Starting in 1999-2000, we will be able to recommend a larger number of excellent students for Visiting Student places in several colleges of Oxford University.
We now work with over eight Oxford Colleges (including some of the modern colleges) to recommend highly qualified students for Visiting Student places, which include almost all University privileges.
The Oxford Colleges vary in their interests. Some prefer science applicants and some prefer students in other subjects.
The minimum admission standard varies from 3.3 to 3.6.
Magdalen College, Oxford, has recently decided to consider a small number of highly qualified students recommended by WISC for Visiting Student places in the 1999-2000 academic year.
I must stress that we can only recommend students; admission is always entirely the responsibility of the Oxford college.
Applicants should have completed two years of university with a minimum GPA of 3.6; in practice, given the competition among excellent students for the scarce places, successful candidates will probably come from the best U.S. colleges and have GPAs above 3.8 with exceptional recommendations.
Although applicants for the academic year will be given preference, the college is aware that some students are only able to study abroad for one term, therefore, a few one-term applicants will be considered.
The Academic Supervisor for these Visiting Students is the immediate past Vice President of Magdalen College, Derek Robinson, CBE, a senior fellow in Economics. As a very experienced scholar, former Vice President Robinson will be able to persuade some of the best teachers around Oxford University to tutor these students. He will ensure that these Visiting Students are taught in the normal way by the same highly qualified tutors who teach degree candidates.
Magdalen is generally regarded as one of the three grand colleges of Oxford, the others being Christ Church and New College (where WISC also has a long-standing arrangement).
It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester and later Lord High Chancellor of England. Magdalen has 407 undergraduates and 144 graduates and is one of the largest colleges in Oxford.
According to the Oxford Handbook (written by students), "Magdalen's deserved reputation for beauty is accompanied by a general atmosphere of tolerance. With the deer park and extensive grounds, Magdalen provides a tranquil and romantic background to a very high standard of academic achievement".
Although more traditional than most colleges, Magdalen has a reputation for friendliness and a laid-back ethos.
There is a room named after Oscar Wilde, a former student of Magdalen. Edward Gibbon, King Edward VIII, several Commonwealth Prime Ministers, U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter and many leaders in many fields were also alumni.
Magdalen has one other significant arrangement with a U.S. educational institution, it regularly accepts a small group of Associate Students from Stanford University.
I must stress again that the various formal and informal relationships that we have here in Oxford permit us to recommend a certain number of students each term or year. There is absolutely no guarantee that a particular Oxford college will accept a particular student, no matter how qualified.
The colleges we are working with (including three of the newer Colleges) naturally wish to have a choice of a good number of highly qualified applicants with GPAs ranging from 3.3 to 3.6 and up before they make their final selection. Applicants for Visiting Student places must also be approved by the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office; all this takes time. Visiting Students have almost all the privileges of degree candidates in University facilities (lectures, libraries, etc.) as well as college privileges and therefore must be approved by the University authorities.
Our normal application form will do in the first instance (photocopies may be made) and students should write that they wish to apply for a Visiting Student place. In April, if it seems likely, after informal soundings, that an Oxford college will be able to accept a student, we will send him or her the Oxford application forms. Two letters of recommendation and a sample of written work will be required. We will pay the 10 pounds sterling application fee to make it easier for students.
The accepted student will receive a letter from the Oxford College admitting him or her as a Visiting Student of the college who will also be a registered Visiting Student of Oxford University.
Such registered students as these have almost full University privileges (they pay a University fee of about 3,500 pounds sterling a year). Most importantly, they have full use of the main University library and all the faculty libraries ▄ on the same basis as the degree candidates. Registered students are also welcome to attend all University lectures and seminars (except for a few that are restricted to certain graduate students, etc). In addition, these students receive an academic record directly from their Oxford college. We expect that some of the colleges with which we are working will be able to accommodate science students and arrange laboratory use, if given sufficient notice. There would be an extra laboratory fee, in the area of a few hundred pounds.
This would mean that a Visiting Student could properly earn 13 U.S. semester credits over 12-13 weeks of intensive academic work; very experienced tutors tell me that the mostly British degree candidates spend at least 39 weeks a year in academic work including reading in the vacations, etc. That means that about half the "vacation time" is devoted to guided study.
Students who initially apply through WISC will have 13 weeks of housing per term (nine months for the academic year) and at least 12 weeks of academic work each term (two primary courses of 9 tutorials each). Single room, city centre housing with British students is always included (some college rooms may be available); we do not charge for meals; students pay the colleges directly for what they actually eat, about $800 over 12 weeks (Dining halls vary in the times that they are open).
In 1999-2000, for one term (13 weeks of housing and academic work - 13 U.S. semester credits recommended) our fees will be $15,800. Dates of residence: September 28th to December 23rd, 1999 (Fall); January 4th to April 4th, 2000 (Winter); April 11th to July 10th, 2000 (Spring).
For two terms (usually Winter/Spring) (26 weeks of housing and academic work - 26 U.S. semester credits recommended) our fees will be $26,800. Dates of residence: January 4th, 2000 to July 10th, 2000 (Winter/Spring).
For the academic year (9 months of housing and at least 38 weeks of academic work - 36 U.S. semester credits recommended) our fees will be $35,800. Dates of residence: September 28th, 1999 to July 10th, 2000. (Vacation housing included).
Phone: 011 44 1865 201132
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E-mail us at wiscox@earthdome.com.