Choosing a college

Many of our graduate applicants express a college preference on their application form, but around 40% of applicants don’t give a college preference, and instead ask us to find them a college place.

Whatever you decide, it won’t affect how the academic department assesses your application and whether they decide to make you an offer. If your department makes you an offer of a place, you’re guaranteed a college place as well. 

If you do choose a college, you may receive an offer from a college that is different to the one you stated as your preference. This may be because the college has filled its places or already has sufficient numbers of applicants from your subject area. 

Learn more about stating a college preference on your application form in our Application Guide. For more information about the college allocation process and getting a college place, visit our decision timeline.

Does it matter which college I go to?

As a graduate student, your course structure, content, teaching and supervision will be arranged by your University department, and will be the same regardless of which college you belong to.

Oxford’s colleges have a lot in common. However, each college is unique, and this rich variety is part of what makes the Oxford experience so special. Most graduate students quickly settle in and enjoy their college, even if they chose another college as their preference.

If you think that you might like to indicate a college preference, the individual college pages on this website will give you key information about each one. Every college also has a dedicated website where you can find out more about the college’s community, features and facilities.

Oxford's colleges are multidisciplinary, but not all courses may be offered at each college. Each course page lists the colleges that will accept applications for that course in the College preference section. Alternatively, each college page lists the courses that are offered.