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The Oxford University Programs
(Excerpt from Oxford Study Abroad Programme Student Handbook)
As you know, every college is different and the procedures outlined here may differ slightly from those of other colleges. Any significant difference will be pointed out to you by your adviser.
The Basic System: Oxford University is a confederation of 45 "societies" which admit their own students. The University matriculates students to supplicate for degrees, administers the final examination, and then awards degrees (to a passing student). You cannot be a junior member of the University without first being a junior member of a society. We have been invited by several of the 45 societies to recommend qualified students to-them. for consideration. These students would study for one year or less as "junior year abroad" students, associate students. (Graduate work is possible also).
The One Year Student: Traditionally, there has been some resistance to admitting students to study for only one year. Starting in 1980, a few of the societies began to admit a very few one year students. As we note in our prospectus, a few leading U.S. colleges (Harvard, Columbia, etc.) have slowly made special arrangements with a few Oxford colleges to consider a few of their students for one year periods of study. The Information Officer of the University, Ms. Ann Lonsdale, published an authoritative letter on this subject. In the newsletter of the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, Ms. Lonsdale notes that "Universities .... in the U.S. have junior Year Abroad agreements with the colleges of Oxford University rather than with the University itself." This is the method under which students recommended by us are accepted as "Visiting Students" or "Associate Students" of a number of Oxford University societies.
A number of one year students return to their Oxford colleges to pursue a degree; as "alumni" they are often welcomed back (several every year.) You may wish to consider this option.
An important point to bear in mind is that the British educational system is somewhat different from the American system. The last two years of a British high school (called the Sixth Form) are equivalent to the first two years of a U.S. college. The first year at Oxford, therefore, is on the approximate level of the junior year of a distinguished American College. This means that all Oxford courses are on the junior, senior, and first year graduate level in U.S. terms; they all would be called "Upper Division" courses by a U.S. college. The Oxford BA (which becomes an MA eventually) is roughly equal to an MA at a leading U.S. college.
For this reason it is normally not possible for an American undergraduate to matriculate for an Oxford degree; except in a rare case, an Oxford college would normally admit only an American BA to degree status.
OSAP is one off the few overseas study programs which has made arrangements to recommend highly qualified candidates for a few scarce Visiting Student places in several Oxford Colleges which include University privileges.
Registered Visiting Students are full members of their colleges and have university privileges on the same basis as degree candidates. They have full use of the university library (the Bodleian) and the faculty (departmental) libraries and may normally use laboratory facilities. They have the same rights to attend University lectures, seminars and classes as do candidates for Oxford degrees (which they are not). Students in the natural sciences are definitely welcome. Most Oxford Colleges accept a very limited number of Visiting Students from the US each year. There were about 250 American Visiting Students in the whole University (of 45 colleges) last year.
Such highly qualified students, if recommended by OSAP' and accepted by an Oxford college, receive letters from college officers officially admitting them to an Oxford college. They are academically supervised by the college and taught in the same way and to the same standards as degree candidates. At the end of their studies they receive academic records directly from the college (not from a US educational institution) authorized by the University.
We must stress that we can only recommend students; admission is always entirely the responsibility of the Oxford college.
Applicants should have completed two years of university with a minimum CPA of 3.5. Please send us two strong letters of recommendation from professors. A sample of written work is required and the application deadlines are earlier (April 15th for the Fall or Year and October 15th for the Winter term and January 15th for the Spring term). Because OSAP must pay higher college and University fees, the costs for Visiting Student status are much higher than the fees paid by Associate Students. Most of the US colleges that work with us are very happy with Associate Student status and consider Visiting Student status to be a bonus but not essential. It is, however, an option for those highly qualified students who might be interested.
Contact Information
Director of Study Abroad
International Programs Office
Heidelberg College
310 E. Market St.
Tiffin, OH 44883-2462
telephone: (419) 448-2208
facsimile: (419) 448-2209
Internet: moreilly@heidelberg.edu
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Heidelberg College | 310 E. Market St. | Tiffin, Ohio 44883-2462 | 1-800-925-9250 webmaster@heidelberg.edu | Copyright 2007 |
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