oxford math phd admission

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DPhil in Statistics

The Department of Statistics admits doctoral students each year to a programme of instruction and research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Statistics degree. A doctorate normally requires between three and four years of full-time study. 

In the DPhil in Statistics, you will investigate a particular project in depth and write a thesis which makes a significant contribution to the field.   It can be in any of the subject areas for which supervision is available.

The Department of Statistics in the University of Oxford is a world leader in research in probability, bioinformatics, mathematical genetics and statistical methodology, including computational statistics and machine learning. Much of the department’s research is either explicitly interdisciplinary or draws its motivation from application areas, ranging from biology and physics to the social sciences.

You will be assigned a named supervisor or supervisors, who will have overall responsibility for the direction of your work on behalf of the department. You will have the opportunity to interact with fellow students and other members of your research groups, and more widely across the department. Typically, as a research student, you should expect to have meetings with your supervisor or a member of the supervisory team with a frequency of at least once every two weeks averaged across the year. The regularity of these meetings may be subject to variations according to the time of the year, and the stage that you are at in your research programme.

There are formal assessments of progress on the research project at around 12 to 15 months and at around 30 to 36 months. These assessments involve the submission of written work and oral examination.

The final thesis is normally submitted for examination during the fourth year and is followed by the viva examination.

You will be expected to acquire transferable skills as part of your training, and to undertake a total of 100 hours broadening training outside your specialist area. Part of that broadening training is obtained through APTS, the Academy for PhD Training in Statistics; this is a joint venture with a group of leading university statistics departments which runs four weeks of appropriate courses a year. You will give a research presentation or prepare a research poster each year in the department.

Our research students are actively involved in a lively academic community by means of seminars, lectures, journal clubs, working groups and social events. They receive training in modern probability, stochastic processes, statistical methodology, computational methods and transferable skills, in addition to specialised topics relevant to specific application areas. In particular, a broad structured programme of training in modern statistical methodology is available via courses in the Academy for Postgraduate Training in Statistics (APTS), of which the Department is a founding member.

Information about application deadlines, entry requirements and funding are available from the DPhil in Statistics prospectus page on the University of Oxford website.

Research Areas

Supervisors for DPhil projects are listed below, with links to the research group page.

Computational Statistics and Machine Learning

Supervisor: Professor François Caron Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Machine Learning, Statistical Network Analysis, Bayesian Nonparametrics.

Supervisor: Professor Mihai Cucuringu Development and mathematical & statistical analysis of algorithms that extract information from massive noisy data sets. Computationally-hard inverse problems on large graphs with applications in machine learning. Spectral and semidefinite programming algorithms with application to ranking, clustering, group synchronization, phase unwrapping. Network analysis: community and core-periphery structure, network time series. Statistical analysis of financial data, statistical arbitrage, limit order books, risk models.

Supervisor: Professor George Deligiannidis Computational statistics, in particular theory and methodology for Monte Carlo methods, especially MCMC and SMC for high-dimensional targets; limit theorems and convergence rates for Markov chains and stochastic processes in general; random walks.

Supervisor: Professor Arnaud Doucet Possible research areas: Bayesian Computation, Monte Carlo methods, Statistical Machine Learning.

Supervisor: Professor Patrick Rebeschini Investigation of fundamental principles in high-dimensional probability, statistics and optimisation to design computationally efficient and statistically optimal algorithms for machine learning.

Supervisor: Professor Yee Whye Teh Machine learning. Probabilistic modelling, learning and inference.

Econometrics and Population Statistics

Supervisor: Professor Mihai Cucuringu Development and mathematical & statistical analysis of algorithms that extract information from high-dimensional noisy data sets, network time series, and certain computationally-hard inverse problems on large graphs. Particular areas of focus include statistical arbitrage, machine-learning for asset pricing, lead-lag detection, market microstructure, limit order books, synthetic data generation, as well as nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques for high-dimensional time series data.

Supervisor: Professor Frank Windmeijer Causal Inference, Instrumental Variables Estimation (instrument selection using machine learning, weak instrument robust inference, bootstrap), Mendelian Randomisation.

