Graduate Study: Why Merton?

Graduate students at Merton form part of a dynamic and diverse intellectual community. In addition to great accommodation and food, they enjoy many formal and informal opportunities to interact with one another as well as with established scholars.

Research groups, such as the History of the Book and the Biomedical & Life Sciences Group provide exciting spaces for intellectual cross-pollination. Less formal conversations around College—perhaps over dinner or during a sports match—also offer graduate students unique opportunities to grow intellectually. The thriving MCR also hosts a variety of social events and opportunities for rest and relaxation.

Graduates constitute about half of the student body — a good proportion for a college which admits both undergraduates and graduates. Merton is strongly committed to providing ample opportunities for graduates to participate in, and benefit from, college life. More information about events and college life can be found on our Student Life pages.

The University's website offers a range of information about graduate life including dedicated sections about Oxford’s global reputation and quality, research, teaching, facilities, and careers and alumni. Prospective graduate applicants are welcome to visit the College – contact the Deputy Academic Registrar (Graduates)  for further information.

Academic life

• Merton has a Dean of Graduates, who is a Fellow of the College and who has overall responsibility for the academic progress and wellbeing of its postgraduate students.
• All graduates are also assigned a College Adviser who is a Fellow of the College in the same or a closely-related subject and who will monitor progress and meet them from time to time.
• There are regular academic talks bringing together the postgraduate and Senior Common Room communities, sometimes held after dinner and given by a mix of current graduates, Fellows and visitors.
• Graduates are also encouraged to join a College-based research group:
• • The History of the Book Research Group
  • The Biomedical and Life Sciences Research Group
• The College has various funds to support graduate research.
• Most subjects have a College Society to which members of all three common rooms belong. These hold an annual dinner and sometimes other events.
• The College has an annual exchange arrangement with the École Normale Supérieure, whereby Merton graduates may be provided with accommodation free of charge to pursue their studies for one or more terms in Paris. Graduates are notified by email of this opportunity in Hilary term each year.