TCU-In Oxford

Program Overview

TCU-In Oxford is a prestigious opportunity to study at St. Catherine’s College, one of nearly 40 colleges that make up the University of Oxford. TCU juniors and seniors with high academic qualifications can study at St. Catherine’s College through its Visiting Students Programme. Visiting Students have the opportunity to choose from the widest variety of tutorial courses offered by any college at Oxford.

St. Catherine’s works on a trimester basis:

  • Michaelmas term runs from early October to mid-December.
  • Hilary term runs from early January to mid-March
  • Trinity term runs from mid-April to late June

Students may select to study at St. Catherine’s as follows:

  • Fall study abroad: apply for Michaelmas term, earn 12 credits
  • Spring study abroad: apply for Hilary and Trinity term, earn 24 credits  (recorded as 18 credits in the spring term and 6 in the summer)
  • Full year study abroad: apply for Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity terms, earn 36 credits (recorded as 18 credits each in fall and spring terms)

Throughout the application and pre-departure process, Oxford applicants work much more independently than students on other TCU Abroad programs, often coordinating their experience directly with St. Catherine’s College staff in Oxford

Admission to St. Catherine’s is highly competitive. If you are not selected for a place at St. Catherine’s, please ensure you have selected a second-choice program from the TCU-In or TCU-Affiliated portfolios.

Program Details

Oxford uses a tutorial model, which is very different than the American style of education. Instead of enrolling in pre-set courses, students work with a faculty member (tutor) who creates a specialized tutorial for the student, with a reading list for the subject matter to be covered. Students are expected to write weekly essays on assigned reading topics, and then meet with their tutor on a regular basis, either singly or in pairs, to discuss the material. Tutorials are supplemented by lectures.

Students normally take two tutorial courses a term, a primary course of eight credits and a secondary course of four credits.

In the application process, students will suggest subject areas and topics based on their curricular needs at TCU. Once accepted, the Director of Visiting Students at St. Catherine’s College with work with students to finalize the topic and subject area. Here are examples of past tutorials. You are not limited to these.

If you are struggling with what to take as a tutorial, you are welcome to email naomi.freud@stcatz.ox.ac.uk, the Director of Studies for Visiting Students.

In addition to the College undergraduate library, students have full access to the University’s main research library, the Bodleian, and may have access to departmental/faculty libraries.

This style of learning requires a high degree of independence, self-study and motivation.

As part of the application, students must have their St. Catz courses pre-approved through the credit approval process.

While you are abroad, you are enrolled in 12 hours of coursework as a placeholder. Your classes will not be posted to your TCU recorded until 8 – 10 weeks after the semester ends, when the transcript from Roehampton is sent. Once the Registrar receives your transcript, they will record the courses using the department codes on your Credit Approval Form (i.e., MARK, HIST) and a generic course code. Your dean’s office will apply these to your major / minor / electives / core as approved.

All coursework, regardless of program type, counts for grades and will be included in your TCU GPA.

For more information about how credits work, see our Study Abroad Basics page.

St. Catherine’s College is one of Oxford’s largest with approximately 675 undergraduate and graduate students. It is generally regarded as one of the friendliest and most open colleges in Oxford.

Visiting Students live in residence halls on the St. Catherine’s campus. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, visiting students are housed in single rooms alongside fully-matriculated students. The rooms are provided with a single bed, bed linens, desk, a bathroom, a wardrobe, and a regular cleaning service. The rooms have connections for laptops as well as wireless connection.

Housing is not included between terms. Students can apply for vacation residence in 2nd or 3rd week prior to the holidays, via an email from the St. Catz accommodation manager. It is not guaranteed but costs approximately £26 per night. TCU Global can work with St. Catz to have this charged to the TCU Student Account.

Meals are not included in the program fee. However, students have access to shared kitchen facilities which include a stove top, fridge, microwave, kettle and small cupboard space. Breakfast, lunch, cafeteria-style dinner, and a three-course evening meal are also available in the dining hall on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Costs for 2024 – 2025 

TCU bills tuition and program fees to the TCU Student Account.

Fees for Michaelmas Term Only (i.e., Fall 2024)

  1. TCU Tuition: TCU Fall 2024 block tuition = 12 credit hours
  2. Program Fee:  $2700 – includes St. Catherine’s housing and insurance fees.
  3. Additional Expenses: Airfare, visa fees, meals, books, personal spending money and other outside expenses not included in the program fee. Individual budgets are highly variable.

