To apply to be a visiting student at Hertford College, you will need to submit the following:

1. A completed online application form. Please contact your home university’s study abroad office for the link.
2. A personal statement. This is included in the online application form and should be a one-page account of your academic and personal goals and your reasons for applying to Oxford University. We expect you to focus on the subject areas you are studying, your intellectual interests, and how these topics and interests link with the tutorial topics requested.
3. The original version of your most recent university transcript. You should have a GPA of at least 3.7.
4. A supporting statement. This should come from a faculty member of your home university, supporting your proposed plan of study and how this will relate to your current degree. Please contact your home university’s study abroad office for a copy of the form.
5. Two academic references.
6. Two samples of written work. These should have been submitted to academic tutors at your home university, should be marked and should include your respective tutor’s handwritten feedback comments. Ideally, the written work will be in the subject area you wish to study at Hertford.

For applicants who are not from an English-speaking country or who have not been solely educated in English throughout the past two years at the time of their application (by February deadline), we are required by the Home Office and Oxford University to assess your English language ability.

All teaching at Oxford is carried out in English (with the exception of some language-related teaching) and tutors must be convinced that you have sufficient fluency in written and spoken English to cope with your course from the start. Therefore, the University requires the following from a non-native English-speaking applicant: IELTS overall score of 7.5 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components).

All applications should arrive by the Hertford deadline of early February. We are happy to look at late applications if we still have places available, but you stand a much better chance of getting a place if your application reaches us on time. Therefore, you should consider your study abroad options and approach potential referees in the fall semester of your sophomore year. You should aim to have your application materials completed and ready to submit by the end of January.

Your first port of call should be the advisors in your home institution’s study abroad office. For advice about what subject to study at Hertford, you can also contact the Director of the Visiting Student Programme.

At Oxford University, we have three terms rather than two semesters.

• Michaelmas Term between October and December.
• Hilary Term between January to March

• Trinity Term between April to June

It is possible to apply for the following options:

• The whole academic year (three terms)
• Spring and summer term (equivalent to the US spring semester running from January to mid June)
• Summer term only (available to students from The College of William and Mary)
• Autumn term only (equivalent to US fall semester running from September to December)

We especially welcome applications for the whole academic year, as this enables you as a visiting student to really get to know people at Hertford and get to grips with the Oxford academic system. Students who come for the whole year tell us that they’re really glad they did so.

If you cannot commit to the whole academic year, we suggest that you apply for our two term option from January to June. This gives you time to settle in academically and the opportunity to explore Europe during the Easter vacation. You’ll also be able to enjoy Oxford at its most beautiful in the summer term, and try out quintessentially Oxford past times such as punting along the River Thames.

We can accept a limited number of students in the autumn term only.  This option requires students to arrive at the beginning of September in order to participate in the Humanities Seminar run jointly with Worcester College.

Princeton students who have applied for the autumn term only, via the Woodrow Wilson School programme, arrive at the beginning of September to participate in the modern History Seminar.

Arrival

New students arrive at the start of 0th week for orientation activities. Returning students must arrive back in Oxford no later than the Thursday of 0th week, to allow sufficient time to recover from jet lag before the teaching term starts in week 1.

Vacating Rooms 

If you are enrolled for the September seminars and Michaelmas term only, or for the Trinity term only, you must vacate your room at the end of your designated term end (December for Michaelmas term students and June for Trinity term students).

If you are enrolled for the whole academic year or for the Hilary and Trinity terms you can keep your allocated room, at no extra cost, for the duration of your stay. This means you do not have to pack up and store your belongings in the vacation period if you choose to  return home for the vacation or go travelling.

• New students arrive for the Humanities and History Seminar: Saturday September 6th 2025
• New students arrive for the Academic Year: Sunday October 5th 2025 (Sunday 0th Week Michaelmas Term)
• Term ends on Saturday December 6th 2025. September Seminar students must depart Sunday December 7th 2025 (Sunday 9th Week Michaelmas Term).

Students here for the academic year may choose to stay at the college over the Christmas vacation or to leave their belongings tidily in their room. However, if they stay, they may be asked to temporarily move rooms during this period. Please note that the college closes completely for 10 days between Christmas and New Year during which catering services are not available.

• New students arrive for Hilary and Trinity Terms: Monday January 12th 2026 (Monday 0th Week Hilary Term)
• Academic Year students return for Hilary Term: No later than Thursday January 15th 2026 (Thursday 0th Week Hilary Term)
• Term Ends: Saturday March 14th 2026 (Saturday 8th Week Hilary Term)

Students here for the academic year and two term option do not have to vacate their rooms and can leave their belongings tidily in their rooms over the vacation. Many students use the vacation to travel but it is also a good idea to plan some study weeks in Oxford to prepare for the following term.

• New students arrive for Trinity Term only (10 week programme): Thursday April 16th 2026 (Thursday -1st Week Trinity Term)
• Academic Year and Hilary and Trinity Term students return for Trinity Term: No later than Thursday April 23^rd 2026 (Thursday 0th Week Trinity Term)
• All Academic Year and Hilary and Trinity Term students must depart: Sunday June 21^st 2026 (Sunday 9th Week Trinity Term)
• Trinity Term only (10 week programme) students must depart: Sunday June 28th 2026 (Sunday 10th Week Trinity Term)

Each teaching term is eight weeks long and the weeks are numbered 1st week to 8th week. At the beginning of each term is a ‘settling in’ week known as 0th week.

The University of Hong Kong (Departments of Law and Medicine)

Renmin University of China (Department of PPE)

Tsinghua University

Waseda University

Brandeis University, MA

University of Michigan, MI

Princeton University, NJ

Smith College, MA

Swarthmore College, PA

The College of William & Mary, VA

Prospective applicants from all other universities should apply through the College of Global Studies at Arcadia University or through Butler University’s Institute for Study Abroad.

Arcadia Abroad

Ashley Weimar (Program Advisor)

IFSA

Kevin Cañas (Enrolment Counsellor, England & Wales)

317-854-3421