Probability

Supervisor: Professor Julien Berestycki Branching processes, branching random walks, coalescence, fragmentation, population genetics, reaction-diffusion equations, front propagation, random trees.

Supervisor: Professor Alison Etheridge Stochastic analysis, especially problems related to stochastic modelling in population genetics.

Supervisor: Professor Christina Goldschmidt Research area: random discrete structures (eg trees and graphs) and their scaling limits.

Supervisor: Professor James Martin Probability theory, with strong links to statistical physics and theoretical computer science. Particular interests include: random graphs; interacting particle systems; models of random growth and percolation; models of coagulation and fragmentation; queueing networks.

Supervisor: Professor Gesine Reinert Investigation of networks such as protein-protein interaction networks and social networks in a statistically rigorous fashion. Often this will require some approximation, and approximations in statistics are another of my research interests. There is an excellent method to derive distances between the distributions of random quantities, namely Stein’s method, and I am interested in Stein’s method also from a theoretical viewpoint. The general area of my research falls under the category Applied Probability and many of the problems and examples I study are from the area of Computational Biology.

Supervisor: Professor David Steinsaltz Random dynamical systems, particularly with applications to population ecology. Evolutionary and biodemographic models of ageing.

Supervisor: Professor Matthias Winkel Probability and stochastic processes, in particular problems involving branching processes, Levy processes, fragmentation processes, random tree structures.

Protein Informatics

Supervisor: Professor Charlotte Deane Developing novel methodologies to understand and predict protein evolution, interaction, structure and function.

Supervisor: Professor Garrett Morris Developing novel therapeutics and improving our understanding of living systems at the molecular level, in particular methods development in computer-aided drug discovery. Harnessing the increasing amounts of experimental data, and the development of novel algorithms in chemoinformatics and bioinformatics, machine learning, network pharmacology, and structural biology, to help solve real-world drug discovery problems.

Oxford Protein Informatics Group

Statistical Genetics and Epidemiology

Supervisor: Professor Christl Donnelly Epidemiology of infectious disease; Real-time analysis of outbreaks; Biostatistics; Disease ecology; Applied statistics.

Supervisor: Professor Jotun Hein Algorithms in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Stochastic Models of Genealogies and Sequence Evolution, Mathematical Models of the Origin of Life, Stochastic Models of Network Evolution, Genome Analysis

Supervisor: Professor Simon Myers Statistical and population genomics (fine-scale population structure and migrations, recombination, natural selection on complex traits, association testing, demographic history), statistical approaches for single-cell data (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq), genetic determinants of speciation and fertility in mammals.

Supervisor: Professor Pier Palamara Computational methods for population genetics (natural selection, demographic history); statistical genetics (complex trait heritability, association); scalable methods for large genomic data sets.

Statistical Theory and Methodology

Supervisor:  Professor Robin Evans Graphical models; Causal inference; Marginal modelling; Combining causal information from different experimental settings; Confounding and selection bias; High-dimensional model selection, and low dimensional model selection in the presence of high-dimensional confounders.

Supervisor:  Professor Geoff Nicholls Applied Bayesian Statistics and Statistical Methods, focusing on building and fitting models for complex stochastic systems. Computational Statistics, in particular Monte Carlo Algorithms. Current projects: Multiple imputation and model misspecification; Monte Carlo filtering and inference for partial orders from rank data; Spatial Statistics and the location of texts; Phylogenetic inference for cultural traits.

Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Queries about the DPhil in Statistics or MSc by Research in Statistics should be sent to [email protected]

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Thank you, your report has been submitted. We will deal with the issue as soon as possible. If you have any questions or would like to receive a follow-up, please send an email to [email protected] .

oxford math phd admission

University of Oxford

Undergraduate  .

1 in 7 undergraduate applicants received an offer in 2021/22.

Postgraduate taught

3 in 10 postgraduate taught applicants received an offer in 2019/20.

Undergraduate Programs with at least 15 applications

Most competitive among programs with at least 5 offers, least competitive  , most applications  , fewest applications  , postgraduate taught programs with at least 15 applications, postgraduate research programs with at least 15 applications, data sources.

  • Undergraduate admissions statistics . University of Oxford.
  • FOI Request by B.H. Crozier. January 2018.
  • Graduate admissions statistics . University of Oxford.
  • FOI Request by KAI CHEN. November 2019.

The acceptance rate , or offer rate, represents the fraction of applicants who received an offer. Note that this will be generally lower the acceptances rates (acceptances divided by applicants) published by many other sources. This article explains it in more detail. The acceptances generally indicate the number of offer holders who accepted the offer and fulfilled its conditions. For some universities, however, it denotes the number of applicants who accepted the offer, regardless of whether they subsequently met its conditions.

Data Reliability

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented comes from the universities and is generally reliable. However, some of the differences between years and/or courses may be due to different counting methodologies or data gathering errors. This may especially be the case if there is a sharp difference from year to year. If the data does not look right, click the "Report" button located near the top of the page.

Is PhD for me

Is PhD for me

What does it take to get into an Oxford PhD?

First, to get into an Oxford PhD (DPhil) you are at least expected to have (a) 1st Class or Summa Cum Laude master’s or bachelor’s degree. Second, you need a unique and convincing (b) research proposal as well as a (c) personal statement. Finally, you need to get a (d) prospective DPhil supervisor’s support for your application.

Table of Contents

Why does oxford call phd a dphil, what is required to be a phd student at oxford, how competitive is oxford phd, is it worth doing a phd at oxford, how long does a phd at oxford take, faqs: what does it take to get into an oxford phd.

While the acceptance rate as well as the official entry requirements at Oxford DPhil program pages may seem modest, the high competition can make the admission process harder than you think.

Furthermore, securing external funding prior to your DPhil application may support your application among other things that increase your chances to get a funded PhD in the UK.

Simply put, a DPhil is the same as a PhD. Just like any UK PhD it involves the completion of an original and unique thesis and viva before a team of examiners who rate your work and thesis at the end of your DPhil.

The Difference between DPhil and a regular UK PhD is the introduction of Probationer Research Student (PRS) status for DPhil students. A probationary research student needs to prove her ability to pursue independent research.

A probationary period, although not named as one, is also implemented in various other schools in the UK.

Universities like LSE and Imperial College both require you to complete a research master’s before embarking on a PhD journey. So besides the Probationer Research Student (PRS) designation, the idea is not unique to Oxford.

The general criteria to get promoted from Probationer Research Student (PRS) to a DPhil student is to pass initial exams and submit a unique research proposal worthy of Oxford DPhil standard.

Overall, Oxford uses this phase of Probationer Research Student (PRS) to ensure your potential to complete the DPhil program.

100 years ago the Oxford philosophy tutor at St John’s, Sidney Ball, suggested a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil). Its still the same thing which German researchers named as PhD. 100 years of the DPhil

Besides DPhil, Oxford also offered various doctoral training programs (1 yr research master + 3 years of independent research thesis project) in collaboration with other universities & industry partners.

To be eligible for a Oxford DPhil you need

  • A relevant master’s degree with much higher grades than normally required for a UK PhD admission . A CGPA of above 3.5 out of 4 in an American grading system is considered good for this.
  • You can also apply after a 4-year undergraduate degree , however, you need outstanding grades and maybe some research acumen for such consideration. Outstanding grades at Oxford mean that you have got a CGPA of 3.7 or above when measuring on a scale of 4 in an American grading system.

If you are seeking country-specific DPhil requirements to accurately measure your grades you can look at the types of qualifications and grades from countries outside the UK .

If you need further details on international equivalences you can read my post on what are the requirements for PhD in the UK .

DPhil just after a 4-year Bachelor’s degree

Yes, if you are an outstanding student both in your grades and accomplishments e.g., research experience you got a good shot at getting into the Oxford DPhil, even without a master’s degree.

Later, like everyone else, you need to prove your potential as a Probationer Research Student (PRS) to get promoted to the DPhil program.

If you successfully pass the Probationer Research Student (PRS) stage then you are equally likely to complete your DPhil as those who already have a master’s before joining the DPhil program at Oxford.

Research Proposal and Personal Statement

The most important part of your DPhil, and of course PhD, the application is a research proposal and your personal statement.

It would be best if you need to convince the hiring committee that your research as well as personal goals align with the mission of the research group you are intended to join at Oxford.

A good research proposal is highlighted by most PhD supervisors (70%) in the UK and many also indicated the importance of the overall quality of your application.

Moreover, the alignment with supervisors’ own research (60%) and the applicant’s ability to contribute to the field (60%) was highly mentioned by the UK PhD supervisors in a recent UK research & supervision survey .

“Originality for me probably, it has to be something that hasn’t been fully done before so there is really a need for that particular topic”. Arts & Humanities, Russell Group, West Midlands, Late career

Publications

Officially every DPhil course requirement page says that publications are not required but recommended. I will add that they are strongly recommended.

Why publications are needed? They are the only thing that proves your familiarity with the process of conducting and publishing peer-reviewed research. Sometimes the conference papers also help in demonstrating your understanding of the research process.

If you have publications in a respected journal and your research proposal question for the DPhil aligns with your previous published work then you really are in a sweet spot.

What if you do not have publications? Now you are competing against other applicants who may come with publications.

This is why a gap year is advised before any PhD or DPhil application.

However, if you do not have publications then you need to put forward other proofs demonstrating your ability to complete independent projects and overcome challenges.

Remember: Many candidates with no peer-reviewed publications receive Oxford DPhil offers each year.

Pre-DPhil Research Experience

I have discussed in the post what top UK universities look for in PhD applicants.

However to summarize it here any experience in or outside academia that aligns with your intended research topic and the prospective research supervisor can strengthen your application.

Graduate Tests

GRE and GMAT scores are required for many DPhil programs e.g., DPhil in Finance, Management, etc.

On the other hand, GRE scores are not required and simply cannot support your application.

This may be due to the fact that GRE tests you on specific criteria and many research areas may emphasize more their subject-related knowledge.

Oxford application guidelines clearly state that “your application should only include documents that are required or recommended for your course.” Otherwise, they are unnecessary and will be ignored completely.

Language Tests

If you are a non-native English speaker then you may need to prove your language proficiency with various accepted tests at Oxford.

Oxford DPhil usually requires an overall 7.5 on IELTS and 110 on TOEFL. You can check your program specifications from the course-specific page on Oxford’s website.

How smart do I need to be to be accepted as a PhD student to Oxford or Cambridge?

PhD more about persistence and tenacity than smartness. However, for an institution like Oxford, you may need to go the extra mile in your DPhil application.

  • You need to demonstrate that you have the ability to execute long term research projects
  • You need to show the ability that you can work with minimal supervision.
  • Your previous works, research projects, and internships are aligned with the specific research question you are trying to address for your thesis project.
  • You must be able to convince your prospective supervisor and the hiring committee that you are really interested in a research career.
  • You must exemplify that you are able to question your own thinking. Make sure to use the word “however” as much as you can when writing your research proposal.
  • Most importantly, you should exhibit in your DPhil interview that you are the person who can contribute to their research group.

Oxford DPhil is quite competitive with an acceptance rate of around 16% (1780 acceptances for postgraduate research positions out of 10,890 applications in the 2020-21 entry).

The competition gets brutal when the acceptance rate drops to around 12.7 % when it comes to the doctoral training center for mathematical, physical, and life science and 8% when we look at the doctoral training center for medical sciences.

You can check the subject vise detail and level of competence in the graduate admission statistics sheet for the 2020-21 entry .

To give you a perspective many top graduate schools in the US have lower acceptance rates than 10%.

Is it hard to get into a PhD at Oxford?

Oxford DPhil admission looks brutal when we see the high number of applications i.e., 10,890 in 2020-21 entry, and such low numbers of acceptances e.g., 1780 for the respective year.

However, Oxford research postgraduate degrees admission (with around 16% acceptance rate) does not come out more competitive or hard than other UK institutions which may or may not have a history and standing like Oxford.

Therefore, while I admit that getting into an Oxford DPhil is really challenging I won’t say that getting into an Oxford PhD (DPhil) is harder than other top UK institutions.

