will not be confirmed until the college which gives you an initial offer of a place is satisfied that you have sufficient funding to cover your fees and living costs for the standard period of fee liability for your course.

6. Disability, health conditions and specific learning difficulties.
Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background, subject to criteria of health and safety. Decisions on admission are based solely on the individual academic merits of each candidate and the application of the selection criteria appropriate to the programme of study.

7. Assessors
All applications will be assessed by more than one member of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise.

8. Course webpage
Inorganic chemistry: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/chemistry_1.html
Organic Chemistry: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/chemistry_2.html
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/chemistry_3.html
Chemical Biology: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/chemistry.html

back to main page