Oxford, England

University of Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall Partnership

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Program Overview

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY

Immerse yourself in a new academic experience at one of the world’s most renowned universities. Learning gets personal at Oxford, with small class sizes, seasoned faculty, and a focus on rigorous discussion and critical thinking. Lady Margaret Hall is a great option for engineering and computer science, political science, economics, psychology, and literature. 

After class, explore the city’s cobblestone streets or relax by the river with new friends—the lively city center is just a short walk from campus. 

Your program also includes IFSA excursions and activities that give you deeper cultural insights, with no extra fees. Possibilities include a West End theater performance, a session in the famous The Great British Bake Off tent, and exploring below ground with a former coal miner in Wales.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Fall: Dec. 15
Academic Year: Dec. 15
Spring: Dec. 15

Minimum GPA

3.75

Credit load

16–40

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Instruction language

English

Language prerequisites

None

Visa required?

In some cases. Learn more.

Apply Now

Academics

CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students.

Because of the individualized nature of the tutorial system, colleges at Oxford do not have an online class catalog. However, Lady Margaret Hall has list of available subjects on its Visiting Student page

  • Fall Term students take two primary (major) tutorials (Extended Michaelmas Term).
  • Spring Term students take one primary (major) and one secondary (minor) tutorial each term (Hilary Term and Trinity Term).
  • Academic Year students take one primary (major) and one secondary (minor) tutorial each term (Michaelmas Term, Hillary Term, and Trinity Term).
  • Academic Year Early Start students take two primary (major) tutorials during the Fall Term (Extended Michaelmas Term), and take one primary (major) and one secondary (minor) tutorial during each of the Spring Terms (Hilary Term and Trinity Term).

Students will be awarded 8 U.S. semester credit hours for each primary tutorial and 4 U.S. semester credit hours for each secondary tutorial. No credit will be awarded for additional work undertaken even if the University of Oxford approves it.

Students will earn:

  • 16 U.S. semester credit hours for the Fall Term (Extended Michaelmas Term)
  • 24 U.S. semester credit hours for the Spring Term (Hilary Term and Trinity Term)
  • 36 U.S. semester credit hours for the Academic Year (Michaelmas Term, Hillary Term, and Trinity Term)
  • 40 U.S. semester credit hours for the Academic Year Early Start (Extended Michaelmas Term, Hillary Term, and Trinity Term)

Science and math students may be required to attend university lectures or to take one or more short tutorials. Regardless of the number of tutorials or lectures required, science students will earn the same number of credits as other students.

Tutorial System
The hallmark of the University of Oxford academics is the tutorial system. The tutorial is typically a one-hour meeting between one or two students and the tutor. Tutorials usually meet once a week or every other week, and at the center of the tutorial is an essay on a topic the tutor previously assigned. The tutor will lead a discussion about the essay topic in an effort to provide new insights. At the end of the tutorial, the tutor will assign a new topic and may offer recommended reading. Tutorials are individually arranged, taking into account the subject to be studied and the tutor’s area of expertise. They are similar to independent study classes, but Oxford students bear even more responsibility for conducting independent research and maintaining good academic progress. The University of Oxford organizes weekly lectures on myriad academic subjects, and all students at the University, regardless of college, are welcome to attend. Lectures are not usually mandatory except for some science subjects, but tutors often recommend them as good supplements to tutorials and research.

Extended Michaelmas Term/Early Start
The Lady Margaret Hall Fall Term includes the Extended Michaelmas Term.

LMH offers Academic Year students the chance to spend more time at Oxford and more deeply immerse themselves in the tutorial system. Rather than taking one primary (major) and one secondary (minor) tutorial during the Fall Term, Early Start Academic Year students take two major tutorials and earn 16 U.S. semester credit hours instead of the traditional 12 U.S. semester credit hours. The first tutorial will begin in September and will continue into the regular Michaelmas Term.

Applicants wishing to study biology, economics, mathematics, and physics should include at least one option from another subject area on their list since these classes do not offer a September start date. However, these classes may be chosen for the regular Michaelmas Term. The subjects for which tutorials can be arranged in September are Classics, English, History, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, and Theology. 

LMH provides a full induction schedule including an Introduction to Studying at Oxford seminar, an individual meeting with the director of visiting students, a library induction, and a welcome meeting. The college offer an exciting slate of social activities including visits to local places of historical importance such as Blenheim Palace and Oxford’s premier museum and gallery, the Ashmolean Museum, as well as a walking tour of Oxford, and a student buddy program to help students settle into college life.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

Lady Margaret Hall encourages visiting students to follow the same classes as degree-seeking undergraduates. This means that for some subjects there will be small classes rather than tutorials available. You can select tutorials from a maximum of three subject areas. However, in order to achieve the greatest benefit from the Oxford tutorial system, it is recommended you select tutorials from only one or two subject areas.

The majority of degree-seeking students will be taking one subject, with a few taking two or three. Given the depth of study at Oxford, even those students taking classes such as Philosophy, Politics & Economics will only study two of these areas beyond the first year. The classes offered are typically those which will be studied by LMH’s degree-seeking students who have completed the first year of study in that subject. You will need to meet the prerequisite background knowledge for the classes in which you wish to enroll.

