oxford math phd admission

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University of oxford, undergraduate  .

1 in 6 undergraduate applicants received an offer in 2023/24.

Postgraduate taught

1 in 4 postgraduate taught applicants received an offer in 2022/23.

Undergraduate Programs with at least 15 applications

Most competitive among programs with at least 5 offers.

Least Competitive  

Most Applications  

Fewest Applications  

Postgraduate Taught Programs with at least 15 applications

Postgraduate Research Programs with at least 15 applications

Data sources

• Undergraduate admissions statistics . University of Oxford.
• FOI Request by B.H. Crozier. January 2018.
• Graduate admissions statistics . University of Oxford.
• "Undergraduate Admissions Statistics - Counts" published on Tableau.com . University of Oxford. July 2024.

The acceptance rate , or offer rate, represents the fraction of applicants who received an offer. Note that this will be generally lower the acceptances rates (acceptances divided by applicants) published by many other sources. This article explains it in more detail. The acceptances generally indicate the number of offer holders who accepted the offer and fulfilled its conditions. For some universities, however, it denotes the number of applicants who accepted the offer, regardless of whether they subsequently met its conditions.

Data Reliability

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented comes from the universities and is generally reliable. However, some of the differences between years and/or courses may be due to different counting methodologies or data gathering errors. This may especially be the case if there is a sharp difference from year to year. If the data does not look right, click the "Report" button located near the top of the page.

To apply for admissions and financial aid, or for additional information on admissions requirements for the Ph.D. program in pure mathematics, please go to the appropriate Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website listed below. All other inquiries may be directed to the Graduate Program Administrator of the Mathematics Department.

• Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS)
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Graduate Program Administrator

The Department of Mathematics does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

Preparing the Application The statement of purpose for graduate applications is carefully weighted by the admissions committee. The applicant’s statement should convince the committee that they are able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one’s decision to enter the field.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Letter writers should be faculty or others qualified to evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate study in mathematics. The letters must be submitted online and by the application deadline.

Applicants should include any research papers, publications, and other original works they would like to have evaluated by the admissions committee.

The department requests that applicants submit GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores if practical. Applicants should check on the ETS website for test dates in their area to ensure the scores will be submitted before the application deadline. An official score report should be sent to Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451.

While the admissions committee reviews all applications submitted before the deadline, missing math subject test scores provide one less data point available to evaluate the application. Depending on the strength of the application, the missing subject test scores may put the application at a disadvantage.

Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who do not hold an undergraduate degree from an institution at which English is the primary language of instruction must submit scores from the Internet Based Test (IBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test.

Harvard Griffin GSAS requires applicants to upload an electronic copy of undergraduate transcripts. Hard copies of official transcripts are not required at the time of application.

Ph.D. Program in Pure Mathematics The department does not grant a terminal Master’s degree, but the Master’s can be obtained “on the way” to the Ph.D. by fulfilling certain course and language exam requirements.

In general, there is no transfer status application to the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or to the Department of Mathematics. No formal credit is given for an MSc or MA earned elsewhere. All applicants are considered to be applying as first-year graduate students. The only difference Master’s study may make is to better prepare students for the Qualifying Exam.

All graduate students are admitted to begin their studies in the fall term. The department plans on an entering class of about twelve students. Since the admissions committee receives a few hundred applications, the competition is keen.

Funding Graduate Study Applicants are urged to apply for all funding available to them. If no outside funding is available to the applicant, financial aid in the form of scholarships, research assistantships, and teaching fellowships is available. In general, students who do not have outside support will get scholarship support in their first year, but students are required to act as a teaching fellow for one-half course (i.e. for a one-term course) in their second through fifth years.

The department strongly recommends applicants to seek out and apply for all sources of financing available to them for graduate study. Recommended sources for funding US graduate students are NSF Graduate Fellowships and NDSEG Fellowships . Applicants from the UK are urged to also apply for the Kennedy fellowships and applicants from UK, New Zealand, Canada and Australia for Knox fellowships . International students may apply for the Fullbright IIE or any home country fellowships available for study abroad.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) offers programs for both the Master’s degree and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics. Please visit the SEAS website for more information on degrees in applied mathematics at www.seas.harvard.edu

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Students working towards their DPhil in Theoretical Physics can choose from topics ranging from astrophysics and plasma physics to condensed matter theory to particle theory and we collaborate with experimentalists in other sub-departments and worldwide. There are also theoretical projects available in other sub-departments.

As well a DPhil in Theoretical Physics, the Department of Physics and the Mathematical Institute jointly offer a one-year master’s degree (MSc) in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics .

Read comprehensive information on fees and funding for graduate students .

How to apply

Applications for the MSc in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics must be made through the central University of Oxford graduate admissions website .

All DPhil applications must be made through the central University of Oxford graduate admissions website where you will find information about applying to any of the six DPhil courses on offer at the Department of Physics.

It is important to note that you are not required to select a final project or supervisor at the point of application, however, an indication of your interests is useful.

If you would like to apply for more than one DPhil course, there is no need to complete a separate application for each or pay more than one application fee; please refer to the instructions for applying to related courses .

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The Faculty of Mathematics offers three doctoral (PhD) and one MPhil research programmes.

Select a course below to visit the University’s Course Directory where you can read about the structure of the programmes, fees and maintenance costs, entry requirements and key deadlines.

Research Areas and Potential Supervisors

Determining whether your interests and ambitions align with our research and expertise is a vital part of the application and admissions process. When we receive your formal application, we will consider the information you provide on your research interests carefully, alongside other factors such as your academic suitability and potential, how you compare to other applicants in the field, and whether we have a suitable academic supervisor with the capacity to take on new students.

We are committed to widening participation in mathematical research at Cambridge. We welcome and encourage applications from people from groups underrepresented in postgraduate study.

Before making an application to study with us we recommend you:

• Investigate our areas of research and consider how they fit with your interests and ambitions.

A list of broad research areas is provided below, together with links to further information. Your interests may span more than one area. On your application form you will be asked to indicate at least one broad area of interest. This is to help us direct your application to the most suitable group of people to review it.

• Identify 2 or 3 appropriate supervisor(s) with whom you might work.

The information linked below will take you to lists of supervisors working in each broad research area, with an indication of their availability. You are encouraged to make informal contact with potential supervisors prior to making an application. Initial contact should be made by email. In your email we recommend you provide a concise explanation of your areas of interest, how your research interests align with the supervisor(s) research, and that you highlight any relevant work you have done in this area. We recommend that you attach an up-to-date CV. The purpose of this contact is to enquire on supervisor capacity and willingness to supervise, and to see if there is a good fit between your interests and theirs.

If you haven’t had a response to an informal enquiry, you are still welcome to apply and list the individual concerned on your application form, although you may also wish to consider other options.

• Give some thought to your intended research and why you want to study with us.

On your application form you will be asked to submit a short research summary, details of your research experience and your reasons for applying to undertake a PhD/MPhil with us. Whilst you are not expected to submit a detailed research proposal at any stage of the process, we do want to know that you have considered the areas of research that you wish to pursue.

Research areas

Click on a research area to find out more about available supervisors and their research:

Please note that a  large majority of the successful applicants for PhD studentships with  the High Energy Physics, and General Relativity & Cosmology (GR) groups   will have taken Part III of the Mathematical Tripos.

Funding Opportunities

Each Department works hard to secure funding for as many offer holders as possible, either from within its own funds, in collaboration with funding partners, or via the University Postgraduate Funding Competition. However, funding is not guaranteed via these routes, and you should investigate funding opportunities early in the process to be sure that you can meet advertised deadlines.

All application deadlines are 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on the stated date. So that your application can be given full consideration please apply by the following deadlines:

Note for PhD applicants:

We will accept applications for an October start up until the general University deadline in May, but your chances of obtaining funding are significantly reduced. In addition, space limitations may mean that late applications cannot be considered (i.e., the most appropriate supervisor may already have committed to taking other students).

Only in exceptional circumstances will we consider admission to a later start date in the academic year (i.e., January or April). If you intend to apply for a later start date please contact us at [email protected] so we can advise you on the feasibility of your plan.

Note for MPhil applicants:

We will accept applications until the general University deadline in February, but you will not be considered for funding. In addition, space limitations may mean that late applications cannot be considered (i.e., the most appropriate supervisor may already have committed to taking other students).

Most interviews are expected to take place in the second half of January.

The purpose of the interview is to try to ascertain the extent of the applicant's relevant knowledge and experience, and to gauge whether their interests and abilities align with the research of the potential supervisor and/or research group. It will most likely consist of a discussion of your background and motivations for applying to the course, as well as some questions on relevant topics.

