Mathematics and Statistics

The Department of Statistics at Oxford is an exciting and dynamic place to study, with teaching and research strengths in a wide range of modern areas of statistical science. Many of its academic staff work in the development of fundamental statistical methodology and probability. There is a strong new research group working on statistical machine learning and scalable methods for Big Data. The department’s world-leading team working on population genetics and evolution applied new statistical methods to huge genetic data sets to unlock the secrets of human genetic variation and disease. Other groups work on applied probability, network analysis, and medical, actuarial and financial applications. These interests are reflected in the lecture courses available to undergraduates in their third and fourth years.

In recent years, 96% of Mathematics and Statistics graduates were in work or study six months after graduation. The majority have joined the insurance and financial services professions, but there are a wide range of options for graduates whose studies have included a substantial amount of statistics and applied probability. There is great demand for those wishing to work in the relatively new area of data science, whilst careers in fields as diverse as health, technology, education and industry are all possible.

The first year of this course is identical to Mathematics, and the core mathematics part of the degree is completed in the first term of the second year. Mathematics and Statistics students also follow second-year courses in probability and statistics, and the remainder of the second year allows for some choice of topics in preparation for the greater selectivity of the third and fourth years. In the first two years it is usually straightforward to move between the Mathematics course and the Mathematics and Statistics course, subject to the availability of space on the course and to the consent of your college.

There are two Mathematics and Statistics degrees, the three-year BA and the four-year MMath. You will not be asked to choose between the degrees until you are in your third year. All third-and fourth-year mathematical topics available in the Mathematics course are also available to Mathematics and Statistics students. The fourth year is, naturally, more challenging and it provides an opportunity for more in-depth study, including a substantial Statistics project.

• Attestat o Srednam Obrazovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) would not be sufficient for candidates to make a competitive application. If your qualification is listed as being insufficient to make a competitive application to Oxford, then you will need to undertake further study if you wish to apply.You could take British A-levels (the British Council may know where you can take A-levels in your country), the International Baccalaureate (IB), or any other qualifications listed as acceptable on this page. The first year of a bachelor's degree from another university could also be an acceptable alternative.
• IELTS: overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components)
• TOEFL (paper-based): overall score of 600 with a Test of Written English score of 5.5
• TOEFL (internet-based): overall score of 110 with component scores of at least: Listening 22, Reading 24, Speaking 25, and Writing 24.
• Cambridge English: Advanced, also known as the Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): grade A if taken before January 2015, or a score of at least 185.
• Cambridge English: Proficiency, also known as the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): grade B if taken before January 2015, or a score of at least 185.
• English Language GCSE, or O-level: grade B (for IGCSE, please see below)
• International Baccalaureate Standard Level (SL): score of 5 in English (as Language A or B)
• European Baccalaureate: score of 70% in English.

Scholarships

Hill Foundation Scholarship

Russian nationals wishing to study for a second undergraduate degree. Application deadline: 12 noon (UK time) on 15 February 2017

Palgrave Brown Scholarship

Students must be ordinarily resident in and/or educated in the following countries:

Albania; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Estonia; Georgia; Hungary; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyz Rep.; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia;  Moldova; Montenegro; Poland; Romania; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan. Application deadline: 12 noon (UK time) on 15 February 2017