Fees for Hilary and Trinity Terms (i.e., Spring 2025):

  1. TCU Tuition: TCU Spring 2025 block tuition + 8 credits of summer tuition = 24 credit hours
  2. Program Fee:  $5200 – includes St. Catherine’s housing and insurance fees.
  3. Additional Expenses: Housing between terms, airfare, visa fees, meals, books, personal spending money and other outside expenses not included in the program fee. Individual budgets are highly variable.

Fees for Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity Terms (i.e., full academic year, 2024 – 2025):

  1. TCU Tuition: TCU Fall 2024 tuition + Spring 2025 tuition + 8 credits of summer tuition
  2. Program Fee:  $7700 – includes St. Catherine’s housing and insurance fees.
  3. Additional Expenses: Housing between terms, airfare, visa fees, meals, books, personal spending money and other outside expenses not included in the program fee. Individual budgets are highly variable.

Estimated Additional Expenses: For other outside expenses not included in the program fee. Individual budgets are highly variable. This may include:
— Airfare: $1,400
— Books: $200
— Housing between terms: $1000
— Meals/Groceries: $2,000
— Local Transportation: $150
— Personal Expenses: $2,000
— Travel Expenses: Highly variable

Visit the Scholarships & Aid page to learn about study abroad scholarships, through TCU and other organizations. In particular,  applicants should look at the:

  • TCU International Studies Award
  • Study Abroad Grant (only for students completing both Hilary & Trinity terms)

How to Apply

The Oxford application process takes place once per year

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible students must have a minimum 3.8 GPA  and two years in residence at TCU. Interested students should begin planning at least a year in advance by scheduling an appointment with an advisor in TCU Global.

Admission to St. Catherine’s is highly competitive. If you are not selected for a place at St. Catherine’s, please ensure you have selected a second-choice program from the TCU-In or TCU-Affiliated portfolios.

Part 1: Nomination Process: Due December 1 for following year’s fall, spring, or full year
Submit your request to be nominated by TCU as a Visiting Student with the following

  1. Nomination Form
  2. Draft personal statement (approximately 500 – 600 words) on the following: write a brief account of your studies, your interests (intellectual, social and other) and what you hope to achieve by studying as a Visiting Student in Oxford.
  3. Unofficial transcript

1. With permission from TCU, submit the St. Catherine’s College application materials directly to St. Catz by January 25.

    1. Application form (provided to you upon review of nomination materials)
    2. Final personal statement
    3. Two (2) letters of recommendation
    4. Two (2) written pieces of academic work that you have previously submitted as part of your academic studies at your home university
    5. One passport-sized photo (for your student ID)
    6. Copy of your passport page

2. Complete the Global TCU Study Abroad Forms

Important Information

Study Abroad programs often include field components that require the ability to perform tasks beyond what is expected in a typical classroom. Many programs require extensive walking and/or the ability to stand for extended periods of time; the ability to independently use public transportations; and/or sleeping in shared quarters. Program and housing facilities may lack central heat and air-conditioning, elevators, and other conveniences. Unless prior accommodations have been made through TCU Student Disabilities Services, students must be able to transport and manage own luggage through airports and public transportation centers.

Managing your health and safety is an important component in having a positive experience abroad. TCU provides you with a number of resources to assist you:

  1. Prior to departure, you will need to attend the mandatory orientation which covers specific health, safety, logistical, and cultural information.
  2. Upon arrival, you will have an orientation to reiterate health, safety, logistical, and cultural information.
  3. TCU provides you membership to On Call International, a premier Global Assistance program. You can call On Call for any kind of travel, health, safety, or emergency issues, including:
  • help replacing a lost passpor help translating and interpreting
  • help with lost luggage, along with reimbursement for items needed while luggage is lost
  • assistance finding general and specialty health care
  • assistance with emergency refills of prescription
  • health insurance for your time abroad.

For more information, please see Health & Safety

Before Departure

You must attend the mandatory pre-departure orientation. You should also review the Study Abroad Handbook and Know Before You Go page.

Arrival and On-Site Information

You are responsible for getting yourself to Oxford on the program start date. Generally, students fly into London and take the bus or train to Oxford. During your first days in Oxford, you’ll participate in orientation before classes begin.

Because you are not enrolled in TCU classes, the TCU system will show 12 hours of coursework as a placeholder while you are abroad. Your classes will not transfer back to TCU until 8 – 12 weeks after the semester ends. At that time, the correct credit hours will be posted to your TCU record.