What does it take to get into an Oxford PhD? Stats for how competitive a DPhil at Oxford is. Is it hard to get into a PhD at Oxford?

Oxford’s Master’s or DPhil

The Probationer Research Student (PRS) comes in handy when it comes to assessing the potential for success of a DPhil student.

You are usually granted two chances to apply for DPhil when you are a Probationer Research Student (PRS). If you prove that you have passed the criteria set for DPhil promotion then you can go for D Phil.

If you struggle to pass the examinations or provide a research proposal worthy of DPhil research then the assessing committee may decide to let you leave with a Master’s degree (MLitt or the MSc by Research).

Yes, its totally worth it. Any body will encourage you to pursue a PhD at such institution.

However, when wise PhD (DPhil) applicants are thinking about doing a PhD then they are not considering the brand of the university.

In fact, they try to filter the institutions based on their research area, research question, and prospective PhD supervisor’s research alignment with their research interests.

Plus, a more prudent move for a PhD applicant is to consider the personality match as well as the research group match for better PhD experience and growth.

Thus, your interest in learning from a researcher who is working at Oxford and your research topic match is much more significant than the overall worth of an Oxford brand.

That said, an Oxford DPhil is likely to impress people more if you are far from Oxford. At Oxford, you will be like everybody else which may lead to self-deprecation.

Oxford prestige works more if you get further away from it. It’s simple at Oxford everyone is like you and if you move to another country where people consider Oxford as a high-prestige institution they will appreciate your exposure to this world-class institution more.

On the other hand, if you try to stay post-DPhil at Oxford , you might need to consider the additional competition Oxford attracts even for temporary postdoc and lectureship contracts due to its prestige.

Moreover, academics usually won’t recommend you to stay at the same institutions post-PhD or Post-DPhil in our case. The reason is moving between different institutions on temporary work contracts is considered good for your initial exposure.

A DPhil is typically designed to complete in 4-years. DPhil is designed to first embark you as Probationer Research Student (PRS) where you complete (i) taught courses and (ii) draft your research proposal for the DPhil.

After completion of the Probationer Research Student (PRS) period , you are recommended by your DPhil supervisor and assessed by a committee that approves your readiness for the DPhil journey.

  • If you are promoted to DPhil then you start working on your thesis just like any UK PhD, here you are required to complete an original research project which culminates in the viva examination.
  • If you are denied then you may have to spend more time as Probationer Research Student (PRS) and then again apply for your DPhil promotion.

It is possible to complete a PhD (DPhil) at Oxford in less than 3 years

Yes, it is possible with the current DPhil format.

There are exceptional students who complete their thesis in under a year after completing the Probationer Research Student (PRS).

To complete the DPhil fast you need to be extremely laser-focused on what you are trying to accomplish in your thesis and have a little bit of luck too.

Can one obtain a joint DPhil at Oxford – a doctorate from two different departments?

You can pursue interdisciplinary research at the DPhil level, however, it’s not called a joint degree.

Instead, these days many DPhil students work with academics of two or more departments due to the interdisciplinary nature of their research question.

This means they are mentored by two professors with different areas of research. Interdisciplinary research is appreciated when you look for jobs post-DPhil.

How much does Oxford Pay you as a PhD stipend?

An Oxford PhD stipend may not be higher than a typical UK PhD stipend.

UK PhD stipend after a recent increase is considered enough by many students while still considered low by others .

However, the situation may vary due to different types of grants. You may get paid more if your research project is financed by an industry employer who is willing to pay more.

That said, an Oxford DPhil stipend or stipend of any UK PhD may not be the highest PhD stipend in the world. Therefore, if you are deciding to pursue a PhD at Oxford don’t get your stipend expectations high.

Can I get an Oxford PhD?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for Oxford PhD (DPhil) if you have a research masters or 4-year undergraduate diploma with distinction. Other requirements can be some research experience or publications in journals with a good reputation. English language scores are required if English is not your first language.

What is the difference between a PhD an a DPhil?

