Oxford Graduate Application 2012/13

I've done two graduate degrees at American universities, but only short stints in the UK, so I can't compare the two well, but I am happy to answer any questions about grad study in the US if that helps you.

In my (rather different) experience scholarship interviews tend to be about getting an understanding of your dedication to the course. So if I was you I'd expect questions like:

'why do you want to study x?'

'what experience do you have in the field and how has this helped to shape your career goals?'

I'd also expect questions along the line of:

'tell me about your undergraduate dissertation'

or perhaps more challenging questions about your subject

They many also be looking for a certain level of financial need (I am not entirely sure about Felix scholarships but careful reading should tell you) so expect the possibility of questions like this:

'why should we give *you* the scholarship?'

My main advice for anyone with an interview is prepare well - make sure you know the Institution, the course and what it offers well. If you have time and your course is quite different to your undergraduate course then do a little bit of reading, but make sure you stick to relatively critical and engaging material - you don't want to be memorising things, just focusing your mind. Most of all - be enthusiastic, relax and smile!

This is all very generic - just have a brainstorm and try and think how you'd answer all of these questions in advance of the interview.

Best of luck!

EDIT: also have in mind any optional modules you might want to study and obviously your research project!

This is great info and thank you! Do you happen to recall what funding they asked you to show for a part time program? And how did you identify/choose a supervisor for your DPhil? Was it one of the Kellogg fellows or someone from another college?

I should apologise for criticising Kellogg, I too have studied at CONTED. It has a great library (right in the heart of the city near Jericho), excellent facilities including free printing and is an institution which has done more to open up Oxford education than the rest of the university combined. Can I ask if one was interested in taking an DPhil part time at Kellogg would you recommend it above the predominantly full time colleges?

what course r u appliying??

As with all these choices though it comes down to the individual and the majority of people end up happy whatever the college outcome is .

In terms of supervisor, I applied for a history faculty DPhil and they specifically tell you not to identify potential supervisors. I am not sure how it works at the department of cont ed (ie: whether you are encouraged to contact potential supervisors) but I do know people who stayed on for part time DPhils who have cont ed supervisors and some who have them from outside cont ed/Kellogg so it is possible to end up with either.

Does anyone know when the next set of postgraduate open days are (if there are any) please? I'm hoping to apply in September if the exams go well and I'd like to see what I'm getting myself into!

Come on!
For those who is still waiting for, good news is coming v. Soon!!

Just so you know, it is way too late to apply for 2012 entry so I assume you intend to apply for 2013 entry.

I'd like to know the chances I have to get into the "Masters in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing" at Oxford.

Very soon indeed! I got an offer from St Edmund Hall today by email. (I was quite surprised, both because it's a bank holiday and because I was expecting it by post.) For those who are trying to track these sort of things: I got my faculty offer about mid-March, and I had put Magdalen down as my college choice. (I didn't hear anything while they were shuffling me around.) I'm extremely happy!

Hello Everyone!

I am a new member here and i am currently pursuing a BEng (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic engineering, from a Russell Group university. I am in Stage 2.

My question is, that i want to apply to Oxford/Cambridge this fall for engineering MPhil/MSc. So what are the normal offers that OxBridge give? I am currently averaging a high upper 2, around 68%. Is it worth applying?

Like anyone who got into OxBridge, can you please tell me what offers were made to you?

Thank you.

"Stage 2", "this fall", American? - it's 'Second Year, and 'Autumn'.

The offer you get is usually dependent on the department you apply for. Most Oxbridge Departments demand at least a high 2:1, some demand a good 1st.

My offer (History Department) is 67% or above. However there is flexibility in that if a Department think you excel in other regards they may be flexible in the offer they make. Some people have been asked just for a 2:1.

It is also worth mentioning that a Department may impose higher academic requirements for the opposite reasons, although this is rare.