The Oxford Internet Institute is a multidisciplinary research and teaching department of the University of Oxford. Our faculty have expertise spanning a wide range of interrelated social, economic, political, legal, industrial, technical and ethical issues of the Internet.
Recognised students have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities and will participate in and contribute to the collaborative research culture of the Oxford Internet Institute in consultation with their advisor. They may wish to engage with researchers in their field, attend events such as open seminars, workshops and informal gatherings, or assist a research group or lab.
In many cases, there will be opportunities for research collaboration, although this is decided separately between you and your advisor or other members of the Oxford Internet Institute’s faculty.
Recognised students will be expected to attend the Oxford Internet Institute’s DPhil Seminars which meet weekly (8 times) during term time. You will be given the opportunity to present your work for feedback and get to meet the Oxford Internet Institute’s doctoral students
Recognised students are also able to audit classes and seminars offered as part of the our MSc programmes, with the permission of the course convenor concerned and the Director of Graduate Studies. Note that different course convenors will have different requirements for auditing students, ranging from an expectation to keep up with the class readings to an expectation of the completion of all formative (non-marked) work in the class. Recognised students auditing classes will not receive any formal course credit, and are not expected to submit summative (marked) work. Note that most classes are offered during Michaelmas and Hilary Terms, with only a limited number of options available in Trinity Term or over the summer period.
As part of the Recognised Student Programme, each student will have an Academic Advisor who will play a key role introducing them to relevant opportunities within the Oxford Internet Institute and the University of Oxford.
Although the Advisor will not provide formal supervision on their thesis, they will meet at least twice termly with the recognised student, to discuss their research and provide advice on relevant events and other research activities. The academic advisor will also introduce the visitor to faculty members and other relevant contacts.
In addition to the support of an Academic Advisor, visitors will be provided with a University card, University email, printing services, and a work space with IT facilities in the department. They will also be able to access Oxford’s world-class library resources during their stay.
Recognised students are also able to attend seminars and events hosted by the department. Access to course-specific classes will be at the discretion of the course convenor and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. Please note that recognised students would normally take no more than 1-3 classes or modules at any one time.
The recognised student fees can be found on the University’s Recognised student fees page.
This covers the cost of the access to the University facilities and the cost of the guidance provided by your Academic Advisor. Tuition fees do not include college fees (as you will not be affiliated with any college), accommodation, or other course and maintenance fees. Fees must be paid within fourteen days of the start of each term and failure to do so will result in the cancellation of your admission. You may pay for more than one term at a time if you wish.
To start the application process, first read the university’s Recognised Student Guidance Notes, and identify an Academic Advisor from amongst the faculty at Oxford Internet Institute eligible to supervise doctoral work. Applicants should contact their proposed advisor in the first instance to gauge their interest in supporting your application. We suggest sending them a short paragraph describing your research interests to start the conversation.
Once you have identified an Academic Advisor at Oxford Internet Institute and obtained their confirmed strong support for your application, please follow the instructions below. Further details can be found on the University’s Recognised Students – Applying page.
Recognised Students are required to pay an application fee of £50. This should be paid via the University of Oxford Online Stores prior to submitting your application.
In some circumstances, the application fee can be waived: If you are resident in a country on the list of eligible low-income countries and you are not able to pay the application fee, you can request a waiver of this fee within the application form. Your application will not be considered unless you have paid the application fee or been granted a fee waiver. After you have submitted an application your application fee cannot be refunded, even if you decide to withdraw it later or if it is not accepted.
The application requires the following documents to be submitted:
Items 2-5 must be uploaded through the Visiting and Recognised Students document portal.
You must also send the following directly to [email protected]:
Applicants may be requested to attend an interview, which can be held in person or via Teams/Zoom/Skype or telephone.
If the Oxford Internet Institute is able to support your application, and has an Academic Advisor available to provide appropriate supervision during your proposed visit, you will receive a formal offer letter specifying the terms for which you have been admitted, as well as a University Card Form. This should be completed and returned to the Card Office indicated on the form before you arrive at Oxford.
If you are an overseas student, you will need to start applying for your visa as soon as you receive your offer letter. On your request, we will arrange for a Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) number to be provided to you.
It is recommended that for detailed information about Student Visas and Student Visitor Visas, you consult the UK Border Agency website.
Finally, in line with requirements from the UK Border Agency, you must have your passport scanned when you report to the Student Information & Advisory Service on your arrival. If applicable, you should also ensure that you register with the police.
Please note, whether you are studying under a Student Visa or the short-term student route, you cannot apply for a visa from within the UK and so cannot extend your period of study.
Recognised student visitors may apply to join the department for a minimum of one term and a maximum of three terms. The timing of visits is an important consideration, as the atmosphere of the department changes across the academic year.
Applicants should time their visit to coincide with one of Oxford’s three terms, as colleagues are more likely to be available during these times. Oxford University terms are referred to as Michaelmas Term, Hilary Term, and Trinity Term and last eight weeks each.
Visitors who wish to participate in a full calendar of events and other similar research activities should aim to visit in Michaelmas or Hilary Terms.
Conversely, if you are looking for a quieter working environment, Trinity term may be preferred. It is important to note that less supervision will be available over the long summer vacation due to the travel demands that frequently take faculty outside of Oxford.
Recognised Students can apply to stay for one, two or three terms.
Applications can be submitted one, two or three terms in advance of the intended start date (e.g. the January deadline considers students wishing to join from Trinity Term, Michaelmas Term or Hilary Term the following year.)
Applications will be considered on a termly basis after the relevant deadline has passed.
| Deadline | Applications accepted for |
| Friday 18 July 2025 | Hilary 2026 starts, (we are not accepting students for a Michaelmas 2025 start) |
| Friday 17 October 2025 | Hilary 2026, or Trinity 2026 starts |
| Friday 23 January 2026 | Trinity 2026, Michaelmas 2026 and Hilary 2027 starts. |
It is your responsibility to check how long it will take to obtain a visa in your country and to plan the submission of your application accordingly. You should ensure that the start of your stay corresponds with the start date of any particular academic term. Further advice on visas can be found on the central university’s Student Visa page or from [email protected].
Please note that it is not possible to be admitted as a recognised student if you have already been matriculated as a member of the University of Oxford.
Please contact email [email protected] for any questions on appropriate deadlines depending on the term(s) you’d like to join.
The following OII faculty members are eligible to supervise DPhil students. Please note that it is the prospective student’s responsibility to ensure that a prospective supervisor provides their approval before the application can be considered.
If you are an international student, then you have two options for visa entry into the UK.
Option 1: Come to the UK on a Visitors visa
Option 2: Apply for a Student visa
Further information can be found on the university’s Visas and immigration pages.
