Some graduate students find choosing a College less pressing than undergraduates, as their academic focus is predominantly within their department or faculty. Nonetheless, most appreciate Wadham’s informality, its relaxed atmosphere, and its mix of the historic environment of a (nearly) 400-year-old establishment with the open-minded, progressive and socially-aware attitude of a forward-thinking community.

Given that research can be an isolating and individually-focused pursuit, a lively and active graduate community is an important way to meet people within (and outside) your discipline and to balance academic pursuits with social activities. The Wadham Middle Common Room (MCR) is both the name for the graduate community and the space they occupy.  The actual room has recently been relocated to Holywells, making it one of the best MCR rooms in Oxford. Originally a music shop designed by Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, then converted to a restaurant bar, it is now home to the graduates and 4th year undergraduates of Wadham.  Located on the back quad with views onto Holywell Street, Holywells is a multi-level room that offers all the comforts one could possibly demand. Fully furnished with sofas, armchairs, chairs and desks, it is the perfect place for a gathering of friends, but big enough to find a quiet spot whatever's going on.

Together with the College's Head of House, Sir Neil Chalmers, the MCR also organizes regular research seminars, where College members present and discuss their research with fellow graduates and tutors in order to promote interdisciplinary understanding and discover more about each other’s work.

Each year, an MCR Committee is elected to represent the opinions and needs of the graduate community in the College and in the University. Graduate students are also members of the Students’ Union and the MCR President serves as an SU committee member, and attends meetings of the College’s Governing Body along with the SU President.

Graduate and undergraduate relations at Wadham are probably the best in Oxford, as the two groups try to integrate as much as possible. Thus graduate and undergraduate students sit and mix freely at dinner in Hall, in the College bar, and at the bi-weekly SU parties. MCR members are also actively involved in everything from College sport and drama to regular salsa dancing lessons and poetry readings.

Many Wadham graduates are supported by scholarships, such as those offered by UK research council (AHRC, EPSRC, BBSRC, NERC) or international scholarships (e.g. Rhodes Trust Scholarships, Commonwealth Scholarships). Wadham also, with the University, supports Clarendon and Chevening Scholars, and offers a number of specific scholarships, such as the Philip Wright Scholarship, Water Conservators Scholarship, Norwegian Scholarship, Peter Carter scholarship, Donner Gotlieb scholarship, and Brookman scholarship (for a list of college scholarships on offer at any one time please see here). The College also offer some financial support for students on course, most notably small research grants of up to £210 per annum for conference attendance and book purchases.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the MCR website.

Graduate Admissions selection criteria for Wadham College

# Applicants must first have been accepted by a Department or Faculty of the University of Oxford before any college or permanent private hall may consider them.

# Applications are considered for any of the courses in which the College offers admission.  Please consult the following list to see these courses: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/college_guide/index.html.

# Applications are usually considered by academic staff in the relevant subject area.

# Preference will normally be given to applicants whose area of study overlaps with the academic interests of the College's academic staff.

# The College aims to admit a certain number of graduate students each year spread across the range of subjects in which it accepts graduate students, and this will determine the number of offers which can be made to applicants.  Where there are more applicants than offers which can be made, the relative academic merit and potential of the applicants may be taken into account.  It may not be possible to make offers to applicants whose applications are received late in the admissions round, when places are full.

# The possession of competitively-won funding may be taken into account as an indicator of the applicant's academic merit and potential.

# The final decision on whether to offer a place in the light of the overall competition for graduate places and the spread of those places across subject areas is usually taken by the Tutor for Graduates.

# Please note that any offer of a place will be subject to satisfactory financial evidence that the applicant can meet both the tuition fees and living costs for the duration of their course.  Please consult the University's guidance for more details: http://www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding/fees/financialguarantee/

# Preference may be given to current or past students of the College who meet the selection criteria described above.