A PhD and A DPhil are the same things. There is no difference in the research thesis or viva process. However, a DPhil at Oxford requires you to complete a set of courses and develop a research proposal during Probationer Research Student (PRS) status. If you complete the requirements you are promoted and you can work on your DPhil thesis.

How do I get into Oxford University to do a DPhil degree?

Simply, you need to persuade a researcher at Oxford that your research interests and the topic for your DPhil are aligned with her. If she thinks that you are a good match then she will put a good word for you before the hiring committee when you formally apply for a DPhil degree. This recommendation by the prospective DPhil supervisor for you can really increase your chances of getting into an Oxford DPhil.

Is it difficult to get into Oxford for PhD?

Yes, Oxford DPhil admission is quite hard. Oxford looks for the s ame characteristics in PhD applicants as other top UK universities . However, considering the number of applicants who apply from all over the world and the overall acceptance rate, I won’t say that Oxford is more difficult to get into compared to other top UK or US institutions.

What is the average GPA to get into Oxford DPhil?

GPA or your previous grade is only one element, among many, when it comes to your DPhil application. Still, a minimum GPA of 3.7 out of 4.0 is written in the entry requirement for many DPhil program pages on the Oxford website.

To apply for admissions and financial aid, or for additional information on admissions requirements for the Ph.D. program in pure mathematics, please go to the appropriate Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website listed below. All other inquiries may be directed to the Graduate Program Administrator of the Mathematics Department.

  • Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS)
  • Mathematics Graduate Studies
  • Financial Support

Graduate Program Administrator

The Department values diversity among its members, is committed to building a diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

Preparing the Application The statement of purpose for graduate applications is carefully weighted by the admissions committee. The applicant’s statement should convince the committee that they are able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one’s decision to enter the field.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Letter writers should be faculty or others qualified to evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate study in mathematics. The letters must be submitted online and by the application deadline.

Applicants should include any research papers, publications, and other original works they would like to have evaluated by the admissions committee.

The department requests that applicants submit GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores if practical. Applicants should check on the ETS website for test dates in their area to ensure the scores will be submitted before the application deadline. An official score report should be sent to Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451.

While the admissions committee reviews all applications submitted before the deadline, missing math subject test scores provide one less data point available to evaluate the application. Depending on the strength of the application, the missing subject test scores may put the application at a disadvantage.

Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who do not hold an undergraduate degree from an institution at which English is the primary language of instruction must submit scores from the Internet Based Test (IBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test.

Harvard Griffin GSAS requires applicants to upload an electronic copy of undergraduate transcripts. Hard copies of official transcripts are not required at the time of application.

Ph.D. Program in Pure Mathematics The department does not grant a terminal Master’s degree, but the Master’s can be obtained “on the way” to the Ph.D. by fulfilling certain course and language exam requirements.

In general, there is no transfer status application to the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or to the Department of Mathematics. No formal credit is given for an MSc or MA earned elsewhere. All applicants are considered to be applying as first-year graduate students. The only difference Master’s study may make is to better prepare students for the Qualifying Exam.

All graduate students are admitted to begin their studies in the fall term. The department plans on an entering class of about twelve students. Since the admissions committee receives a few hundred applications, the competition is keen.

Funding Graduate Study Applicants are urged to apply for all funding available to them. If no outside funding is available to the applicant, financial aid in the form of scholarships, research assistantships, and teaching fellowships is available. In general, students who do not have outside support will get scholarship support in their first year, but students are required to act as a teaching fellow for one-half course (i.e. for a one-term course) in their second through fifth years.

The department strongly recommends applicants to seek out and apply for all sources of financing available to them for graduate study. Recommended sources for funding US graduate students are NSF Graduate Fellowships and NDSEG Fellowships . Applicants from the UK are urged to also apply for the Kennedy fellowships and applicants from UK, New Zealand, Canada and Australia for Knox fellowships . International students may apply for the Fullbright IIE or any home country fellowships available for study abroad.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) offers programs for both the Master’s degree and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics. Please visit the SEAS website for more information on degrees in applied mathematics at www.seas.harvard.edu

oxford math phd admission

A woman sits on the edge of her bed, resting her head in her right hand. She is wrapped in a blanket and holding a mug of tea.

