Frequently Asked Questions

Please see our selection criteria for the DPhil in Medical Sciences for advice on eligibility.

We accept applications from candidates of all nationalities.

If you wish your application for the RDM DPhil in Medical Sciences to be considered for department/University funding schemes, such as the RDM Scholars Programme or the WIMM Prize Studentship, you need to ensure that your application is received and complete by the December deadline.

If you do not wish to be considered for the RDM Scholars Programme or WIMM Prize Studentships you can apply after the December deadline until Friday 30 June 2023.  You should consult our main How to Apply page for information on closure dates. If applying after the December deadline, we advise applying as early as you can to allow for all admissions processes to be completed in good time and to ensure that a collge place can be found for you. 

If you have any queries about when to apply please contact the Graduate Studies Manager for further information.

We consider all applications for funded places together in December, so your application will not be treated differently if you apply very early. However, you need to submit all relevant documents and references by the deadline in order for your application to be considered. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as you are ready.    

If you are not applying for a funded place and you apply after the December deadline, you are more likely to get a place at your first choice college if you apply earlier in the year.

More information about how applicants are considered for funding.

You can apply for up to three different supervisors in any areas covered by the department. If you are applying for both the RDM Scholars Programme and the WIMM Prize Studentship you can apply for up to three different supervisors for each scheme. Please take into consideration that your application will be judged in part on your motivation to undertake research and it may be difficult to show a consistent motivation if the supervisors for which you are applying are thematically diverse.

You should only name supervisors from the Radcliffe Department of Medicine and listed on DPhil Research Opportunities 2023

We select students 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.    

Applications for the RDM Scholars Programme and WIMM Prize Studentships are highly competitive and offers are made on the basis of available funding. We may be unable to make you an offer simply because other applicants were stronger.    

We are also only able to make offers when we have adequate supervision available. This may mean that we are unable to make you an offer because your preferred supervisor is unable to take on further students in a given year.

No, you can apply to as many programmes as you like in Oxford; we will not take this into account when your application to RDM is assessed. Note that you will normally need to pay the application fee for each other programme for which you apply.

Yes. You are welcome to reapply. It will help your application if you can clearly demonstrate why your circumstances and qualifications have changed. Please contact your prospective supervisor for advice.

Yes, all graduate students are required by University Regulations to reside within 25 miles of Oxford for a minimum of six terms (two years). We expect our students to keep regular hours and work full time (at least 44 weeks per year); it is therefore unlikely to be practical for you to be resident elsewhere.

It is possible to study for a doctorate on a part-time basis. Completing the DPhil on a part-time basis normally requires between six and eight years of study, compared with a full-time DPhil which normally takes three to four years to complete. Part-time study is not suitable for all projects and you must check with your supervisor that they are able to accommodate part-time study. Please refer to the DPhil in Medical Science information page for colleges which accept applications for part-time study.

The fees you will pay depend on your fee status. You can find information on the current fee levels using the University’s graduate fees, funding and scholarship search tool.

Yes. You will need to provide details of the funding as part of your financial declaration. If you are applying in advance of the December deadline and already have funding in place, please contact us to let us know whether or not you wish to be considered for the RDM Scholars Programme.

Yes, but we recommend that you do no more than 12 hours/week because of the intensity of the DPhil programmes. The Oxford Careers Service provides advice and advertises opportunities for part-time work suitable for Oxford Students.    

Some students take on teaching in their area of interest through their college. This can provide a good opportunity for work which can fit well around a DPhil and improve your career prospects. There are sometimes other opportunities for part-time work available in colleges, but this will vary from college to college, as will opportunities to take on teaching.

If you are unable to find the information you require on our website or in the FAQ above, please email: graduate.enquiries@rdm.ox.ac.uk.

For information on how we use any personal data you supply to us, please see the University's Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.