Applying to St Cross

Full details of the procedures for graduate admission to Oxford are found in the Graduate Studies Prospectus web pages.

If you have further questions about the application process that are not answered by those pages, you are advised to contact the Graduate Admissions Office, telephone +44 (0)1865 270059, or by email at graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk, taking particular care to follow the instructions in the automatic reply.

St Cross Admissions Process

Once your department or faculty has accepted your application, you will be sent a letter offering you a place at the University. Your application is then circulated to your chosen college. It is only possible to specify a single preferred college, but it is also possible to make an application with no college preference. Once you have applied, it is not possible to amend your college preference.

The College's selection criteria are available here. The College is unable to provide feedback on applications which have been unsuccessful. If you have selected St Cross as your chosen college and the College decides to offer you a place, you will be sent a separate letter from the College explaining how to provide your proof of funding.

At St Cross, this communication is in the form of a hardcopy letter from the Tutor for Admissions. You have 4 weeks (apart from late applications from June onwards) from the date of the letter to respond to the College with your acceptance. This can simply be a short email to the Academic and Admissions Assistant to confirm your intention to accept the place and you do not need to provide your proof of funding for fees before this deadline. However, if you are able to do so, it is preferable that you do so at your earliest convenience in order that your application may be processed as quickly as possible.

Your proof of funding should be for the University and College fees for the first year of your course together with a financial declaration for the remaining years' fees and all maintenance costs. Funding shown must be in a bank account or savings account in your name. We are not able to accept a statement of shares or bonds for funding. If the account is not in your name, we must also receive an accompanying signed letter from the account holder confirming that they are willing to use these funds for your studies.

The Bursar will look at each applicant's proof of funds and financial declaration in detail and will sign off each application once he is satisfied that there is sufficient funding available for the full course fees and for maintenance for the duration of study.

N.B. Once funding has been approved, it is expected that this money will be used for the purposes identified. You will not be permitted to apply to the University Hardship Fund other than under exceptional and unexpected circumstances.

Once your funding has been approved and you have fulfilled any academic conditions you will receive a hardcopy letter from the Senior Tutor welcoming you to St Cross College. If you are an international student (outside the EU) your department or faculty will begin the process of applying for your student visa on your behalf (further information).

From August the College will communicate with each student who has had their funding approved by means of a summer email circular. This will detail information such as the Freshers' timetable, how to find accommodation in Oxford and other things to assist you with your arrival in Oxford. A further final checklist email is sent in September to remind each student when the Welcome Sessions will be running and what documentation is needed. It is extremely important that your department/faculty and the College are notified of any changes to your email or postal address so that we can communicate with you prior to your arrival.

St Cross requests that every student brings their passport into College (and their visa if you are an international student) to be scanned and verified by the Academic Administrator before they are able to complete registration. Details of international students will be submitted to the UK Home Office.

At the Welcome Sessions you will be met by a number of current students who will guide you through the registration process (under the supervision of the Academic Administrator). You will be provided with your welcome pack, College keys and your University Card, and will be able to use the College facilities for the duration of your studies.

Visa Applications for Overseas Students

All successful applicants to the University of Oxford from outside the EU are required by law to obtain a student visa.

Once your University and College place have been confirmed (and your funding has been approved), your department of faculty will begin the visa application process for you.

Full details of the visa application process are available on the University website.

Please note that all international students will be required to produce a valid visa upon arrival at the College in Oxford before their studies can commence. 

Arranging a Tour

Offer holders and prospective students should contact the Admissions Assistant if they would like to visit St Cross and be taken on a tour by a member of staff.