Study reveals high number of persistent COVID-19 infections in the general population

A new study led by the University of Oxford has found that a high proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the general population lead to persistent infections lasting a month or more. The findings have been published today in the journal Nature .

A Covid-19 antigen test kit. A swab lies on top of a test strip (showing a negative result). The opened packet for the test is in the background.

To investigate this, the researchers used data from the Office for National Statistics Covid Infection Survey (ONS-CIS) , which tested participants approximately monthly. Of the 90,000+ participants, 3,603 provided two or more positive samples between November 2020 to August 2022 where the virus was sequenced. Of these, 381 individuals tested positive with the same viral infection over a period of a month or longer. Within this group, 54 individuals had a persistent infection which lasted at least two months. The researchers estimate that between one in a thousand to one in 200 (0.1-0.5%) of all infections may become persistent, and last for at least 60 days.

In some cases, individuals remained infected with viral variants that had gone extinct in the general population. In contrast, the researchers found that reinfection with the same variant was very rare, likely due to the host developing immunity to that variant and the variant reducing in frequency to very low levels after a few months.

Of the 381 persistent infections, 65 had three or more PCR tests taken over the course of their infection. Most (82%) of these individuals demonstrated rebounding viral dynamics, experiencing high, then low, then high viral load dynamics. According to the researchers, this demonstrates that the virus can maintain the ability to actively replicate during prolonged infections.

Our observations highlight the continuing importance of community based genomic surveillance both to monitor the emergence and spread of new variants, but also to gain a fundamental understanding of the natural history and evolution of novel pathogens and their clinical implications for patients. Co-lead author  Dr Mahan Ghafari  (Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford)

In the study, people with persistent infections were 55% more likely to report having Long-COVID symptoms more than 12 weeks since the start of the infection than people with more typical infections.

Certain individuals showed an extremely high number of mutations, including mutations that define new coronavirus variants, alter target sites for monoclonal antibodies, and introduce changes to the coronavirus spike protein. However, most individuals did not harbour a large number of mutations, suggesting that not every persistent infection will be a potential source for new concerning variants.

Co-lead author Dr Katrina Lythgoe (Department of Biology and Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford) said: ‘Although the link between viral persistence and Long Covid may not be causal, these results suggest persistent infections could be contributing to the pathophysiology of Long Covid. Indeed, many other possible mechanisms have been suggested to contribute to Long Covid including inflammation, organ damage, and micro thrombosis.’

The study ‘Prevalence of persistent SARS-CoV-2 in a large community surveillance study’ has been published in Nature .

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COMMENTS

  1. DPhil in Mathematics

    How to Apply About the course The DPhil in Mathematics is an advanced research degree which provides the opportunity to investigate a project in depth and write a thesis which makes a significant contribution in the field.

  2. Graduate admissions

    1 2 3 4 5 6 Courses Read our guide to graduate courses accepting applications in 2023-24 for entry in 2024-25. Complete courses A-Z listing Departments offering graduate courses Part-time and online study Fees and funding Information on fees, living costs, scholarships and loans and advice on finding other funding. Oxford funding External funding

  3. DPhil in Mathematics

    Key Contacts. Director of Graduate Studies (R): Prof Tom Sanders. Director of Graduate Studies (T): Prof. Christoph Reisinger. Head of Academic Administration: Charlotte Turner-Smith. Deputy Head of Academic Administration: Dave Borthwick. Graduate Studies Assistant: Rosie Lee. Please contact us with feedback and comments about this page. Last ...

  4. Postgraduate Study

    If so, apply for a PhD (or DPhil as it's known in Oxford) in Mathematics, and find out more about our research groups. Postgraduate Application Information Information about our courses and research groups, as well as some of our most commonly asked questions about funding, applications and graduate study at Oxford. Scholarships

  5. DPhil in Statistics

    The Department of Statistics in the University of Oxford is a world leader in research in probability, bioinformatics, mathematical genetics and statistical methodology, including computational statistics and machine learning. ... Queries about the DPhil in Statistics or MSc by Research in Statistics should be sent to graduate.admissions@stats ...

