Hertford College is one of 45 constituent colleges and halls of Oxford University and is known for its “progressive yet friendly” atmosphere and high academic standards. Hertford College is located at the heart of the medieval university opposite the Bodleian Library. The William & Mary partnership with Hertford College offers qualified students the extraordinary possibility to study in one-on-one tutorials with faculty of one of the world's greatest universities. In addition, visiting students are considered full members of Hertford College, enjoy the same university privileges as degree-seeking students, and are encouraged to join any of the academic or social organizations that interest them. Visiting students are automatically members of the Junior Common Room, which organizes social activities, runs a wide range of sports clubs, and provides general support for the well-being of its members.
Students studying at Oxford for the Hilary and Trinity terms (January-late June) will engage in two primary tutorials with meetings once a week, and two secondary tutorials with meetings every other week. The William & Mary faculty liaison will work with students accepted to Hertford College and with the Visiting Students tutor at Hertford to select suitable topics for their tutorials and identify the faculty with whom to pair them. Tutorials are available in African Studies, Anthropology, Art History, Classical Studies, Computer Science, Development, East Asian Studies, Economics, English, European Studies, Geography, Global Studies, History, Human Science, International Relations, Linguistics, Middle Eastern Studies, Music History, Philosophy, Government, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Women’s Studies.
Hilary + Trinity term students earn 20 credits during their semester at Oxford.
Credits will appear as transfer credit on students’ William & Mary transcripts and will not be included in their GPA. Transfer credits must be pre- or post-approved.
Visiting students live "in college" at Hertford in single room accommodations.
Hertford College, University of Oxford Registered Visiting Student Program Video
November 12, 2024 Information Session Video
The W&M faculty advisor for the Hertford College (University of Oxford) sponsored semester program is Dean of Arts & Sciences Professor Suzanne Raitt.
For more information on this program and the steps to apply, please review the Steps to Study Abroad on our website.
Host Institution:
Hertford College, University of Oxford
Terms:
Hilary & Trinity: January—Late June
Application Deadlines:
January 12th of the preceding academic year (unless falls on weekend). Spring 2026 deadline: Jan. 13, 2025
Eligibility:
* Sophomore status requires approval of W&M advisor (email smmitt@wm.edu for more information)
* Junior status while abroad
* Strong writing skills
* The recommended GPA to be competitive for these programs is 3.7.
Language Requirement:
For applicants who are not from an English-speaking majority country or have not been solely educated in English throughout the past two years at the time of application (educated in English for 2 years by February deadline), we are required by the UK Home Office and Oxford University to assess your English language ability. All teaching at Oxford University is carried out in English (with the exception of some language-specific teaching) and tutors must be convinced that you have sufficient fluency in written and spoken English to cope with your course from the start. Therefore, the Hertford College Visiting Student Programme requires the following from a non-native English-speaking applicant:
IELTS: overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components)
Course Information:
Students will earn 20 credits and may enroll in the full university curriculum with the exception of business and laboratory science courses.
Academic Credits:
Credits will appear as transfer credits on students’ William & Mary transcripts and will not be included in GPA calculations. Transfer credits must be pre- or post-approved.
Program Fees:
For 2024-25 the fee for Hilary & Trinity Spring 2025 will not exceed $41,600. Information for 2025-26: TBD. For more information contact the Global Education Advisor.
Fees are paid to W&M and subject to change. An application fee of $75 applies. Fees include tuition, room, one meal every day Monday—Saturday, and study abroad insurance.
We highly recommend that you meet with the faculty liaison, Dean Suzanne Raitt, and GEO Advisor before applying due to the program unique tutorial and selection process.
