For law programmes, everyone with an undergraduate law degree, or equivalent, is eligible to apply; and for Criminology programmes, eligibility extends to cover those with degrees in relevant subjects as well as those with law degrees (typically this means social sciences degrees but on occasion applicants with humanities degrees have been accepted). However, entry is highly competitive. Most people ask this question meaning 'am I likely to get in?' The answer is that if you meet the standards listed in response to the next question, you will be in the running for a place. Unfortunately, that is the only advice we can give you on your prospects of admission. The only way to test the ground is to make an application.

We have formally spelled out the qualities we are looking for ('qualitative admissions criteria') in applicants for all our postgraduate programmes. As far as formal academic qualifications are concerned, we are looking for a first class (or equivalent) undergraduate law degree for our taught postgraduate programmes (except the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and the MSc Law and Finance where a high upper second class degree and a relevant subject other than law are acceptable). If you have not finished your undergraduate degree yet, any offer of a place will be conditional. For research degrees, we may give preference to those who have already performed to a high standard in a relevant taught postgraduate programme. Entry to all programmes is extremely competitive and most students admitted will have been placed among the top handful of students in their most recent and relevant prior academic programmes.

• Check the qualitative admissions criteria...  • Options for those with non-law degrees...

There are University fees and college fees for all programmes. Different programmes attract different fee rates. Fee rates for home and EU students are also different from those for overseas students. You also need to leave aside money for rent and other living expenses.

• Check the latest fee levels and estimated living costs...  • Who gets the home/EU rate?

The whole application (including recommendations and supporting documents) is now completed online. If you are unable to submit an online application, please contact Graduate Admissions for assistance.

• Apply online now ...   

For BCL/MJur, MSc Law and Finance the deadline is 18 January 2013

For MPhil, MSt, MLitt and DPhil the deadline is 18 January 2013

The MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice has two deadlines – 18 January and 8 March 2013.
For the Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice the deadline is July 2013.

• Get more procedural information from the Graduate Admissions Office website ...

Academic transcripts, confidential academic recommendations, submitted examples of academic work, and the statement of study plans (for taught programmes), or research proposal (for research programmes). Information about your non-academic interests or professional experience is disregarded except to the extent that it reveals something relevant to future academic achievement.

• The application guidance notes tell you what to enclose with your application...

If you are applying for admission to the BCL, MJur, MSc Law and Finance or MSc/MPhil in Criminology and Criminal Justice, you should submit a one- or at most two-page long 'statement of purpose,' enclosed as a separate sheet at the end of your application. It should explain your motivation for graduate study at Oxford and give details of any relevant academic, research, or practical experience you have.

If you are applying for admission to the DPhil, or MSt Legal Research, you should provide a research proposal of approximately two pages, giving an outline of how you intend to structure and undertake your research, and where possible, a preliminary title for the thesis. Where relevant you may also wish to include details of your proposed methodology. It is not necessary to include a detailed bibliography.

The MPhil in Law is the optional second year of our BCL/MJur programme. To become an MPhil student you must apply to read for the BCL or MJur first. Whether you are able to stay on for the MPhil will then depend on how well you do on the BCL/MJur. If you only want to do a one-year research degree, apply for the MSt in Legal Research instead.

The MPhil in Criminology and Criminal Justice is only open to students on the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice or the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice (Research Methods). Applicants to this course must achieve a weighted average of 68% in their MSc to be allowed progression to the MPhil.

• More about the MPhil in Law...
• More about the MPhil in Criminology...
• More about the MSt in Legal Research ...

We require an IELTS score of 7.5, with individual scores of at least 7 in each component. You should supply your test result with your application. TOEFL scores will not normally be accepted. If there is a special reason why you think you should be allowed to sit TOEFL rather than IELTS you must submit a request with your application.

• IELTS website...

You will have to re-take the test. We adhere very stringently to this requirement and do not grant admission to students with scores below the required level. If you are not able to attain the required score by the end of August, then you will be deemed to have failed the conditions set.

Whilst the University’s language centre does offer pre-sessional courses, these cannot be used as substitutes for the required IELTS score.

