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Join Oriel as a visiting student

Your Studies at Oriel

Teaching at Oriel is a mixture of tutorials, classes, and lectures delivered by Oriel Fellows, other academic staff in the College and sometimes, where appropriate, specialists from other Oxford colleges. The tutorial system provides personalised instruction – individual tutorials, work in pairs or in small groups. You will be taught among a first or second year group. During your year at Oriel, you will face stimulating academic challenges that will allow you to deepen your knowledge of your subject while discovering new academic approaches and schools of thought.

The Oxford Undergraduate Handbooks describe each of the courses taught at the university and will allow you to familiarise yourself with the papers related to the course you are considering, and how your year at Oriel links into your home institution’s curriculum.

The year at Oxford is made up of three terms, each eight weeks long. The workload is likely to vary considerably from one week to the other, which will help you improve your organisational skills. The vacations (around Christmas and Easter) allow for enough time to get some well-deserved rest, discover Oxford and the UK, and to prepare for the next term.

 

After a Year

It is important to note that the Visiting Students Programme does not offer a degree qualification from the University of Oxford. Although you will not be taking University examinations, you are expected to take Collections (internal College examinations) which will help your tutors assess your progress and attainment. Your tutors will write termly reports assessing your work, and will be happy to provide any further information required by your home institution for your transfer of credits. We also warmly encourage former visiting students to consider applying for a postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford.

The Application process
How to apply

Your application, including written work and a study proposal listing the papers you wish to work on, should be sent to us by the 15th April by your home institution. Please send your application to: visiting.students@oriel.ox.ac.uk. For full information about the papers studied in each course, please read the Undergraduate Handbooks on the University’s website.

Once received, your application will then be reviewed by Oriel’s subject tutors. If your application is successful, the College’s Academic Office will then get in touch with you about admission, visas and reading lists before the beginning of the first term you have applied for.

Fees

The tuition fees for Visiting Students are from £33,000 per year (2022-3 academic year). Additional fees are required for lab-taught courses (Computer Science, Chemistry, Medicine, Biochemistry and Physics). This will enable Visiting Students to participate in laboratory and practical sessions run by the University.

Read more about Visiting Students’ Fees and Charges here.

More information on this can be found on the University website.

English language requirements

The English language reuirements for Visiting Students at Oriel is in line with the University of Oxford’s guidance. All teaching is carried out in English (with the exception of some language-specific teaching) and tutors must be convinced that you have sufficient fluency in written and spoken English to cope with your course from the start.

Depending on the course, applicants need to show either a standard or higher level of ability in English. Only the following courses accept the standard level: Computer Science, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics.

All other courses require the higher level. Details of standard and higher level score requirements across a range of different tests (IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, CPE etc) can be found on the University of Oxford website.

Exemptions from this requirement will be considered for applicants who have:

  • Studied the International Baccalaureate programme, if it is taught in English
  • Studied the Singapore Integrated Programme (SIPCAL)
  • Been educated full-time in the medium of the English language throughout the two most recent years before the date of your application deadline, and who remain in full-time education conducted in the English language until the end of the school year in their home country.

If you require a student visa, the University will vouch for your English language ability on your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) provided you have achieved the required results in one of the English language tests accepted by the University or you have been granted an English language test waiver by your college. When submitting your student visa application, you will not be required to provide additional evidence of your English language ability.

Pre-arrival information

Official guidance concerning the visa requirements to study in the UK can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. We are happy to help with any questions concerning Student Visa applications (please contact: visiting.students@oriel.ox.ac.uk).

Spending a year abroad comes with its challenges, sometimes very mundane – opening a bank account, getting used to the public transport system or getting a new phone number. Do not hesitate to get in touch via the email above if you have any practical questions for us as you prepare for your arrival in Oxford.

Accommodation and meals

Oriel offers Visiting Students accommodation for the full length of their three terms in Oxford. More information about College accommodation can be found on our accommodation pages.

Meals in Hall are an important part of Oxford life and tradition, and of Oriel’s community-building. You are more than welcome to join in as much as you want and enjoy our recently-refurbished Hall. The menu is healthy, and we are able to accommodate specific dietary restrictions and allergies. More information about food at Oriel can be found within our Living at Oriel pages.

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Further Information

Fees and funding

More about life at Oriel

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion