← Back to search
PhDUnited Kingdom · Computer Science / AI / Data Science
DPhil in Computer Science
University of Oxford
✓ Last verified Oct 8, 2026· Checked against the official page
Entry requirements
- Grades
- Percentage — Minimum 85Required
- English(Any one of these tests)
- IELTS — Minimum 7Required
- TOEFL — Minimum 100Required
- CAE — Minimum 185Required
- Prior degree
- First-class or strong upper second-class four-year undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant subject such as computer science, or mathematics, engineering or physics depending on the research areaRequired
- Master's with merit or distinction in a relevant subject — required only if the undergraduate degree is three yearsPreferred
- Other
- Research proposalRequired
- InterviewRequired
- Accepted English tests
- Oxford standard level: IELTS Academic 7.0 with 6.5 per component; TOEFL iBT 100 with Listening 22, Reading 24, Speaking 25, Writing 24; C1 Advanced 185 with 176 per component; C2 Proficiency 185 with 176 per component; Oxford Test of English Advanced 155 with 145 per component. TOEFL iBT tests taken from 21 January 2026 are not accepted until the University completes a review of the revised test. Tests must be taken no more than two years before the course start date.
- How grades are compared
- China (Oxford graduate International Qualifications): for a course requiring a 'strong upper second-class' degree, usually a bachelor's with an overall grade of 85% from a Double First Class University, former Project 985 or Project 211 institution, or 90% from other institutions; for a 'first-class' degree, 90% from those institutions or 95% from others; applicants below 90%/95% from other institutions should also have at least a passing grade in a master's degree (https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/international-applicants/international-qualifications)
- Expectations about your university
- Oxford distinguishes Double First Class University, former Project 985 or Project 211 institutions (lower % thresholds) from other institutions (higher thresholds).
- Other requirements
- No GRE or GMAT sought. Publications not required but should be listed in the CV if any; applicants are expected to know the recent published work of their proposed supervisor. Name at least one (up to two) proposed supervisor(s) in the Department of Computer Science; contacting supervisors beforehand is optional. Documents: three referees (two academic, third academic or professional), official transcripts, CV, research proposal or statement of research interests (max 1,000 words, English). Applicants meeting the academic criteria with an interested supervisor are interviewed (at least two interviewers, about 30 minutes, in person or online), usually in January-February for December applicants and by late March for March applicants. Applying by the 2 December 2026 deadline gives consideration for Oxford scholarships. A four-year sandwich degree with a year in industry is not an acceptable equivalent. US GPA guide 3.5/4.0. ATAS certificate may be required.