  6. Oxford's acceptance rate for DPhil (PhD) Mathematics

    Oxford's acceptance rate for DPhil (PhD) Mathematics University of Oxford DPhil (PhD) Mathematics 16% offer rate 1 in 6 applicants to this programme received an offer. 422 applications Data shown above is for entry in academic year 2019/20 (sources) . Previous Years Data sources FOI Request by S.H Crozier. July 2016. FOI Request by Albert Warren.

  7. University of Oxford acceptance rates, statistics and applications

    15% offer rate 1 in 7 undergraduate applicants received an offer in 2021/22. Postgraduate taught 30% offer rate 3 in 10 postgraduate taught applicants received an offer in 2019/20. Undergraduate Programs with at least 15 applications Most Competitive among programs with at least 5 offers Least Competitive Most Applications Fewest Applications

  8. DPhil (PhD) studies in Mathematical Finance @ Oxford

    Home Research Mathematical and Computational Finance @ Oxford Study with us DPhil (PhD) studies in Mathematical Finance @ Oxford Why Mathematical and Computational Finance? Research Topic and Supervisor Allocation Admissions for DPhil Funding Contact us Email: [email protected] Phone: +44 (0)1865 615234

  9. What does it take to get into an Oxford PhD? > Is PhD for me

    November 12, 2022 by Mohsin Ijaz. First, to get into an Oxford PhD (DPhil) you are at least expected to have (a) 1st Class or Summa Cum Laude master's or bachelor's degree. Second, you need a unique and convincing (b) research proposal as well as a (c) personal statement. Finally, you need to get a (d) prospective DPhil supervisor's ...

  10. Research Programmes

    Research Programmes. The Faculty of Mathematics offers three doctoral (PhD) and one MPhil research programmes. Select a course below to visit the University's Course Directory where you can read about the structure of the programmes, fees and maintenance costs, entry requirements and key deadlines. Programme. Programme.

  11. Postgraduate Study in Mathematics

    Various postgraduate courses of a mathematical nature are available at the University of Cambridge, including both taught courses and research degrees. Master of Advanced Study (MASt) / Master of Mathematics (MMath) / Part III This course, commonly referred to as Part III, is a one-year taught course in mathematics.

  12. MSc in Mathematical Sciences

    The MSc in Mathematical Sciences, known as the Oxford Master's in Mathematical Sciences (OMMS), provides a broad and flexible training in mathematical sciences and gives students with a keen interest in the mathematical sciences the chance to study a selection of interesting and varied master's-level courses.

  13. Admissions

    Graduate Program Administrator. Marjorie Bell (she/her) 617-496-5211 [email protected]. Science Center Room 331 1 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138. The Department values diversity among its members, is committed to building a diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

  14. MSc in Mathematical Sciences (OMMS)

    The admissions process opens in September of the preceding year. Applications for the MSc should be made via the University's online graduate admissions form which you can link to from the University page about the MSc in Mathematical Sciences (click on the "How to apply" tab and then on the blue "apply" button at the bottom of the page).

  15. How to apply

    The usual minimum entry requirement is a first-class honours degree, awarded after a four-year course in mathematics or mathematics-related subject, or a three-year degree together with a one-year postgraduate course on advanced mathematics or a mathematics-related subject. Part III (MMath/MASt) of the Mathematical Tripos provides such a course.

  16. Graduate Applicant Self Service

    You can access Graduate Applicant Self Service for submitted applications after you log in to the online application system: Log in for self service Frequently asked questions Viewing your submitted application Once you reach the 'My Applications' screen, click on the 'Self Service' button next to the relevant application for access.

  17. PDF Summary of the 2023/24 University of Oxford Admissions Process for the

    Mathematics Admissions Test All applicants are expected to sit the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT), or must seek permission in exceptional circumstances from the subject Admissions Coordinator to be exempted from the test. In 2023 the test date was 19 October.

  18. Study reveals high number of persistent COVID-19 ...

    Co-lead author Dr Mahan Ghafari (Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford) In the study, people with persistent infections were 55% more likely to report having Long-COVID symptoms more than 12 weeks since the start of the infection than people with more typical infections.