Not all applicants will be selected for interview.

If you are selected for interview, you will be contacted by email at the address you provided on your application. The email should confirm:

• the location of the interview (it may be in-person or on-line dependent upon interviewer availability, your distance from Cambridge, as well as individual preferences),
• the interview format and whether you should prepare anything specific in advance,
• the approximate duration of the interview,
• who you will be meeting.

Prior to interview you may declare a disability, serious health problem or caring responsibility which may require reasonable adjustments for the interview to be made.

Due to interviewer availability and the tight admissions timetable, we can usually only rearrange the time and date of your interview under exceptional circumstances.

Decision timeline

Both DAMTP and DPMMS make most of their PhD/MPhil admissions decisions for October entry in January and early February, and you should not expect to receive a decision on your application before mid-February (even if you apply much earlier). We expect to have made decisions on all applications by mid-July. The Department makes every effort to take decisions on applications at the earliest opportunity. In some cases, however, it may take some time for a decision to be made. Applications may need to be viewed by several potential supervisors before a final decision can be reached.

To consider your application formally we must receive a complete application form, together with all supporting documents, by the deadline.

Communication of outcomes

You will be notified of the formal outcome of your application via the Applicant Portal.

Following an interview, you can normally expect to receive notification of the outcome within a week or two.

If you are successful, the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office will issue a formal offer of admission which will outline all your conditions. As processing times can vary, we may also contact you informally to notify you of our decision.

We do not provide formal feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at either the application or interview stage.

Take a look at our frequently asked questions for PhD applicants.

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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]

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University of oxford: mathematical sciences.

Full-Time, 9 months starts Oct 2024

**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2023). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**

The MSc in Mathematical Sciences, known as the Oxford Master's in Mathematical Sciences (OMMS), provides a broad and flexible training in mathematical sciences and gives students with a keen interest in the mathematical sciences the chance to study a selection of interesting and varied master's-level courses.

Oxford has a world-class reputation in the mathematical sciences, and this master's offers students the opportunity to join Oxford's current fourth-year undergraduates and to work with an international group of peers, including other mathematical leaders of the future.

This course draws on subjects in mathematics, statistics and computer science: from number theory, geometry and algebra to genetics and mathematical physiology; from probability and mathematical geoscience to data mining and machine learning. You have the opportunity to choose from many options, tailoring the programme to your individual interests and requirements. This course runs from the beginning of October through to the end of June.

Students on the course can expect to learn a range of mathematics and/or statistics and to use this knowledge in the solution of complex problems in the mathematical sciences. The dissertation provides an opportunity to develop research techniques as well as presentation and scientific communication skills.

**Teaching and learning** You will attend at least six units' worth of courses (with one unit corresponding to a 16-hour lecture course supported by classes) in addition to writing a dissertation (worth two units). You will be encouraged to work collaboratively in classes, to develop your understanding of the material. Those wishing to extend themselves further might take one or two additional courses.

Depending on how many courses you take in total and how they split between terms, you can expect to attend two, three or four (or, in exceptional cases, five) lecture courses per term. Each lecture course has two one hour lectures per week supplemented by four 90 minute classes per term.

The remainder of your study time in the first two terms should be spent on self-study, consolidating the material covered in lectures, working through the problem sheets set for each class and working independently on your dissertation. In the third term you will mostly work independently on your revision for exams, although guidance will also be available to help structure your studies.

**Dissertation** The MSc offers a substantial opportunity for independent study and research in the form of a dissertation. The dissertation is undertaken under the guidance of a supervisor and will typically involve investigating and writing in a particular area of mathematical sciences, without the requirement (while not excluding the possibility) of obtaining original results. A dissertation gives students the opportunity to develop broader transferable skills in the processes of organising, communicating, and presenting their work, and will equip students well for further research or for a wide variety of other careers.

You can expect to meet your dissertation supervisor several times over the first two terms. This may be a mix of group and individual supervision. You will be expected to give a short presentation on your dissertation when your project is completed.

Please note that this course is not suitable for students whose primary focus is mathematical finance. These students should apply to the MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance.

Full-Time, 9 months started Oct 2023

**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (October/November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**

This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly. For this course, the socio-economic data you provide in the application form will be used to contextualise the shortlisting and decision-making processes where it has been provided.

