Graduate students are first admitted by a University department. All applicants for postgraduate programmes in the University of Oxford are also given the opportunity to indicate a college preference. An offer from the academic department will always lead to the offer of a college place, and colleges and halls will normally give priority to candidates who have selected them as preferred college, provided they have capacity. The college preference will not have any bearing on the department’s decision about the application.

Each college and hall has its own distinctive ethos and community. Campion Hall’s vision is for an academic community seeking wisdom for the common good, and the Hall seeks to offer a nurturing environment for transformative learning, research, and engagement. The Hall offers its graduate students a holistic learning experience engaging the whole person, heart and soul as well as the mind. It is more than an institution; it is a home where students and fellows find a sanctuary of quiet, beauty, and good conversation. The Hall fosters a sense of belonging and intellectual hospitality, and values contemplation and the pursuit of truth for its own sake. It also has an egalitarian ethos, making no distinction between students and fellows at table or in the use of the shared Common Room.

The Hall welcomes applicants many different fields, and our resources are particularly well-suited to students in the Humanities and Social Sciences. We admit students for most programmes offered by these Divisions, and regularly admit those working on theological, philosophical, ecological, political, ethical, cultural and other topics that contribute to the understanding and promotion of human dignity and environmental justice. The Hall is well-suited to lay students as well as members of religious congregations or clergy. 

In addition to being a centre for research, Campion Hall is the home of Jesuits in Oxford, and there is a distinct rhythm that revolves around liturgical life. While participation in the Hall’s liturgical life is not mandatory, many find it enriching. For those who understand, appreciate, and take strength from our values, Campion Hall is an inspirational and vibrant place to study and research for the civilisation of ‘freedom, growth, salvation and love’ of which Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, spoke.

Students most likely to flourish at Campion Hall are those with:

• Desire to make a positive contribution to society
• Motivation to pursue academic excellence in their chosen field
• Willingness to engage with Jesuit traditions and participate in the communal life of the Hall
• A preference for being part of a small close-knit and egalitarian community.

You can find the latest copy of the Campion Hall Student Handbook here.

For an idea of what a typical term’s academic and social activities look like, see an example of a recent Term Card.