Information for applicants 2021/22
This page provides information for prospective undergraduate students whose applications are being considered in the 2021/22 admissions cycle for entry in 2022 (or deferred entry in 2023). Please refer to the Undergraduate Admissions website for more detailed information and key documents relating to written work submission, aptitude tests, and interview arrangements. The admissions process for 2021 is expected to run to the usual timeline with any changes due to COVID-19 highlighted in the University applicant guide. Admissions interviews will be held online.
Candidates must check their course page to see if there is an aptitude test(s) for their subject and the registration details, and to see if written work is required for their subject (please see timeline below under ’10 November 2021′ for instructions on how to submit your written work to the College).
Important: The majority of communication from the College will be sent by email. Please check your nominated email address (the one you listed on your UCAS application at the time you submitted it) regularly. Some email providers might accidentally mark emails from the University as junk, so please check your junk mail or spam folder regularly or, if you are concerned, provide us with a replacement email address. Add ‘admissions@magd.ox.ac.uk’ to your email address book to assist in emails being delivered.
Application timeline
1 September – 15 October 2021
Applicants for Law and Law with Law Studies in Europe must take the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) between these dates, and by no later than 15 October.
15 September 2021
The deadline for registering and booking a test slot for the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) (to guarantee that you can take the test by 15 October).
1 October 2021
The standard deadline for registration for the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT).
15 October 2021
The final deadline for your school/test centre to register you for an aptitude test(s), if required for your course. The process for LNAT is different, as explained above. Please make sure you get your test candidate entry number from your school/test centre as proof of entry by 6pm on 15 October. Please note that school error will not be taken into consideration if the deadline for registering for these tests is missed.
15 October 2021
6pm UK time on this date is the absolute deadline for submission of completed UCAS applications. No application submitted after 6pm will be considered.
It is essential that, after this date, any changes to your contact details be notified directly to your college choice. Changes made on UCAS will not be passed on to the College. Please state your full name and UCAS Personal ID number in any correspondence with the College.
By the end of October
Your application will be acknowledged by email, including a reminder of any tests or written work required for your course. Please check your email, including your junk mail or spam folder, regularly.
4 November 2021
Portfolios for Fine Art applications must be submitted digitally, via an online platform called SlideRoom by 6pm UK time on this date. This will be made available on the Ruskin website at 18:00 GMT (or shortly thereafter) on Friday 15 October to candidates who have submitted a UCAS application to study for the BFA programme. You will be able to upload your portfolio with videos, photographs, audio files and PDFs. Please see the Ruskin website for further information.
4 November 2021
Aptitude tests for many subjects must be taken today.
10 November 2021
The closing date for receipt of submitted written work, if required for your subject. Please see the ‘How to apply’ tab on the course page for your subject to check exactly what written work is required.
Written work must be submitted electronically to the College as a .PDF file only, saved under your full name to identify it. Please scan a completed University Written Work Cover Sheet and your essay, ensuring that the essay text and any marks or comments written by your teacher have been captured clearly. The Cover Sheet should also be verified by a school/college representative (if applicable). Please note if you are required to submit more than one piece of written work, please ensure each piece is submitted as a separate .PDF file accompanied by a separate Cover Sheet.
The pdf of the complete scanned document should be sent to: writtenwork@magd.ox.ac.uk to reach us no later than 10 November 2021. Electronic files sent to any email address other than writtenwork@magd.ox.ac.uk, or submitted in any format other than .pdf, will be disregarded.
Mid-November to early December
Short-listing decisions will be sent out by email during this period. We will notify you as soon as decisions have been made and you will receive no less than seven days’ notice of interview. If you have not been contacted five days before the interviews for your subject are due to occur, please get in touch with the Admissions Officer as a matter of urgency. Keep checking your emails regularly, including your junk mail or spam folder. If short-listed, please respond promptly by completing the interview reply form that will be provided.
1-20 December 2021
For courses starting in October 2022, admissions interviews will be held online and are expected to take place in December 2021 (exact dates for your subject will be confirmed in due course). A provisional timetable can be found on the University website.
11 January 2022
Selections decisions will be posted out by hard copy letter to all applicants on 10 January and so will reach the majority of applicants on 11 January. We are not able to notify you by telephone or email. Candidates outside of the UK may email Magdalen’s Admissions Office to request a scanned copy of their letter.
Feedback to applicants
At the end of the admissions exercise it is the normal practice of the College to send a letter to your referee commenting generally on the overall admissions process. Unsuccessful candidates who wish to obtain specific feedback should ask their referee to contact the Tutor for Admissions at Magdalen College by email (admissions@magd.ox.ac.uk) requesting feedback. We will need written confirmation from you stating that you have given them permission to ask for the information. Mature applicants may contact the College directly without going via their referee. Feedback requests submitted in December will be dealt with in January, once the admissions process is complete. The deadline for submitting a feedback request for the 2021/22 admissions cycle is 15 February 2022. For general guidance on admissions decisions feedback, please see the University website.