If you are accepted for a program of study, it may be possible to make minor variations, but you would be unlikely to be able to make a complete change of program.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application Deadline
The application deadline is Dec. 15 of the preceding year for Fall Term, Academic Year, and Spring Term for all University of Oxford programs.

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • Admission to Oxford colleges is highly competitive. Students typically study abroad at Oxford their junior year, having completed two (2) full-time years of study at their home institution before the start of the Oxford term. Oxford colleges may consider an applicant with just one (1) full-time year of completed study, but those students will be competing with students who have completed greater study in their specific subject area. A student with less than two years of completed study may be limited to first- and second-year classes.
  • Eligibility requirements can vary among host institutions. Please ask your IFSA Enrollment Counselor for specific information.

Application Acceptance
This program gives preference to students applying for the Academic Year over students applying for just the Fall Term or the Spring Term.

Recommendation Letter
Your application to this program will require two (2) academic letters of recommendation on home institution letterhead.

 

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are a selection of activities and excursions from previous terms; options may vary for your program. Due to the seasonal nature of many of program activities, we cannot guarantee a specific activity or excursion will be available in a given term or program.

Activities

  • The Uncomfortable Oxford Walking Tour: This tour is dedicated to raising awareness about the “uncomfortable” aspects of history. Tours focus on a specific theme and ask questions aimed at provoking new ways of seeing Oxford’s city landscape and history. Students will engage with the politics of memory in the city while uncovering histories of empire, class divides, and gender discrimination, highlighting how these legacies have left an enduring impact on our modern lives.
  • The Pitt Rivers Museum Tour: Go behind the scenes at one of Oxford’s most popular attractions, famous for its period atmosphere and outstanding collections from many cultures around the world, past and present. Receive a private tour of the museum founded in 1884 by Lieutenant General Augustus Pitt Rivers, who donated approximately 22,000 items to be displayed. The collection has now grown to 500,000 items, many of which have been donated by travelers, scholars, and missionaries from across the world.
  • West End Theatre Performance: No time in the UK would be complete without a trip to the West End, London’s famous theatre district. Shows are chosen that provide context or different perspectives on London/the UK/Europe. Recent examples include Operation Mincemeat and Cabaret.
Excursions
  • Cotswolds Villages and Blenheim Palace Day Trip: The Cotswolds are designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The famous picturesque villages of mellow honey-colored stone, gentle hills, peaceful pastures, and winding rivers offer a contrasting backdrop to engage with stories about the bloody battles and violent skirmishes that took place during the English Civil War. Next up is a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site Blenheim Palace, home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
  • Big Welsh Weekend: Delve into the rich history of Wales and explore its unique culture and its complex relationship with the rest of the UK on a weekend that takes in the famous Tintern Abbey, the historic Raglan Castle, the Blaenavon coal mines, and St Fagan’s, a museum that has preserved buildings and cultural practices from Welsh history. Spend the night in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, and discover the Cardiff Bay area, home of the Welsh Parliament.
  • Yorkshire Adventure: Explore the vibrant and historic county of Yorkshire on a weekend trip where you’ll discover how this English region has contributed to the UK’s cultural landscape. Highlights may include the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, the Piece Hall in Halifax, the Victorian model village of Saltaire, or the imposing Harewood House in Leeds.
  • Waddesdon Manor Visit: Step inside the country home of the Rothschilds, one of the wealthiest families in the world. The house, built in the style of a French chateau, was created to display the remarkable art collection of Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. Discover the family’s rich and complex history while taking in some of finest pieces of world art, before exploring the extensive landscaped gardens.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Meals

Self-Catering

Details

Students live in residence halls on the LMH college grounds, on the border of the River Cherwell and University Parks, just a 15-minute walk from the city center. 

  • Living space. Most students have single rooms with a bed, desk, chair, and storage, and share bathrooms. Halls have kitchen facilities to share.  
  • Meals: Eating in the dining hall is a big part of the Oxford experience, so be sure to take advantage of LMH dining, offered three times a day during the week, with limited weekend service.  
  • Nearby: Bodleian Library (18-minute walk). Oxford city center. River Cherwell. University Parks, with 70 acres of riverside green space.  

Dates and Fees

Term
Term begins
Term ends
Program costs
Application deadline
Fall 2024
Sept. 4, 2024
Dec. 7, 2024
$29,995
Passed
Academic Year 2024-2025
Oct. 2, 2024
June 21, 2025
$68,775
Passed
Academic Year (Early Start) 2024-2025
Sept. 4, 2024
June 21, 2025
$71,795
Passed
Spring 2025
Jan. 8, 2025
June 21, 2025
$40,645
Passed
Fall 2025
Early Sept. 2025
Early Dec. 2025
$29,995 (estimated)
Dec. 15, 2024
Academic Year 2025-2026
Early Oct. 2025
Late June 2026
$68,775 (estimated)
Dec. 15, 2024
Academic Year (Early Start) 2025-2026
Early Sept. 2025
Late June 2026
$71,795 (estimated)
Dec. 15, 2024
Spring 2026
Early Jan. 2026
Late June 2026
$40,645 (estimated)
Dec. 15, 2024

Get Started

Kristen Clark

Enrollment Counselor