GRADUATE ADMISSIONS STATISTICS

ENTRY 2021–22

www.ox.ac.uk/grad-stats
 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS STATISTICS
CONTENTS Page
The figures in this document refer to candidates
who applied for admission to graduate programmes Divisions, departments and faculties 2
commencing in the academic year 2021–22. Worldwide distribution of applications* 4
Sex 5
Graduate programmes offered by the University of Oxford
fall into two broad categories: research and taught. Disability background 6
Ethnic background 6
Students on research programmes (usually DPhil) engage
College 7
in research under the supervision of an academic, with
whom they meet regularly. Supervisors provide advice
Departments and faculties are organised into four
about the specific project, the nature of research, data
academic divisions and the Department for
collection methods, and the standards expected. As part
Continuing Education.
of their research degree, students often attend courses on
specific research skills as well as a range of seminars Figures for acceptance represent the number of candidates
and lectures. who have met all their conditions and are due to enrol.
All graduate students (except those on non-matriculated
Taught programmes (usually master’s level) usually involve
courses) are members of both a department or faculty and
a range of core and optional courses and the submission
a college or hall.
of a dissertation. Assessment may be by coursework, as
well as by examination papers and a dissertation. Study is Candidates are permitted to submit applications for more
supported by seminars and lectures. than one graduate programme of study per year; so the
number of applications submitted exceeds the number of
Figures for offers include all conditional or unconditional
individuals who applied in any one year.
offers made by academic departments or faculties.

Gradu 29,192 applications (72.1%) were received

ate from candidates with a country of domicile
outside of the UK
re

40,498
12,517 applications (30.9%) were
sea

for graduate research degrees 4,240 (10.5%) were domiciled in

rch 12,517
ht 27, 81
9

graduate EU countries
applications for 27,981 applications (69.1%) were
24,952 (61.6%) were domiciled in
2021–22 entry for graduate taught degrees
ug

non-EU countries
ta

ate
Gradu 11,306 (27.9%) were domiciled in
the United Kingdom

35,046
individuals applied to
one or more graduate
programme
3,032
(48.4%)
6,270 3,238
(51.6%)
total number of
acceptances acceptances at acceptances
were male Oxford in 2021/22 were female

Figure 1a.
Division Applications Offers Acceptances
Social Sciences 19,103 4,847 3,028
Humanities 5,266 1,631 924
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences 8,847 1,678 961
Medical Sciences 5,200 1,038 737
Department for Continuing Education 2,082 799 620
TOTAL 40,498 9,993 6,270

* Where a candidate is a citizen of more than one country, only one citizenship is taken into account: UK citizenship takes precedence over
citizenship of an EU country, and citizenship of an EU country takes precedence over citizenship of a non-EU country.
1 Front cover image: © University of Oxford Images/Ian Wallman
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

Divisions, Departments and Faculties

Figure 1b. Graduate research applications by division
Division Applications Offers Acceptances
Social Sciences 3,073 670 353
Humanities 1,374 544 247
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences 4,961 1,046 597
Medical Sciences 2,957 580 411
Department for Continuing Education 152 35 26
TOTAL 12,517 2,875 1,634

Figure 1c. Graduate taught applications by division

Division Applications Offers Acceptances
Social Sciences 16,030 4,177 2,675
Humanities 3,892 1,087 677
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences 3,886 632 364
Medical Sciences 2,243 458 326
Department for Continuing Education 1,930 764 594
TOTAL 27,981 7,118 4,636

Figure 1d. Graduate research and taught applications by department or faculty

Research Taught
Department/faculty Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION
Anthropology & Museum Ethnography 197 61 31 432 129 73
Archaeology 68 45 15 157 91 56
Blavatnik School of Government 202 9 9 1,000 245 142
Economics 186 79 21 877 159 62
Education 211 44 29 1,552 568 416
Geography and the Environment 171 67 28 1,538 199 141
Global and Area Studies 101 21 9 699 260 150
International Development 194 28 12 1,544 243 149
Law 711 140 93 1,967 464 343
Oxford Internet Institute 312 27 22 961 107 77
Politics and International Relations 342 86 42 828 137 78
Saïd Business School 175 11 9 3,708 1,429 903
Social Policy and Intervention 113 19 14 537 87 53
Sociology 90 33 19 230 59 32
Social Sciences total 3,073 670 353 16,030 4,177 2,675

