Examination Fellowships

Yes, provided you are registered for a higher degree at the University of Oxford and also fulfil the other conditions mentioned in the Further Particulars.

Yes, provided you have a degree from the University of Oxford or have registered for a higher degree there by 1st October in the year in which you are applying, you can sit the Fellowship Examination that year.

So far, those securing a Fellowship by Examination have taken up their Fellowship immediately after their election but it is possible for a Fellow by Examination to defer the start of the Fellowship by up to one year from the date of election.

No. While many Examination Fellows go on to academic careers, some pursue work in areas such as law, journalism, finance, public service, and the arts. Fellows pursuing non-academic careers are still expected to maintain active academic interests and contribute to the intellectual life of the College.

Yes, provided you have successfully completed a BA (or equivalent) and fulfil the other conditions mentioned in the Further Particulars, you can apply. When we assess applicants, we do not take account of their undergraduate degree result. However, because the standard of the Fellowship Examination is high, the successful candidates are likely to be ones who either obtained a high First Class undergraduate degree and won an undergraduate prize, or reached an equivalent level of achievement.

Yes, anyone with an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree is eligible to apply, provided they also fulfil the other conditions mentioned in the Further Particulars. The reason why we specify ‘BA or equivalent degree’ is simply because at the University of Oxford all undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees are called BAs.

They start from the date of completion of your first degree; you will be eligible to sit for a Fellowship by Examination only if you are within seven terms of the completion of your first degree. 

Exceptions to the eligibility criteria can sometimes be made, but very rarely and only in exceptional circumstances (e.g. documented long-term illness or parental leave).

The College is aware of the issue with the academic calendar sometimes differing in the Southern Hemisphere.  Therefore, in regard to the criteria for having completed your first degree within seven terms of the date of election, up to a six month allowance will be made when determining eligibility.  For example, if the cutoff point was the summer of 2024 then it would allow someone who completed their degree in Dec 2023/Jan 2024 to sit the exam in 2026.

You can sit the Examination as many times as you wish, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

Unfortunately we are unable to make provision for candidates to sit the Examination remotely. You will need to be able to come to Oxford to sit the Examination in person.

Some Fellows of All Souls do work in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences, but for the Fellowship Examination there are no specialist subject papers in the sciences, only in certain Humanities and Social Science subjects (in which eligible candidates must have completed or be studying for a degree).

No. You must select one and the same subject for both Specialist Papers.

The College follows Oxford University’s subject definitions and allocations as detailed by the University’s four divisions. Your subject must fall under either the Humanities or the Social Sciences heading.

Yes. If you have a joint degree, you are still able to sit the exam provided one of your subjects is in Humanities or Social Sciences as defined by the University of Oxford in its list of divisions

The viva lasts approximately 25 minutes and focuses on the candidate’s written examination scripts. Candidates are questioned primarily by the examiners, although other Fellows may also participate.

Examination Fellows receive accommodation in College, meals during term, financial support, and access to the College’s academic community and facilities. The College normally also pays University fees for Fellows studying for Oxford degrees.