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Maths Admissions Test

About the test.

Why is there a test?

We can't interview all our applicants in the time available, so we shortlist around three applicants for every place to interview. To help us decide who to shortlist, we set the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) which all applicants for Maths, Computer Science, or joint honours courses must take. There is no "pass" mark for the MAT; we use the information from the test, together with all the details of your UCAS application and information about school background to decide who to shortlist.

What does the MAT test?

The MAT aims to test the depth of mathematical understanding of a student in the fourth term of their A-levels (or equivalent) rather than a breadth of knowledge. It is set with the aim of being approachable by all students, including those without Further Mathematics A-level, and those from other educational systems (e.g. Baccalaureate and Scottish Highers).

The MAT syllabus is based on the first year of A level Maths, and a few topics from the fourth term of A level Maths which we think students will have covered by the time of the test.

Test Format

Like all Oxford admissions tests in 2024, the MAT will be online, delivered in partnership with Pearson VUE via its established network of test centres. In 2024 there will be no charge for candidates to register for the MAT. Candidates will be able to register themselves free of charge with Pearson VUE between 15 August and 4 October. For registration, please see www.ox.ac.uk/tests .

The test lasts 2½ hours. Candidates who receive extra time in other examinations should receive extra time in the MAT.

The format for the test in 2024 is very similar to previous years, but with a different number of questions. In 2024, the MAT consists of 27 questions. All candidates should attempt all questions. Of these, 25 are multiple-choice questions of a similar style to multiple-choice MAT questions from previous years. Each multiple-choice question is worth 2 or 3 or 4 marks, with the number of marks for each question given alongside each question.

There are two longer questions, for which candidates will type responses. Candidates are not expected to type complex mathematical expressions or use any symbols beyond those included on a standard keyboard (alphanumeric characters, + - =, and similar). As with long MAT questions from previous years, candidates should expect to justify their answers or explain their reasoning for these long questions. Each of the long questions is worth 15 marks. The responses for these questions are marked by a team based in Oxford, and partial solutions are awarded partial credit.

In total, the test is marked out of 100.

There is a practice test to demonstrate what the Pearson VUE system looks like. The practice test is available here . The questions are all past MAT questions from 2007-2022 from the table below. The solutions have been collated in this document; Practice MAT Solutions . For more past MAT questions and worked solutions, scroll down to the table of past papers below.

How to prepare for the MAT

The MAT syllabus contains the mathematics that we expect you to know by the time of the test.

For practice resources, see the  Oxford MAT Livestream .

You might also like the following resources to practice problem-solving;

• Underground Mathematics
• NRICH Advanced Problem Solving modules
• STEP support programme

The AMSP organises Problem Solving Matters , hosted at universities around the UK. This problem-solving course aims to help students prepare for university mathematics.

15 August — 04 October: Candidates register for the MAT

31 October: Test date for the MAT

November: Oxford marks the MAT and makes shortlisting decisions.

January: MAT scores are sent to candidates

MAT livestream

MAT Flashcards

Mat past papers.

The table below contains past papers and solutions, as well as general feedback on the admissions round for each year from 2010 onwards. Three averages are given for each year; $\mu_1$ is the average score of all Oxford applicants for Maths / Maths & Stats / Maths & Philosophy, $\mu_2$ is the average score of those applicants who were shortlisted for interview, and $\mu_3$ is the average score of those applicants who were made offers. Similar statistics for Maths & Computer Science, Computer Science, and Computer Science & Philosophy  applicants are available on the Computer Science departmental website .

Please note that the syllabus for the MAT was updated for the 2018 test; the current syllabus is available here .

The Notes for the past papers are intended for candidates using the past papers to prepare for MAT, and they mostly refer to syllabus changes.

Additional Multiple-Choice Questions

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the department organised a multiple-choice test in the style of Q1 on the MAT. This was arranged for a small number of candidates in each year who had been shortlisted without a MAT score, and the test was administered just before interviews. In 2023, the department organised a multiple-choice test in the style of Q1 on the MAT for candidates affected by technical disruption in the MAT, and the test was administered before shortlisting. The test papers and solutions are available in the table below for those who wish to see more multiple-choice questions in the style of Q1 on the MAT.

Our admissions tutors use MAT scores together with information from the UCAS application to decide who to shortlist for interview.