HUMANITIES DIVISION
Ancient History & Classical Archaeology 23 12 7 64 19 11
Classical Languages & Literature 51 32 12 109 54 36
English 220 102 38 693 128 90
History 429 181 76 1,052 302 190
Interdisciplinary 491 78 44
Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics 32 11 6 108 43 23
Medieval & Modern Languages 83 59 29 112 89 61
Music 54 21 8 110 42 28
Oriental Studies 102 32 17 395 125 79
Philosophy 179 43 25 406 75 39
Ruskin School of Art 104 4 3 136 17 14
Theology & Religion 97 47 26 216 115 62
Humanities total 1,374 544 247 3,892 1,087 677
2
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

Divisions, Departments and Faculties continued

Research Taught
Department/faculty App Offers Accept App Offers Accept
MATHEMATICAL , PHYSICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION

Chemistry, of which

Chemical Biology 51 18 12 0 0 0
Inorganic Chemistry 155 57 36 0 0 0
Organic Chemistry 184 40 25 0 0 0
Computer Science 558 109 52 1,034 176 114
Doctoral Training Centre 484 89 57 0 0 0
Earth Sciences 63 22 8 0 0 0
Engineering Science 956 240 130 330 36 30
Environmental Research DTP 184 21 20 0 0 0
Materials 255 102 47 0 0 0
Mathematical Institute 726 79 53 1,784 317 152
Physics, of which

Astrophysics 201 14 8 0 0 0
Atmospherics, Oceanic and Planetary Physics 37 9 4 0 0 0
Atomic & Laser Physics 121 31 19 0 0 0
Condensed Matter Physics 113 45 27 0 0 0
Particle Physics 71 18 11 0 0 0
Theoretical Physics 233 13 10 0 0 0
Physical & Theoretical Chemistry 71 44 23 42 18 13
Plant Sciences 28 6 3 0 0 0
Statistics 366 39 22 696 85 55
Zoology 104 50 34 0 0 0
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences total 4,961 1,046 597 3,886 632 364

MEDICAL SCIENCES
Biochemistry 154 37 17 0 0 0
Clinical Medicine 309 74 64 339 65 39
Clinical Neurosciences 107 57 36 42 38 31
Clinical Psychology - DClinPsych 37 37 36
Doctoral Training Centre 904 77 62 0 0 0
Experimental Psychology 92 32 22 290 20 14
Neuroscience 440 40 21
Oncology 171 38 19 91 49 33
Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences 292 34 30 0 0 0
Paediatrics 20 14 11 0 0 0
Pathology 141 15 12 0 0 0
Pharmacology 27 13 7 131 35 29
Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics 53 34 18 0 0 0
Population Health 149 36 27 518 78 57
Primary Care 92 19 16 21 1 0
Psychiatry 77 27 17 133 33 23
Radcliffe Department of Medicine 309 38 27 0 0 0
Surgical Sciences 25 12 9 127 30 24
Women's and Reproductive Health 35 23 17 74 32 19
Medical Sciences total 2,957 580 411 2,243 458 326

DEPARTMENT FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION 152 35 26 1,930 764 594

Overall total 12,517 2,875 1,634 27,981 7,118 4,636

3
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

Worldwide Distribution of Applications

Figure 2a. Applications, offers and acceptances by domicile type
UK EU Non-EU
Division Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
SOCIAL SCIENCES Research 685 219 117 396 113 53 1,992 338 183
Taught 3,498 1,328 944 1,621 398 267 10,911 2,451 1,464
TOTAL 4,183 1,547 1,061 2,017 511 320 12,903 2,789 1,647
30,000
HUMANITIES 25,000 Research 536 275 129 158 66 28 680 203 90
20,000
15,000 Taught 1,563 533 356 304 96 63 2,025 458 258
10,000
5,000 TOTAL 2,099 808 485 462 162 91 2,705 661 348
0
MPLS Research 1,642 389 264 640 131 74 2,679 526 259
200 5–06

