Visiting Students

Tutors are assigned in advance of our Visiting Students arriving in Oxford. Students meet with a tutor on a regular basis, either singly or in pairs. Each student is expected to produce written work for every tutorial for which reading lists are provided. Tutorial discussion revolves around or springs from the written work. Students normally take two tutorial courses a term, a primary course of eight tutorials and a secondary course of four tutorials. It is possible to replace the secondary course with an additional primary course extending over two terms. Tutorials are supplemented by lectures. In addition to the College undergraduate library, students have full access to the University’s main research library, the Bodleian, and may have access to departmental/faculty libraries.

Applicants should select subjects according to their own preferences and the requirements of their home universities or colleges.

Lecture lists for all subjects are available on-line from the faculty for applicants to consider. They demonstrate the breadth of subjects taught at Oxford. Visiting Students are welcome to attend all lectures that are open to matriculated undergraduates. This widens the scope of study for each student and provides them with the opportunity to investigate new subjects.

At the end of each term tutors provide reports of the term’s work together with a grade calculated in accordance with normal Oxford standards. St Catherine’s College can forward these reports and grades directly to the student’s home college. St Catherine’s College does not award credits or other formal qualifications. It is the responsibility of students to make proper arrangements in advance of coming to Oxford to ensure that their home colleges award credits for the work done at St Catherine’s. (US colleges normally award one semester credit for each tutorial hour; thus students normally qualify for up to 12 semester credits for each term’s work.)

At the end of the student’s stay with us we give each student an official sealed certificate as a record of their time with us.

• A completed application form (see below) including their full name, address, date of birth, and the number of years they have attended at university/college.
• US candidates should include their GPA rating (it is unlikely that a place will be offered to anyone with a current GPA less than 3.7) and, where appropriate, SAT/ACT scores. Candidates from other countries should send an equivalent evaluation.
• A current college transcript.
• Two letters of academic recommendation.
• Two samples of written work (not more than 20 pages).
• A statement, not exceeding 200 words, of their academic goals and reasons for wishing to study at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
• A passport photo and a copy of the applicant’s passport details page.
• A tutorial preference form on which they can indicate their proposed tutorial choices of study.
• English Language Proficiency certificate (if applicable). All teaching at Oxford University is carried out in English (with the exception of some language-specific teaching) and tutors must be convinced that you have sufficient fluency in written and spoken English to cope with your course from the start. All non-native English-speaking applicants must satisfy Oxford University requirements. More information about English Language requirements can be found here. We will not make an offer until we have sufficient proof of your English language proficiency.

Visiting Students at St Catherine’s College are able to study from a wide range of subjects. Visiting students are encouraged to choose a subject that benefits them academically but is also an area of personal interest. The College would like to give applicants the opportunity to move away from your simply choosing a title from a list. Applicants should use their personal statement to describe what they are interested in studying and what they would like to academically achieve here at St Catherine’s. It would also be helpful to know how the subjects or topics the applicant wishes to study fit into their degree (if in fact they do) or whether they are taking the opportunity to study subjects because of their own interests. Either approach is equally valid but applicants are required to make sure that their home university is happy with their choices as applicants may wish to obtain academic credit for them.

To provide you with an illustration of what subjects have been taken in the past by registered visiting students please see here.

A number of faculties within Oxford publish their course and option syllabi on-line. These represent a valuable resource for those wanting to find out what might be possible to study and importantly in what terms some subjects may be taught.

Applicants are welcome to contact the Director of Studies by email so that you can correspond directly ahead of your application about subject choices.

Applicants must choose two subjects that represent their first choices and then offer two alternatives for each term.

Visiting Students are housed mainly in twin rooms in the college alongside matriculated students. The Visiting Student fees include accommodation throughout the term and in the week before and after Full Term. The rooms are provided with bedding and bed linen and a regular cleaning service. Each staircase has kitchen facilities which include a hob, fridge, microwave, kettle and small cupboard space. The fees do not cover any meal allowances. The rooms have connections for laptops as well as wireless connection.

Betty and Donald Keating Scholarship

These scholarships are a tribute to the vision and generosity of Giles Keating (St Catz 1973). They are given in honour of his parents to provide funding to allow academically outstanding students an opportunity to study at St Catherine’s as Registered Visiting Students. The fund targets those students who attend universities that demonstrate academic access to students from all sections of Indian society. The scholarship fund has enabled fifteen students over the last five years to study a variety of subjects and to enrich College life with their considerable talents.

Please see the of all the Keating Scholars who have studied at St Catherine’s.

Details of the scholarship, including how to apply, can be found here.

The Thomas and Joanne Peterson Scholarship

The Thomas and Joanne Peterson Endowed Scholarship for Dominican Scholars at Oxford was launched in 2015 at Dominican University of California. Its purpose is to open the Oxford programme to academically outstanding motivated Dominican students, regardless of their financial situations. Mr Peterson recently said “At St Catherine’s College, the Dominican students will engage with academic work in a way that is both intellectually challenging and hugely rewarding. Their experiences at Oxford will be life changing.”

Peterson Scholars who have studied at St Catherine’s College: