International Students

The International Student Advisory Service (ISAS) sends all international students a 'pre-arrival guide' to help prepare you for study in the UK. It also contains full information on accommodation and a booking form. Staff from the International Office and Business School make regular visits overseas and we encourage you to make contact with us if we are attending an educational fair in your country. You can find out if we are due to come to your country by visiting the Overseas Visits page.

If your first language is not English, you must show the University that your level of English is high enough to study at postgraduate level. In addition to the academic entry qualifications, you must have one of the following or equivalent qualifications:

• British Council IELTS: normally 6.5 and a minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing;
• TOEFL score of 575 paper-based (233 computer-based, 90 internet-based) or above.

English language requirements for the MBA vary from those quoted above. Please check individual programme pages for details.

An administrator will advise you on other acceptable alternatives.

If you are a national of a country which is not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland you will need to have permission to come to the UK as a student. Find out more about visas and immigration here.

If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the specific entry requirements of your chosen course, the Business School works closely with Oxford Brookes International. We offer a wide range of pre-sessional (or longer) courses, including a Summer School, which majors on English language and study skills. Programme Administrators will advise you. For further details, please click here.

International students are eligible for University accommodation providing they apply before the deadlines set by the Admissions Office. Accommodation for married couples is limited, therefore contact the Accommodation Office as early as possible. Catered accommodation is available on the Wheatley Campus but the majority of accommodation (self-catered or catered) can be found on, and adjacent to, the Headington Campus.

The Brookes Bus links all the University Campuses. For further information, please visit www.brookes.ac.uk/accommodation. Programme Administrators will be happy to advise you.

In addition to your tuition fees, you should allow a minimum of £10,000 for the cost of your accommodation and food for a year of study. Expenses for students living outside University halls of residence may be as much as 20% higher. The latest information on tuition fees and accommodation costs are on the website and are available from Programme Administrators.

The University offers an on-site medical centre and dental service. As an international student you will be entitled to receive general medical care under the National Health Service (NHS), provided you register with a UK doctor. Care includes free visits to the doctor but there will be charges for medical prescription items, dental treatment, eye tests and glasses. We advise you to obtain medical insurance for expenses not covered by the NHS.

Full-time master's degree programmes will require you to study outside of lectures and seminars. The current legal position on finding employment while studying is as follows:

• If you are a student from within the European Economic Area (EEA) you can work in the UK without any restrictions;
• If you are a non-EEA student you may work up to 20 hours per week during semesters and full-time during the vacations, unless you have a stamp in your passport which prohibits you from working.

For further information and to confirm your status to work please check the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

The UK Border Agency now operates a points-based system when assessing applications to work in the UK from people outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). A specific category exists for post-study workers, which replaces the previous International Graduate Scheme (IGS).

Postgraduate programmes are normally taught during the two semesters of one academic year, followed by the completion of a dissertation during the summer. You should therefore plan to spend approximately one complete calendar year in Oxford.