2006–07

2007–08

2008–09

2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17
Taught 877 176 131 446 144 80 2,563 312 153
TOTAL 2,519 565 395 1,086 275 154 5,242 838 412
MEDICAL SCIENCES Research 1,059 254 196 298 64 36 1,600 262 179
Taught 528 175 147 206 50 32 1,509 233 147
TOTAL 1,587 429 343 504 114 68 3,109 495 326
CONTINUING Research 35 14 11 9 4 4 108 17 11
EDUCATION
Taught 883 447 379 162 55 41 885 262 174
TOTAL 918 461 390 171 59 45 993 279 185
All postgraduate research 3,957 1,151 717 1,501 378 195 7,059 1,346 722
All postgraduate taught 7,349 2,659 1,957 2,739 743 483 17,893 3,716 2,196
TOTAL 11,306 3,810 2,674 4,240 1,121 678 24,952 5,062 2,918
2008–09

2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17
2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17

Postgraduate research totals:

U
-EU
K

UK

2,875
U

12,517 1,634
UK
NON-E

NO N
N O N- E U

Total postgraduate Total postgraduate Total postgraduate

research research offers research
applications acceptances
E
U

EU EU

Postgraduate taught totals:

UK
UK

UK

7,118 4,636
NON-EU

27,981
N O N- E U

Total postgraduate
N-EU

Total postgraduate Total postgraduate

taught offers taught acceptances
EU

taught
NO

applications

EU EU

4
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

Worldwide Distribution of Applications continued

30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
Table 2b. Applications, offers and acceptances by continent and programme type
5,000
0

200 5–06

2006–07

2007–08

2008–09

2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17
Research Taught All
Continent Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
Africa 597 88 58 1,723 391 219 2,320 479 277
Americas 1,793 397 215 5,225 1,508 875 7,018 1,905 1,090
Asia 4,303 747 378 10,135 1,529 927 14,438 2,276 1,305
Europe 5,655 1,587 947 10,468 3,504 2,501 16,123 5,091 3,448
Oceania 169 56 36 430 186 114 599 242 150
Grand total 12,517 2,875 1,634 27,981 7,118 4,636 40,498 9,993 6,270

Totals by continent
Europe Asia

16,123 total applications 14,438 total applications

5,091 total offers 2,276 total offers
3,448 total acceptances 1,305 total acceptances

Oceania

599 total applications

Americas 242 total offers
150 total acceptances
7,018 total applications
1,905 total offers
Africa
1,090 total acceptances
2,320 total applications
479 total offers
277 total acceptances

Sex*
Figure 3. Applications, offers and acceptances by sex, division and programme type
Female Male
Division Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
SOCIAL SCIENCES Research 1,589 361 199 1,484 309 154
Taught 8,628 2,194 1,406 7,402 1,983 1,269
TOTAL 10,217 2,555 1,605 8,886 2,292 1,423
HUMANITIES Research 683 264 125 691 280 122
Taught 2,334 606 387 1,558 481 290
TOTAL 3,017 870 512 2,249 761 412
MPLS Research 1,506 334 196 3,455 712 401
Taught 1,217 149 95 2,669 483 269
TOTAL 2,723 483 291 6,124 1,195 670
MEDICAL SCIENCES Research 1,755 349 246 1,202 231 165
Taught 1,474 297 226 769 161 100
TOTAL 3,229 646 472 1,971 392 265
CONTINUING EDUCATION Research 68 21 15 84 14 11
Taught 1,197 432 343 733 332 251
TOTAL 1,265 453 358 817 346 262
All postgraduate research 5,601 1,329 781 6,916 1,546 853
All postgraduate taught 14,850 3,678 2,457 13,131 3,440 2,179
TOTAL 20,451 5,007 3,238 20,047 4,986 3,032

* Sex based on declared data at the time of application.