For research degrees, the decision is made on behalf of the Faculty by the Director of Graduate Studies (Research), on the advice of members of the Faculty expert in the proposed field of research. For the BCL/MJur and MSc Law and Finance the Director of Graduate Studies (Taught Courses) plays the same role, relying in part on the advice of a panel of Faculty assessors. For the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, the decision is made by an admissions panel at the Centre for Criminology. In all cases, if this decision on behalf of the Faculty goes in your favour, a second phase begins in which your application is considered by the college of your choice. At college level a decision will normally be made by the law tutors in consultation with the college's Tutor for Graduates. You may not secure a place at your first choice college, but an offer from the Faculty means that you will have a college place.

Oxford is a federal University and every degree candidate must be a member of a college. The colleges are academic institutions, not merely places of residence. Graduate students do not usually receive teaching through their colleges, but will still rely on the college for academic support, advice, and resources, and will be subject to its academic jurisdiction (e.g. in approving examination entries and applications for deferral).

No, your admissions dossier will be passed directly to colleges once you have been offered a place by the Faculty. Not all colleges admit students for all programmes, so you should check that they all consider applications for the programme you are applying for.

• More on choosing a college ...

Yes, but not necessarily at your first choice college.

If the application is considered and turned down by your first choice college, it will then be made available for all colleges to view online.  Please note that it is quite usual for applicants to be turned down by their first college; particular colleges often find themselves with many more applications than they have places available so have to pass some applicants on to other colleges. If this happens to you, there is no need to panic - we will find you a college place, even if that involves consideration by a number of colleges.

You will need to read the terms and conditions under which the scholarship is offered. Some colleges will let you do this (on the understanding that if you are awarded the scholarship, you will then be accepted by that college) but many will require you to nominate the college concerned as your first choice.

The only circumstance in which you can turn down a college place is if you have been awarded a scholarship by another college. If you do not accept the college place offered or if you fail to meet the conditions set by the deadlines imposed by your college and department, you will be deemed as having forfeited your place at Oxford.

Our general policy is that deferrals are not permitted. Very occasionally, and in exceptional circumstances (which usually means the student has been prevented from starting the course by some sort of medical or domestic emergency) we will permit a deferral, but in such cases it is still necessary to meet all the conditions for the year in which you would have started (including financial conditions). Your deferral will need to be approved by both the Faculty and your college; if it is not approved and you decide to re-apply for the following year, you will need to provide all new application materials and there is no guarantee you will be accepted again.

The recent average has been about 150 for BCL and MJur combined, and 70 for research degrees (including transfers from BCL/MJur to MPhil and from MSc in Criminology to MPhil Criminology). Currently there are 23 places on the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice and MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice (research methods) combined;  and we are looking to accept 30 students for the MSc Law and Finance.

The application form for entry as a graduate student allows you to indicate whether you want to be considered for college accommodation. This will start the ball rolling. However once you have been accepted by a college, you will usually need to complete further paperwork supplied by the college. There is also some University accommodation for graduate students, including those with families, for which separate application must be made.

• University accommodation office website...

The application form for entry as a graduate student allows you to indicate that you want to be considered for certain University funds and for Faculty funds, though for certain scholarships we are in the process of introducing a new form allowing applicants to specify particular areas of interest (there will be further information made available on the scholarships webpage about this).. For all other sources of funding, including College scholarships, you will normally have to make separate enquiries and applications.

• Check our graduate scholarships page for possible funding sources ...

The admissions process is complex and can take some time. We have many applications to read and compare. For the BCL, MJur, and MSc Law and Finance, you can expect to hear from the Faculty on or shortly after 16 March.  College decisions may take around six to eight weeks more. For the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice programmes, candidates who submitted a complete application by the first deadline can expect to hear early March. Candidates who applied by the second deadline can expect to hear by the end of the first week in May.

• Graduate Admissions Office contact details...

The process is centrally managed by the University's Graduate Admissions Office. If you need to make contact after application (e.g. if you have further information to add) it is best to use email. But please be patient. Do not contact the GAO for routine updates on progress as this will usually just slow progress down. You will be contacted as soon as there is any concrete news. Neither the GAO nor the Faculty's Director of Graduate Studies can enter into correspondence about decisions made by colleges. Enquiries should be directed to the college concerned.