5
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

Disability Background
Figure 4. Applications, offers and acceptances by division and programme type: candidates with a declared disability
One or more disabilities
Division Applications Offers Acceptances
SOCIAL SCIENCES Research 325 98 57
Taught 1,351 437 335
TOTAL 1,676 535 392
HUMANITIES Research 236 118 56
Taught 702 219 153
TOTAL 938 337 209
MPLS Research 460 97 62
Taught 202 37 23
TOTAL 662 134 85
MEDICAL SCIENCES Research 311 85 64
Taught 251 67 49
TOTAL 562 152 113
CONTINUING EDUCATION Research 12 6 3
Taught 293 115 97
TOTAL 305 121 100
All postgraduate research 1,344 404 242
All postgraduate taught 2,799 875 657
TOTAL 4,143 1,279 899

Ethnic Background
Figure 5a. Applications, offers and acceptances by ethnic group (all domiciles)
Research Taught All
Ethnic group Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
Asian 4,812 870 484 11,307 1,916 1,205 16,119 2,786 1,689
Black 633 76 51 1,873 453 272 2,506 529 323
Mixed 685 160 95 1,698 482 299 2,383 642 394
Other 650 95 51 1,336 344 207 1,986 439 258
White 5,127 1,537 883 10,442 3,590 2,477 15,569 5,127 3,360
Not known 610 137 70 1,325 333 176 1,935 470 246
TOTAL 12,517 2,875 1,634 27,981 7,118 4,636 40,498 9,993 6,270

Figure 5b. Applications, offers and acceptances by ethnic group (UK domicile only)

Research Taught All

Ethnic group Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept Apps Offers Accept
Asian 653 115 79 1,244 347 258 1,897 462 337
Black 124 15 12 281 87 67 405 102 79
Mixed 250 76 51 484 163 115 734 239 166
Other 120 21 13 224 78 54 344 99 67
White 2,651 873 531 4,518 1,816 1,380 7,169 2,689 1,911
Not known 159 51 31 598 168 83 757 219 114
TOTAL 3,957 1,151 717 7,349 2,659 1,957 11,306 3,810 2,674

6
 Graduate Admissions Statistics 2021–22

College
Figure 6a. Candidates accepting a graduate place by college or permanent private hall
Non-matriculated COLLEGES Research Taught All
Students on certain postgraduate certificate All Souls 0 0 0
and diploma programmes (mainly within Balliol 61 75 136
the Department for Continuing Education)
Brasenose 28 76 104
are not affiliated to a college and do not
Christ Church 37 51 88
attend a matriculation ceremony to become
members of the University. Corpus Christi 18 20 38
Exeter 51 73 124
Permanent private hall (PPH) Green Templeton 55 241 296
Permanent private halls are licensed by Harris Manchester 9 69 78
the University to matriculate students for
Hertford 44 65 109
degrees. They were founded by various
Christian denominations and still retain Jesus 33 73 106
their religious character. Keble 60 194 254
Kellogg 56 419 475
Lady Margaret Hall 38 129 167
Linacre 90 135 225
Lincoln 42 83 125
Magdalen 32 44 76
Mansfield 25 72 97
Merton 43 34 77
New 37 80 117
Nuffield 19 9 28
Oriel 28 79 107
Pembroke 29 92 121
Queen's 33 39 72
Reuben 49 88 137
St Anne's 47 109 156
St Antony's 47 189 236
St Catherine's 46 144 190
St Cross 69 205 274
St Edmund Hall 55 70 125
St Hilda's 24 46 70
St Hugh's 58 188 246
St John's 44 33 77
St Peter's 38 85 123
Somerville 24 78 102
Trinity 28 32 60

Further information University 38 27 65

Wadham 27 70 97
For information about the
Wolfson 127 198 325
University of Oxford’s graduate
programmes, including detailed Worcester 28 59 87
advice on how to apply, please PERMANENT PRIVATE HALLS
see www.graduate.ox.ac.uk Blackfriars 3 48 51
Campion Hall 4 3 7
More information on student
numbers at the University of Regent's Park College 8 71 79
Oxford can be found at St Benet's Hall 1 24 25
www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ St Stephen's House 1 45 46
studentstats Wycliffe Hall 0 19 19
RECOGNISED INDEPENDENT CENTRE
Ripon College Cuddesdon 0 1 1
Non-matriculated 0 652 652
7
TOTAL 1,634 4,636 6,270